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MaseratiForumMaserati CarsA6G-Merak, BiTurbo era, Ghibli, QP IV Ghibli Battery advice

Ghibli Battery advice

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9/7/2010 10:51:20  

Posts: 228
Since: 4/5/2010
Status: offline 		Ha! Lucky me!

I took the Cup out last night for a turn over and drove about 10 miles from where I keep it. Unfortunately, upon returning to start it- it was dead! A quick bit of diagnosis revealed that the battery had indeed died and the attending RAC officer confirmed it.
So I need a new battery! The original has been in the car for the eight years I've owned it and was a Mercedes badged cell.
My question is- always keen to fit the largest Ah capacity cell I can find, does anybody know of a size and type which offers better than the nominal OE fitted 62Ah capacity?
After all the fitting position between the rear arch and carjack was for 62Ah in '92 when the Ghibli was designed; does anyone know if 18 years advance in battery technology has produced a higher capacity in the same footprint? And if so, could they recommend it?

JimP
13/7/2010 9:33:30  
 

Posts: 214
Since: 22/3/2007
Status: offline 		Morning,

Why would you need larger than 62 ? They do no run a lot of electrics - and those that that do don't always work anyway !!!

You could prob get a 75 that would be the "normal size", we have an alfa with heated electric seats and all manner of electrical gadgets, which still work !! That uses a 105 and that is the next size up, it would be too big to fit the ghibli.

I have a Varta which has been in three years and has been flat needing a jump twice and it still works.

Del
23/7/2010 10:39:27  

Posts: 228
Since: 4/5/2010
Status: offline 		Well after the overwhelming response of almost NO advice, I found myself on my own for battery sorting.
Halfords wanted £122, so I thought I'd ask Maserati- they said £76!! "Tremendous", I thought, only to discover, despite my quoting the specs, they had got a 74Ah. So now I know a 74Ah won't go in from 1st hand experience!!

I took the sound insulation off the rear arch and moved the drainpipe from the fuel overflow to give every last mm, but the jack wouldn't relocate and it pushed into the tabs on the rear light cluster.

Moral of the story...?

Answers below, please...!
















Attachment (5)
23/7/2010 20:17:24  

Posts: 2477
Since: 27/1/2008
Region: Bristol
Status: online 		Sorry no one could help...wish I knew more about the 80-90's cars.

_____________________________

Peter

4200 CC
Volvo C70 Cabriolet
VW Golf mk1 Cabriolet
2CV LHD In France
25/7/2010 7:14:26  
 

Posts: 139
Since: 15/2/2009
Status: offline 		JimP

You could raise the battery by fitting a block of wood underneath it. Then it could be moved slightly forwards, giving room for the jack. But then you may need to lengthen the earth lead.

Is it possible to fit the jack along the top of the battery?

From the pictures, it looks like the original battery is from a Mercedes and I'm sure that there is a modern high power equivalant today.

The Banner battery looks like one specififed (as an equivalent) for a 3200GT or Quattroporte IV.

Duncan
25/7/2010 12:26:22  

Posts: 36
Since: 24/5/2007
Status: offline 		rather than moaning about not getting any advice (it's no ones duty to give you advice and it's all part and parcel of owning these cars... they're rare and there's not many people that know much about them)... you have to improvise and you have to do your research.

i don't follow it much these days, but i recall enrico's website had an article about ghibli batteries... some focused googling would have led you to this; if you do an advance search with google you can get it to only give search results from a specified website.

i fitted a varta battery to mine and not had any probs... just be sure you spec it with the terminals the right way round.

a very quick google search for "varta battery ghibli" yielded this page: http://www.battery2u.co.uk/Car-Batteries/Numax-Car-Batteries/Numax-Car-Batteries-019

now... look in the "fitments" tab and you'll see a long list of cars that use the same battery. go to your supplier and ask for a battery for one of the more popular cars in this list and you should get what you're after... but try and get a higher capacity one if you can... the car will run better on it (you'll get better current to the ignition... mine ran much better when i fitted a higher capacity battery).

