Talked smack about how great my truck battery is (was)...

Told my dad last winter: This battery is 12 years old.
Dad :well replace it dumbass
Me: I want to see how long it goes. Dies a few weeks later.

 

Haha.

 

to placate my paranoia. i bought a new battery.

i went with a NAPA Premium from east-penn. lets see how this compares to the exiting InterState unit.

 

Go to Autozone and Advanced, and ask them if you can borrow their battery tester. Then test the battery (ideally with the tester clamps dug directly into the lead posts, rather than piggybacking the cable-ring terminals. The tester will tell you the State of Health of the battery. The tester will tell you what the actual Cold Cranking Amp capability of the battery under load, and its ability to avoid voltage collapsing under load (which is what happens when the battery looks like its charging to 12.5V, but immediately drops to the single digits while the start motor is turning). Anything less than 60% usually recommends for the battery to be replaced.

 

Cold dont kill, heat does.

 

I've got a 1991 Camaro that I don't drive all that often and for some reason the battery in there just won't quit, replaced in January 2009. Still cranks that 350 over like it wasn't a day over 5 years old....

 

walmart everstart 24F, 3 year full replacement warranty, over 700CCA, about $100.