Dying battery symptoms +Odyssey price/availability BC/WA FYI

[tonydca]

My tired old Panasonic battery on my L400 was on the way out. Even though the van always fired up right away, it had a few tell-tale symptoms:

- Two months ago, sitting in a parking lot with engine off, key in the ON position. One glow plug on/off cycle plus having stereo, DRLs and rear defogger on for 20 minutes killed the battery entirely.

- Left it for a week in Bellingham WA and upon return, the FrontWheel sensor lights were flashing when I first put the key in. As soon as she (reluctantly) started and the alternator kicked in, the lights switched off. Oddly-functioning sensors/gauges is a common sign of low system voltage. The past few days, the sensor light would flash like this every morning.

So yesterday I ante'd up for an Odyssey PC1500/34. A smidge smaller than the Panasonic, but clamps down into the battery tray just fine.

I thought it started pretty well before, but it made a noticeable difference, especially when dead cold. The higher the line voltage in the system is with the glow pulgs on, the hotter the plugs will get and the better it seems to idle cold.

The best on-demand price I could find was at Polar; they list $366 but came down to $300 plus $10 to install (taxes extra).

Interstate Batteries on Broadway near Renfrew quoted $260 but none in stock with 7-10 days lead time.

What I *really* kicked myself about was last week coming back through Bellingham, WA, less than a mile from the Sears Auto Centre down there.

Their Size 34 Diehard Platinum battery (which several threads here have pointed out is the identical battery in a Sears wrapper) is listed at US$199, regular non-sale price.

So if you're South of the Border and you're unsure about the condition of your battery, you can get a top shelf battery at a significant discount.

Edit: I checked up here, and the Sears centre is now run by KalTire; they only carry the Diehard Gold products, not the Platinum