i just looked on the varta website and you can search for batteries by vehicle and the maserati ghibli II is listed... so there's no excuse for you having got the wrong battery other than you not making an effort... it even tells you where you can but them! i suspect if you looked on other manufacturers sites you'd also find alternatives.

honestly... in five minutes of googling i've found everything you need! pull your finger out! this is not maserati specific and if you have a modicum of common sense you can sort this out easily. heaven help you if you get a more difficult problem occur on the car than buying a new battery!
25/7/2010 17:40:54  
 

Posts: 139
Since: 15/2/2009
Status: offline 		A bit of a deeper google gives the dimensions of battery type 019 as 353x175x190 (halfords.com). The battery type 096 which JimP found is 278x175x190 which was too long, so the 019 will be much too long. I know that finding a battery for an 'odd' car can be difficult and even Maserati got it wrong. Type 013 would be probably fit, with dimensions 242x175x160, with the 63AH version HCB019 priced at £119.99.

The question which JimP asked was whether there was high power alternative to his battery and I can understand his chagrin at not receiving the help that he was anticipating. I think that help for these older Maseratis is less freely available on this forum, which seems to flow freely for 3200GTs and later models.

I know from experience of working on a range of older cars, that most motor factors turn up a blank on even basic parts like a battery, which I why I guess that JimP turned to this forum for help, and then, when help was not forthcoming, sought advice elsewhere and ended up with the wrong battery.

For the record, I couldn't help JimP with an answer to his original question, because I don't know the answer.

Duncan
25/7/2010 18:11:23  

Posts: 36
Since: 24/5/2007
Status: offline 		duncan

seems you have some extra info, since there's no references to the sizes in the posts? or am i missing that bit?

regards...
25/7/2010 18:33:08  
 

Posts: 139
Since: 15/2/2009
Status: offline 		The info is in my first post...

<<The Banner battery looks like one specififed (as an equivalent) for a 3200GT or Quattroporte IV>>...

which is a type 096 (which I bought for my QP IV and is the same size as the one in my 3200)

JimP's original battery is smaller, so it's most likely to be a type 013 or similar.

Halfords.com includes the battery dimensions.

Duncan

25/7/2010 20:07:19  

Posts: 228
Since: 4/5/2010
Status: offline 		yes well...

Thankyou Duncan for your input and Mr corcutt, I won't be forgetting your own comments for some time, either.

The pictures are supposed to show the issue now sorted, as it is.

Despite various web searches, I found most manufacturers sites were very keen to identify a specific battery for a vehicle rather than show a list of batteries and specs from which I would have been able to make a choice. As such I never found an actual battery spec list or a site that recognised the Ghibli II within fitments.

This has hardly represented a difficult problem and I just thought through the medium of the forum someone might have known off the top of their head- sad to see my own suspicions of the worst case scenario of forum feedback has been born out by (some of) the responses I've received to this post. However, I'll take them in isolation.

In eight years of ownership I've never encountered such an attitude.
25/7/2010 20:27:34  

Posts: 36
Since: 24/5/2007
Status: offline
quote:

Well after the overwhelming response of almost NO advice


kettle... black...
25/7/2010 22:27:27  

Posts: 36
Since: 24/5/2007
Status: offline 		well, i've been searching online and everywhere pulls up the same dimensions for the ghibli... for example http://www.alpha-batteries.co.uk/buy-online/car-batteries/019/bosch-12v-019-heavy-duty-car-battery-s4013-/prod_171.html

this is 353*175*190 again, i.e. 019?

they can't all be wrong can they?

if i had access to my car i'd go and check the dimensions...

tried looking for that article on enrico's site but couldn't find it... i suspect that it might have been in the "can you help" section which unfortunately enrico has removed (shame as there was a fair bit of info there).

just went and had another look on the varta website and looked up the battery for the QPII 2.0 liter which essentially ran ghibli bits and came up with the attached. on the website you can enter your required dimensions and fittings and it will list all the available options they have in that packaging constraint... so that sounds like exactly what you were looking for?

am i forgiven?




