Quote Originally Posted by 34_40 View Post
Glad to hear you're moving forward! Black marks in front of the house.. Now it's ME who is JEALOUS!

I've been fighting a charging issue on mine. I have a red top optima battery and it's been driving my alternator crazy! I took the alternator to a friends shop last week and after testing we proved it worked fine. I re-installed it and it would continually overcharge. And I mean like 18 Volts!

So, I pulled it again and yesterday went back to his shop, he rebuilds starters & alternators, we opened it up to replace the regulator, we discovered that the rectifier center terminal was loose as the surgeons at Powermaster had overtightened the nut and stripped the threads, and they still shipped it out! .. So much for quality control!

I even bought a new battery charger to handle the AGM battery! After re-charging I reassembled everything last night and while the new regulator is holding voltage to 14.5 volts, I tried a new lead acid battery and there is a big difference as the alternator/regulator runs about 14.3 volts and you can hear the load coming on and off. While the optima battery forces the alternator to run constantly.

I wanted to try the new technology of the optima battery but I am giving it up. I don't hear any good things about'em and just wanted to see it for myself. Oh well. Better luck next time.
I didn't think Optima batteries were AGM but a leak proof lead acid but needed a regulated charger - they WILL die - FAST - if they are overcharged though. Makes me wonder about my Powermaster alternator and my 2 year old Optima now as well, but so far the few hours that I have on this engine, the charge rate has been low. I do keep a Battery Minder on it though to maintain the charge. If I have to change to a standard battery, that presents a problem as I'll need a fully vented battery box.

My mission today is to get the rest of the carpet installed - but need better heat resistant contact cement for the firewall - so a quest for some DAP or similar.