Battery Removal - Today's Rant!!

Having only recently joined the ranks of Barchetta ownership, this may have been covered before?

The battery has not been holding charge recently and today I decided to remove the old one prior to purchasing a replacement...so far, so good....



.........only FIATcould have designed a car where you have to remove the bl**dy alarm system before you can get to the lower battery clamp bolt


This is despite the fact that it already has a pefectly good battery retention system across the top of the battery, easily capable of holding it in place if it was hit by an exocet missile


Not sure if this is specific to MK II's, but what a pain in the @rse


Having removed the battery (FIAMM 50ah), does anyone have any suggestions for a good/better replacement unit?

Cheers

Glynn

Sounds typically frustrating...

The battery in my barchetta died completely in an underground hotel carpark in Prague a few years ago. I don't speak a word of Czech and apparently their word for battery is nothing like ours.

I eventually found the local Fiat dealer who fitted a new one for about £15 which has lasted ever since. Bargain

Should have got a MK1, they don't have that fitted

Nope, mine has an after market Clifford (whose siren bracket is busy rotting its way through part of the wing as we speak!!)......

Just read on another thread that once the new battery is fitted, that I need to use the RED key.

Stupid question, but why and what does it do?

If after replacing the battery the alarm/immob no longer recognises your 'normal' key, then you have to re-init with the red "master" key.

However, this should normally not occur.
If it does, then you need the keycodes etc. Apparantly its very easy to block out ALL of your keytransponders in that process... Someone here should know more about that process.
But as said, it should normally not occur.

As far as replacement battery is concerned: the "heaviest" your alternator can support
Any decent brand will do. (maybe stay clear of the brands that also come in Sachem apparati )
If you want something exotic: Enersys / Hawker is also used in the airline industry the nearest plant is in Arras

Steer clear of aircraft batteries. They have a habit of being 24V and your electrics won't like it...

Will the B be twice as fast with a 24V battery

Cheers Guy's

All done - minus the offending siren for the alarm which had been driving me insane anyway!

Just been for a blast and I have now forgiven FIAT for designing such a crap alarm installation