Attachment (1)
26/7/2010 6:57:14  
 

Posts: 139
Since: 15/2/2009
Status: offline 		One battery specified for the Maserati 228 is on can be found on http://www.countybatteryservices.co.uk/maserati-petrol-1990-battery-p-24787.html

That will be the same as for the Ghibli and has dimensions 243*175*175, so it's not all straightforward when you search the internet for something

The Quattroporte IV battery is bigger and it is located beneath the spare wheel in the boot.

Duncan
26/7/2010 7:13:13  

Posts: 36
Since: 24/5/2007
Status: offline 		indeed. seems there's lots of misinformation out there.

the reason i suggested the QP battery is that from the pics it looked like the original merc battery that was in there was a little taller, but there still seemed to be a bit of space left vertically?

but to answer the original question about battery technology, there's not been much improvement to standard batteries it would appear and it probably doesn't make much sense cost wise to stick lithium batteries in cars... sure they're smaller and lighter but this probably doesn't justify the tenfold price increase.

indeed... a quick google search yielded this article which sums up my thoughts (although was not aware that the minimum temp was such an issue... makes me wonder how hybrid/electric cars running on lithium batteries tackle this problem?). nice small package though!

http://www.allcarselectric.com/blog/1039014_porsche-to-offer-3000-optional-li-ion-starter-battery-on-select-models-not-for-use-in-freezing-temps

< Message edited by jonnycorcutt -- 26/7/2010 7:19:48 >
16/1/2011 21:23:40  
 

Posts: 214
Since: 22/3/2007
Status: offline 		Mine has also now given up the Ghost.

It is a Varta Blue  D24 562019048
Size approx 240 X 190 X 185
12V 63ah 480


The current varta D24 is only a 60ah but is a high rating at 540

A Varta D15, is the same size 63ah and comes in at 610, this has a 5 year warranty, and is about £70 - £80. It is a type 027

You can get an 027 for as low as £54.99 but 2/3 year warranty and only 60ah and 480.

I might treat myself to a Varta even though it is £15 more ...........................................

Just out of curiosity would the 2.8l engine need a bigger battery than a 2.0l ?

Del
21/1/2011 15:17:06  

Posts: 228
Since: 4/5/2010
Status: offline 		hello Del!

how are you doing?

Yes- the greater the capacity, the greater the cold-cranking power required to turn over; all that piston ring friction and cylinder compression before valve venting... As the capacity is bigger, the rings round the cylinders are slightly larger which would mean a higher resistance to moving.

It's probably not much, but then it'll be about 40% more...

When was the last time you turned it over? I keep mine hibernating in these months but turn it over to run it for a short time every few weeks... I have a hardwired charging point from the boot area so that it sits being trickle charged to prevent drain. It's mA but it makes the difference...

I was speaking to a professional car storage place a few years ago (they has ALL sorts) and they turned them over every three months...

JimP
21/1/2011 22:56:52  
 

Posts: 214
Since: 22/3/2007
Status: offline 		Jim,

The battery has been flat many times, i jumped it one sunday drove around a bit and the following sunday there was not even enough power to illuminate the red light on the edge of the door !

Now starts instantly, although i did not mind the whirrr whirr whirr as it tried to turn.

I now have no side lights !!

The handbook says the fuses are in the "luggage compartment" but I could not find any in the boot. It is the block with the light tester. Does it really mean boot ??

I managed to use the car twice in December and twice so far this year, weather permitting i will be out on sunday. We have had that much rain there is no salt left on the roads. I bet that is more than you have managed in Scotland !!

Del
24/1/2011 10:18:11  

Posts: 228
Since: 4/5/2010
Status: offline 		Hi Del,

no side lights??!!

Crikey- let me ask you this then: have you instrument illumination, but no external front sidelights? Have you got tail-lights?/Nothing at all?

I've got the full schematics book and will dig it out to work out what is going on...

It's quite mild up here at the moment- saving up for a big service trip in April at the moment- then a tour of the North West coast is planned for the Spring!

JimP
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