[Alfafannj]

Hello Everybody,

Just wanted to know if 1975 Spiders were delivered with the battery in the trunk or under the hood. Below is my Interstate battery. Is it the right size for my 75 Spider?
The terminals on my battery look pretty dirty so I will give them a cleaning with my dremel over the weekend.

If I were to replace the battery, what is the best battery/size to get?

 

[New_Guy_46]

Do not clean the battery terminals with a dremal. They sell stud style terminal cleaner tools that are pretty cheap. You could also use some sand paper. As for batteries to get depending on how much you want to spend Optima batteries are excellent. They are completely sealed and very durable. I'd think for a little alfa most any battery would do just chose something with a good cca. I'd also leave a trickle charger on the battery if you dont drive it often. Also try to avoid letting the battery get below freezing.

 

[Alfafannj]

Oh ok. Glad you told me that. I will get the proper terminal cleaner. The previous owner suggested that I disconnect the battery if I won't be driving it often. Does disconnecting the battery make any difference if the car is not in use often during the winter? The car doesn't have an alarm and doesn't draw any power (unlike a modern car).

 

[New_Guy_46]

Oh ok. Glad you told me that. I will get the proper terminal cleaner. The previous owner suggested that I disconnect the battery if I won't be driving it often. Does disconnecting the battery make any difference if the car is not in use often during the winter? The car doesn't have an alarm and doesn't draw any power (unlike a modern car).

Disconnecting the battery will help keep the draining from battery. All cars draw a little bit of current even when parked. I like to put a trickle charger on a battery that I wont be using just to keep it full. When a battery is drained completely it damages the battery. Also make sure the battery doesnt get below freezing. Theres is water in the battery that could freeze and crack the battery.

 

[canguro]

Do not clean the battery terminals with a dremal. They sell stud style terminal cleaner tools that are pretty cheap. You could also use some sand paper. As for batteries to get depending on how much you want to spend Optima batteries are excellent. They are completely sealed and very durable. I'd think for a little alfa most any battery would do just chose something with a good cca. I'd also leave a trickle charger on the battery if you dont drive it often. Also try to avoid letting the battery get below freezing.

I would second the Optima battery, as I've had excellent experience with them. I have the red top in my Duetto, and in fact, just replaced one that was more than a decade old just to be safe. The Optimas seem to do much better after a deep discharge that would kill other batteries. Optima also sells a very good battery tender which I keep hooked up to my two roadsters in alternate weeks.

 

[spiderserie4]

a mistake everyone seems to make (me included! until a car electrician mentioned it to me) with those clamp terminals is we tighten the bejeezus out of the bolt, so much so that the jaws "squeeze together" and so cannot sit right down flush over the battery post... if you get me....some people even get out the bfh and try to knock them down flush....bad idea!
you can see exactly this on the battery+ post in alfafannj's photo........the clamp jaws are shut solid and the clamp is sitting up slightly proud of the battery post
(the negative post looks a lot better)

these clamps are designed to go right down over the battery post.....to do that the clamp jaws have to be opened up parallel. (use a large flat screwdriver and twist)
once opened correct you find the clamp slips right down easily over the post.... and then you gently tighten the bolt just enough so you cannot twist the terminal (when done correct, the jaws, you will notice, are still nicely parallel and have not been pinched tight closed by the thru bolt)

that way you have full contact between clamp and post....

sorry a bit long winded to explain something so simple, but try it, you'll be amazed how little you need to tighten the bolt for it to clamp perfectly solid.

 

[pantera928]

a mistake everyone seems to make (me included! until a car electrician mentioned it to me) with those clamp terminals is we tighten the bejeezus out of the bolt, so much so that the jaws "squeeze together" and so cannot sit right down flush over the battery post... if you get me....some people even get out the bfh and try to knock them down flush....bad idea!
you can see exactly this on the battery+ post in alfafannj's photo........the clamp jaws are shut solid and the clamp is sitting up slightly proud of the battery post
(the negative post looks a lot better)

these clamps are designed to go right down over the battery post.....to do that the clamp jaws have to be opened up parallel. (use a large flat screwdriver and twist)
once opened correct you find the clamp slips right down easily over the post.... and then you gently tighten the bolt just enough so you cannot twist the terminal (when done correct, the jaws, you will notice, are still nicely parallel and have not been pinched tight closed by the thru bolt)

that way you have full contact between clamp and post....

sorry a bit long winded to explain something so simple, but try it, you'll be amazed how little you need to tighten the bolt for it to clamp perfectly solid.

Great write up that others should benefit from Dom!!

 

[alfaparticle]

There are no computers in a 75 Spider to drain current as there are in many modern cars. The only possible causes that I can think of are the radio (which is tiny) and a badly badly adjusted glove box light switch. In that case you may not see that the light is on all of the time. I have owned my 79 spider for 21 years and the only time that the battery has discharged is when I have accidentally left the lights or the heater blower on. I have a tiny Odyssey battery and I don't have to disconnect it. If you trickle charge your battery make sure that you use a good one. There are many that can ruin the battery by overcharging it. CTEK cost a bit more but they are very good.

 

[vintagemilano]

75 should have the battery in the trunk.

 

[Alfafannj]

75 should have the battery in the trunk.

I was wondering about that myself. However, it all looks factory stock in my car. Maybe because I don't have A/C it's in the front?

 

[vintagemilano]

You probably have a 74 that was sold late. Do you have original stainless bumpers? Sorry, I can’t remember other 74-75 differences off the top of my head.

 

[Alfafannj]

Not sure about the history of my bumpers. But they have the chrome/stainless inserts.

 

[spiderserie4]

could be a 74, ....big rubber banana bumper or nice chrome bumpers?
What does the door jamb plate say?

 

[Alfafannj]

Jamb plate:

 

[pantera928]

Jamb plate:
View attachment 1664245

You will find that most Alfas show a production date of the previous year here in the USA

 

[73AlfaOEMOwner]

If it's clearly a '74 since it has stainless bumpers. It was delivered with Turbina wheels also (which is the only difference between the '73s and '74s). The battery should be in the engine compartment. Years ago (like 1980) I converted my '73 (August '73 build date) to a side terminal GM style battery since back then when, on short notice, I couldn't find a top terminal battery that didn't hit the hood when it closed. I have a cut off switch when the car isn't going to be run for awhile. During the winter I pull the battery and put it on a battery tender.