My old battery is nearing 9 years old, and is starting to get weak. I was going to buy a new battery from costco with 700 CCA fitment 27. But have a question about the CCA for our trucks. What is the minimum recommended CCA? and is 700 enough? The ones I found later are 710 and an 800 CCA a bit more expensive (800 is a different size battery but apparently fits according to the book) both Everstart MAXX from walmart.

Truck is a 1998 Ram 1500 5.2L V8. I live in Canada and it can get pretty cold, which is why I am asking about the CCA. I haven't bought a battery for this truck ever.


I have another question which is probably pretty stupid but, all the batteries I looked at today only have top terminals, which I thought was fine but the old one in the truck right now has both top and side, and there is a positive cable on the side mount going to the fuse box. Along with the top + and - cables in their normal spots. What is that side + cable for and what do I do with it when I get a new battery?

 

Get as much CCA as you can. Standard trucks were something like 500 or 600. Mine was over 700 with the Tow Package and I've always gotten 840 or higher ever since.

 

Nine years is an impressive run for a battery. The best I ever achieved was the original battery in my 2002 Chevy Cavalier. I got about 5.5 years out of it.

The size of the battery is unimportant. So long as it fits and you maximize CCA you're fine. Be sure to get a battery where nothing will come in contact with the + post (top or side). Having two separate cables connected to two separate posts is fine. It does not tax the battery and, IMHO, was a clever decision by the previous installer.