If anyone wants to upgrade their battery, Optima is shipping the 51R Yellow top for the TSX. Just put an Optima 51R in my 2008 TSX. It fit perfect and even the heat shield fits fine.

 

i just got a YT34, do you think they would exchange ?
*Got it through insterstate, they claim the 51R is still discontinued. This was on 09/15/07

 

whats the advantage of upgrading the battery?

 

It was not available for about 2 years, but I heard that Optima got a new winding machine that allowed them to make the small size of the 51.

The 34 gives you a lot more power, so I would keep it. The 34 will start a 510 big block Chevy and run the stereo for a long time with the engine off.

 

I like strong batteries and the Optima provides higher initial voltage than a regular flooded battery and has better charge acceptance since the lead is purer because it is spiral and press fit into the case. A flooded battery has flat plates that have additives to make them stiff enough to stay straight up.

 

Is the YT34 an optima battery as well? I can't seem to find it on their website...

 

tim where did you get your new battery from?

 

Nice. I think I'm gonna get one. Did you get yours straight from Optima?

 

Anyone that sell Optima can get it for you. Just tell them that you want 51R. It was just re-released, so many Optima dealers don't know it's available again.

 

Price on the 51R?

 

Around $180 if I recall correctly?

 

I just called Optima batteries and they stated that they won't ship until next month? So tim if you can provide where you got from I will try ordering it from there, thanks.

 

Agreed...please reveal your source

 

I've wanted to upgrade my OEM battery for a while, but didn't want to risk the previous 51Rs not being able to mantain a charge. If Optima fixed the issue with the new batch of 51Rs, I'm in...

 

Advance Auto Parts has them available at all 3,000 stores.

I am sure that others have them, but I just talked to the category manager for batteries at Advance and he said that they are available right now.

 

Wonder if they've been fixed. I don't want to get one without knowing.

 

They quit selling them for couple of years until they got a new winding machine.

 

What's the word on the red top? Is it only the yellow top they are re-releasing?

 

I got my red top from these folks per JTso's recommendation.

http://www.1st-optima-batteries.com/

Would just need to contact them about the 51R. Had the best prices b/c they include shipping. Everything showed up in perfect condition.

 

Optima doesn't make a red top in the small size for a couple of reasons. The small size is likely to be cycled more than a bigger battery and volume.

 

I had an Orange Top (Red Top, reverse poles) in my last car and really liked it because of well, all the properties that make Optima batteries great. As I understand it, a Red Top is designed to work like a regular car battery, and the yellow to do that plus power lots of accessories. moda_way noted one one was purchased, and I assumed worked. If so, what Red Top would work, and what considerations are there with installing that unit? With the Orange Top, it was smaller than the OEM, so I had to put a tray underneath to make it fit well.

 

Any weight reduction over OEM?

 

^^Hardly. These are heavy batteries. As far as fit for me, they come with a tray mounted on top of the battter, so I used it since the Optimas are shorter. Only other consideration was that battery tie down was ever so slightly harder to connect since the batter is just a hair thicker too. Other than than, I've been running mine for around 6 months or longer. I absolutely love it.

 

Call me a noob, but I still don't understand the point in upgrading OEM battery unless OEM battery is dead. And $180 for a battery is pretty steep.

 

The OEM batteries have noted to be weak and people have had starting problems with them. Mine actually died after about 3 years. I'm now running the Optima. Wow, what a difference!!

 

The 51R can be had at most advance auto parts store for $145 with the core charge...just picked one up locally and have to install it tonight...

 

I'm willing to bet you have a somewhat new TSX.... You will know in about 1-2 yrs what we're talking about.

 

ive had mine for about 1.5 years and its taking alot more cranks to start up in the colder weather. almost to the point where it seems like it wont start.

looks like ill be stoppin buy the autozone next week -_-

 

just installed Exide Orbital 34XCD Xtreme Cycle Duty Battery
a couple weeks ago in addition to upgrading my battery ground wire. car seems to start faster and the battery definately lasts longer when engine is not running.

http://www.remybattery.com/Products/...ry__34XCD.aspx

 

1. UGI
2. Insurance

I would think about replacing it with Optima if your car is more than 2 years old for insurance sake, but until then, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

 

so, i'm looking into buying the YT51R, saw that it was discontinued and then brought back into production.

do we know of any instances of high failure rate of the *new* YT51R as per this thread , which mentions high failure rate of YT pre-discontinuation?

 

thought about a battery upgrade as well...

Just have a few things in mind tho... The optima battery's same size as the OEM's? because i dun think any bigger battery will fit into the car tho. (intake's blocking..)

i dunno about how to measure the size and stuff.. @@

 

The point of this thread is to say that the 35 (Redtop) and 51R (Yellowtop) fit, tightly, but they fit. I have the 35 in my car right now.

 

is your 35 red top in your car with no additional modifications like a custom tie-down or battery tray?

 

guys the red top is a lot lighter that the yellow top, its a race battery and provides more cranking amps than the yellow top.. just not made for heavy systems like a yellow.if you guys were in southern cali I have a hook up for 120 a piece.

 

does the red top 35 fit without any modifications to the battery area, i.e. custom tie-down or reinforced tray or anything? from what i understand from the OP, the 51R YT requires nothing but stock parts and no modification to them.

 

from batteriesplus.com

red top 35 - 33.72 lbs.
yellow top 51R - 27.37 lbs.

so... what did you mean by lighter? or are you comparing different models than i am?

 

compare a yellow top 35 and a red 35... how are you gonna compare the weight on a battery half the size?

 

My OEM battery was brand new (watched them take it out of parts dept, and drop it in my car) when I got my 04 not even 3 years ago. I was lucky the car started if the temp dropped below 40 degrees. OEM was garbage. Put in a Yellow Top this past weekend, all problems/worries left with the old battery.

 

Why put a redtop 35 when you can put on a yellowtop 51R which is lighter, similar size to stock and still adequate for starting the TSX? In the past, people went for the redtop 35 because they couldn't get the yellowtop 51R.