General Replacing a battery

[snakku]

Hi all, i'm relatively new to this forum and after several attempts to find an answer amongst all these threads, I decided to just post a thread and hope for the best. I recently got my hands on a 97 punto and after downloading the haynes service and repair manual, read something about the ecu and battery replacement that got me wondering. If I were to replace the battery , from what I can understand, the ecu would loose it settings and restore to its defaults. Following this , the ecu will have to re learn the optimum car settings. My question is .. would there be a noticeable difference in the car handling and performance if this was to occur?

Thanks a lot

 

[Brendan W]

Never noticed much of a difference after changing a battery. The ecu probably resets to a normal average type driving for average type fuel in average conditions so depending on where you are and how you drive you may notice nothing at all.

 

[AndyRKett]

Engine ecus adapt pretty rapidly to the information it's sensors receive so when started the ecu would know instantly air flow air temp fuel pressures etc etc and adjust accordingly, things that maybe effected by sensors that take longer to work such as the lambda would simply be set to a default setting after a battery change which wouldn't be too far from the optimum, having driving a couple of hundred miles the ecu will have some new average measurements stored for use in future situation,

In short you might notice a hit to fuel economy or the emissions but other wise you would have no idea. As for handling the electric power steering ecu has a fixed non-variable motor torque curve preprogrammed so this would be unaltered by a battery change

 

[Ziggy122]

I feel a difference with mine on reset

But again dont take long before it settles

Ziggy

 

[zigleon]

Put a brand new battery in my Sporting this week.

The only difference I've noticed is it now starts up first time in the cold without the clock resetting....

 

[AndyRKett]

I feel a difference with mine on reset

But again dont take long before it settles

Ziggy

might be because your engine has many more miles on it and being worn is no longer very close to the default settings

 

[GranDuke]

Put a brand new battery in my Sporting this week.

The only difference I've noticed is it now starts up first time in the cold without the clock resetting....

I know this feeling bro

Be sure to buy a battery that fits. These Putos have smaller than normal.

 

[zigleon]

Tell me about it.....why did Fiat make the clock adjustment only go one way..?


It's also worth spending a little more and getting a Silver Bosch Battery.

 

[Ziggy122]

Some people just remove the plastic stuff and wack a decent battery in

failing that - you can get a Diesel Punto battery tray - fit it and have room for anything you like really

Ziggy

 

[AndyRKett]

failing that - you can get a Diesel Punto battery tray - fit it and have room for anything you like really

Ziggy

Sorry I have a 1.3 and a 1.9 diesel and they both have the same battery tray as any other punto, they just have higher rated batteries, well actually the 1.3 still has its original battery which is either 45 or 55 Ahrs off the top of my head and the 1.9 has what i assume is a petrol punto battery which isn't rated as high

 

[windmill84]

hi, i need a new battery for my 1.2 16v punto. which one would you recommend? please could you post a link too?!

thanks very much

 

[Brendan W]

Sorry I have a 1.3 and a 1.9 diesel and they both have the same battery tray as any other punto, they just have higher rated batteries, well actually the 1.3 still has its original battery which is either 45 or 55 Ahrs off the top of my head and the 1.9 has what i assume is a petrol punto battery which isn't rated as high

iirc the electric steering petrols are low to mid forties and the older hydraulic p/s petrols had batteries in the thirties fitted.

 

[snakku]

Thank you for all your replies. I can now relax and know that my car won't be undriveable should my battery get to the point where a change is unavoidable.

:worship:

 

[DaveMcT]

Stop worrying, if that were true the AA would be towing every other car they fix.

When you do fit a battery get a Bosch Silver intended for the HGT or larger diesels. Its bigger so throw away the plastic battery box, but steering issues will be almost unheard of and it will start easily in any weather. They cost £30 more than standard batteries but the extra few quid is cash well spent.