Ford script Optima

D

Don Cape Cod

Senior Member
About 2 yrs ago I installed a Ford Script Optima battery in Bob's '37 V8-60 beautiful pickup.Of a sudden, the battery has suffeered some failure. Could possibly be external, but. Anyhow, we don't remember where the battery was ordered, or where the paperwork got to! I remember some notes that to charge a discharged Optima was a special process. II don't remember that process? I don't believe you can add water to an Optima.Could you plese refresh me on who is a supplier of these Script batteries and what the recharging process is. Thanks, Don
 
[FONT=&quot]I've not tried it myself, but understand this is the procedure for charging an Optima:

[/FONT][FONT=&quot]Optima Battery Charging: [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Hook up the charger to the dead Optima battery, and with another battery of same voltage, jump it to the dead Optima battery. Plug in/turn on the charger and then disconnect the jumper battery. The Optima should then take a charge.

Hope this helps.
[/FONT]
 
The process described above, is used to fool a generation of battery chargers, that need to see adequate voltage before they will charge. It is not Optima specific.
 
Last edited:
If the battery has any spark at all, you can recharge it with a battery tender, but it will take several days. If no spark at all, get a new one.
 
My first Optima gave good service for near 2-years then just flat out died. If I had to guess, it probably had an internal open connection between the cells. Probably due to normal chemical action. I went back to regular service lead acid batteries. I never much cared if it said Ford on it or not just as long as it works. I just wish some one made a real genuine tar top that could be rebuilt every few years as necessary but nobody in the corporate world thinks that way anymore.
 
The 2 year old Optima is more like 4 plus years old if it fits in a Ford case. Some where about 4 years ago they made the Optima about 3/8" deeper. When they failed they didn't get weak, they just died. I think they had connection problems connecting the cells together and needed a little more room at the top to make a better connection. I haven't heard of any sudden deaths lately. G.M.
 
I had no problem getting the new optima in a 35 year old repro case from Antique Auto Battery. I think the additional 3/8" is not a problem. You just need to grind the case bottom a little.
 
Re: Charging & Testing an Optima Battery

I thought that Fordbarners would find this information useful on charging & testing an Optima battery.
 

Attachments

  • Scanned Image.jpg
    Scanned Image.jpg
    44.2 KB · Views: 38
  • Scanned Image-1.jpg
    Scanned Image-1.jpg
    45 KB · Views: 24
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top