new battery advice

[mtlakejim]

Originally Posted by mlh

All new Ford vehicles with auto start stop come with AMG battery’s. Standard lead acid battery’s just wont hold up to starting a vehicle as the times as it takes with start stop. Almost all vehicles will have start stop in a few years.
Lynwood

What is start/stop?

[mtlakejim]

Originally Posted by coachgrowl

I have 2 each of the Battle born lithium ion lifepo4 $949 each. The are the best battery I could find. No fumes can be run down to zero and will come back 100%. I had 2 interstate from the dealer and they were constantly going to zero. Finally installed disconnect switch in battery compartment I was unaware that there was always a draw without this switch.

Is that right or a typo $949??? Wow!

[jeffba]

Start stop is when eh engine will shut off when stopped and will start as soon as when you go to accelerate.

[RoadRunnerTR21]

Start stop is kind of like a gas golf cart. I don't want that on my vehicle BTW.

[mlh]

Jeffba has it right. There are a LOT of conditions that haft to be met before a vehicle will cut off, it can’t be on too much grade, it must be up to temperature, the steering wheel can’t be turned too much, the defroster can’t be on, you can’t be using too much electricity, if the inside temp changes too much the engine will start, the break has to be engaged. All of these and more but as soon as you take your food off the break pedal, before you can get your foot on the gas pedal the vehicle is running. I have a 2015 F150 and I have no problem with it except in really hot weather the AC fan slows down and after about half dozen stops my truck starts to warm up. There is a button to dis able it. My present F150 doesn’t have auto climate control. I have a new F150 ordered and it will have auto climate control and that might help. The 2015 F150 with the 2.7 engine was the first Ford to have start stop. It may have been improved by now we will see.
Lynwood
Let me add a little to this. Most people who give this technology a try will either like it or at least tolerate it. Most vehicles will have it in a few years. Fuel mileage is what it all about. My 2.7 that’s 165 cubic inches has got 22 MPG over the life of the truck. That around town normal driving and according to Road and Track magazine will out run my 400 cubic inch GTO I had back in the day that I thought was so fast.

[Dave W]

Originally Posted by RoadRunnerTR21

Start stop is kind of like a gas golf cart. I don't want that on my vehicle BTW.

Our '17 Escape Titanium has that 'feature'. I turn it off as soon as I start the car for a trip. That tiny lag is disconcerting

[RoadRunnerTR21]

My Fusion has the same capability. It was disabled before I left the dealership.

[mtlakejim]

OMG that sounds like the environmentalist are at it again! Don't they know that you waste more fuel starting an engine than running it for a couple minutes???? Just another ill conceived idea that does nothing for the environment but punishes the consumers with higher costs!

[coachgrowl]

This summer I rented a start/stop car in France. Drove it for 3 weeks. Almost all cars in Europe come equipped with it. IT IS A JOKE. It does not save fuel. It damages engines. It is dangerous. Thank God I will not be here to see it put into mandatory practice.

[coachgrowl]

Yes $949 each needless to say they will travel with me. Oh yes they are half the weight of regular batteries.

[mlh]

Ford doesn’t think it damages engines and it does save fuel. If it didn’t they wouldn’t be using it. I have no problem with it after driving my truck for 3 years.
Lynwood

[coachgrowl]

What is the fuel savings approximately? How many starters have you replaced? Does your tow vehicle have start/stop? I think we can agree to disagree.

[mlh]

Diesel engines won’t have start stop. They don’t need it. Low RPMs is where a diesel is most efficient and where a gasoline engine is most inefficient. I have. 36,000 miles I haven’t replaced a starter. Im in a 2015 F150 site and is far as I know no one has has any trouble with a starter on a 2.7. Some of these guys have over a hundred thousand on their trucks. The 2.7 is Fords most popular truck engine.
And yes we can as gentlemen certainly disagree. When 2 people always agree it just means one isn’t thinking.
Lynwood

[coachgrowl]

Thank you for the information. As long as start/stop can be turned off I don't have a problem. The one I drove this past summer could not be turned off.

[mlh]

As far as I know all the Fords especially the trucks the start stop can be turned off. This is coming probably to all brands soon. Ford would not risk it on their Crown Jewels if they didn’t think it would work. If you get used to it, it’s actually pretty nice. Annoying at first but once you get used to it, it’s kinka nice to stop at a red light have the engine stop and have the cab quiet with out any engine sounds or vibration. Ford then adds fake engine noise to their 3.5 Ecoboost high end trucks. Go figure. I ain’t got a clue.
Lynwood

[mtlakejim]

Originally Posted by mlh

Ford doesn’t think it damages engines and it does save fuel. If it didn’t they wouldn’t be using it. I have no problem with it after driving my truck for 3 years.
Lynwood

I have a problem with it. It will make vehicles cost more!

And you know Ford is only doing this to meet emissions standards and please the environmentalists! Its just another way for green groupies to try to push their agenda. As is typical they don't really care if it actually reduces emissions (it won't because starting a vehicle is worse than letting it run for just a minute or two). All they want to do is make anything that burns hydrocarbons less desirable because in their minds oil companies are evil.

[mlh]

It will make engines cost more. The starters and flywheel gears will need to be stronger to last through thousands of extra start cycles. I live in the country and will go through 10 or so stop lights on the way to the post office every day. I used to start my truck go the post office and cut it off. Now on that 7 mile trip it might cut off 4, 6, 8, times or more depending on traffic. I can’t get my foot off the break and on the gas pedal before it’s running. It’s that quick.
I would say when, probably not if but when you get a vehicle with start stop give it a chance. It’s not that bad once you get used to it.
Lynwood

[mtlakejim]

Originally Posted by coachgrowl

Yes $949 each needless to say they will travel with me. Oh yes they are half the weight of regular batteries.

Wow that is a lot for a battery. We tow with a 1 ton so I don't think the weight will be THAT critical. And based on our typical trade in cycle I can't see where I would need to replace standard batteries 8 or 9 times to cost that much. We won't be boondocking without a generator so if they store more energy I don't see that being much of an advantage for us. The battery compartment is vented so fumes are not an issue.

Is there anything else really special about them to justify the cost difference?

[mtlakejim]

Originally Posted by mlh

It will make engines cost more. The starters and flywheel gears will need to be stronger to last through thousands of extra start cycles. I live in the country and will go through 10 or so stop lights on the way to the post office every day. I used to start my truck go the post office and cut it off. Now on that 7 mile trip it might cut off 4, 6, 8, times or more depending on traffic. I can’t get my foot off the break and on the gas pedal before it’s running. It’s that quick.
I would say when, probably not if but when you get a vehicle with start stop give it a chance. It’s not that bad once you get used to it.
Lynwood

The more complicated a vehicle is the less I like it. I used to be able to work on my own vehicle. Now not so much. Heck even my new Kubota tractor has that stupid emissions stuff on it!

[coachgrowl]

It is an example as my father would say "more money than sense".