Many of the specs appear on the battery label as well as in battery manufacturers’ published literature. For car guys, the most important specs are:
•Cold Cranking Amps (CCA): The discharge load in amperes that a new, fully charged battery can deliver at 0 degrees F for 30 seconds while maintaining a voltage of 1.20 volts/cell or higher. This measures the battery’s ability to start (crank) an engine under low-temperature conditions where the chemical reaction inside the battery slows down: A battery puts out 100 percent of its rated power at 80 degrees F, 65 percent at 32 degrees, and only 40 percent at 0 degrees. CCA is great for comparing battery performance in cold climates, but in hot climates lead-acid batteries with extremely high CCA ratings may actually have a shorter life than those with lower ratings: Within a given overall battery case (group) size, upping the CCA requires thinning out the internal plates to squeeze more out of them within the same case volume. Thinner plates are more susceptible to vibration and overheating.
This story is from the March 2021 edition of Hot Rod.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the March 2021 edition of Hot Rod.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Making Connections
Project T-top Coupe: We install a Terminator X Max for big power.
LET IT BREATHE!
Project X’s new ZZ632 big-block needed to breathe, and this do-ityourself stainless exhaust kit was just the ticket to make it happen.
TUNING OPTIMIZED
VARIABLES WITHIN FUEL-INJECTOR CONSTRUCTION CAN LEAD TO POOR ENGINE OPERATION. HERE'S HOW TO TUNE YOUR FUEL INJECTORS.
Re-Flange It!
We check out the fab skills needed to run a flat hood on a 1970 Mustang with a very unique and too-tall engine.
THE TRIBUTE FOR THE WIN
Ron Capps wins the NHRA U.S. Nationals driving a Don Prudhomme-Hot Wheels tribute Funny Car.
So Close
Following a nearly flawless performance, a pít lane penalty kept the C8.R off the top of the podium in the IMSA Sportscar Weekend.
A RADICAL SHIFT
When you're a teenager and the police know you by name, it's not usually because of your volunteer work or class-topping GPA. Not at all. That was especially true for Jeff Kainz when he was behind the wheel of his 1975 Camaro. In the '80s, while cruising his hometown in North Dakota, his buddies with police scanners often heard the police tell one another: \"Kainz is out on Main Street.\"
WILD MASH-UP
Built to long-haul the 2023 HOT ROD Power Tour, this 1984 Monte Carlo’s facade hides a performance secret!
6 TIMER!
Tom Bailey captures his 6th HOT ROD Drag Week Unlimited/Overall title with his Sick Seconds 1.0 Camaro.
JIM MCFARLAND'S INFLUENCE WENT WAY BEYOND HOT ROD MAGAZINE.
Jim McFarland, the multitalented, multifaceted Texan who enjoyed several careers in the automotive performance industry, passed away in October 2023 at the age of 88.