Help pls - which battery?

[SkodaFabiaOwner]

Which is the best direct replacement battery for my mk 1 Skoda fabia estate 1.2 htp?

Looking from ecp. Ideally want it to be a straight swap with no modifications of the battery tray and ideally want to upgrade to a stronger battery...

Thanks

[SkodaFabiaOwner]

Ecp seems to be offering 027 and 012 fitment types for my vehicle, how do I know which to go for

Thanks

[sepulchrave]

measure your battery and check the size against this chart:

 

http://www.puretyre.co.uk/car-battery-specification-chart/

[SkodaFabiaOwner]

Thanks, but I wanted to upgrade the amp hours as well if possible while still being a direct replacement and fitting in the same tray, so won't the measurements differ slightly due to the extra capacity? Or will both the ecp codes fit so I can choose the larger ah out of the 2? Cheers

[sepulchrave]

Dude, then measure the space you have available and use the chart to find a battery to fit, you're not a 'creative' by any chance are you?

 

ECP has or had 063 batteries on special at £35 which may fit. You don't really need anything bigger since it's only a petrol and a bigger battery will just take slightly longer to go flat when you forget to switch your lights off!

[SkodaFabiaOwner]

Thanks, what's the best way to replace the battery? Are there any tricks or techniques for doing the job right on the fabia? Also what do I do with the old battery? Can I take it to halfords for free recycling or something?

Thanks

[sepulchrave]

Make sure you have your radio code if it has one, wipe a little vaseline or lithium grease round the posts on the new battery (don't use copaslip, it's a terrible conductor), then just swap 'em over, you can take the old battery to your local household recycling depot.

[StevesTruck]

Don't bother with the Lion ones from ECP. I fitted one earlier in the year and it's showing signs of weakness already (PAS light coming on at cold start).

[SkodaFabiaOwner]

Does the Vaseline go on the terminals before you connect the wires or after? Or doesn't it matter?

Thanks

[mogwye]

Before !!

 

DB.

[sepulchrave]

Don't bother with the Lion ones from ECP. I fitted one earlier in the year and it's showing signs of weakness already (PAS light coming on at cold start).

 

I wouldn't bother on a diesel, however on a little petrol car it's fine, I know, I have one and no issues at all.

[dm222]

Does the Vaseline go on the terminals before you connect the wires or after? Or doesn't it matter?

Thanks

I believe it's after to seal. It's only to seal , if you put before that will prevent contact...

[sepulchrave]

I believe it's after to seal. It's only to seal , if you put before that will prevent contact...

 

No, no it won't.

 

It's not to seal, it's to prevent electrolytic corrosion between the terminal and the post. Look it up if you skipped science at school.

[SkodaFabiaOwner]

Just a quick message to report back that I completed this job today thanks to the help from this great forum. I upgraded from the original (I believe) 44Ah battery, which to be fair has lasted an incredible 10 years (almost 9 years of which in my ownership), to a 60Ah Bosch S4 027 battery, it's slightly larger than the existing battery, but still fits nicely in the tray.

 

At first glance it looked like a far more complicated procedure than on other cars, but it was actually a really simple job. I just undid the terminals, unclipped the lugs holding the tray down, pulled off the battery tray leaving the cables connected, undid 1 securing bolt, removed the old battery and installation was the reverse. I applied some vasaline on the terminals before and after.

 

I gave starting the engine a test and wow what a difference. Near instantanious start, felt like it had been given a new lease of life. Thankfully my radio self installed the code, I reset the clock and it rembered the anti-hi jack auto lock setting, so all is good. Another job ticked off the list, well chuffed, thanks again.

[indars]

More crank amps makes better start. More capacity- no.

Mine original battery (Acuma) lasted 7 years + 7 months...replaced it with Yuasa YBX5063... and got extra free space under fuse's tray, hahaha.

[VWD]

Again, another post where if we knew roughly where the poster lived, one or more could direct him /her/ them to a place locally to get a decent deal ,and disposal. e.g, my locale is given as Nuneaton, where i know from lots of year car ownership that Britannia take a lot of beating for batteries over a vast range of cars. But Britannia also have branches in places like Derby and Bristol, so they might be worth out checking in those places.