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What battery for the S3?

PostPosted: Wed Mar 07, 2018 9:15 pm
by gjz30075
The particular battery I have in my Sprint fits really good, so, I decide to buy the same for my S3 coupe.
It barely fits and it took a while to figure out that the S4 (at least my Sprint, anyway) battery tray is about
1 inch wider, side to side, than the S3's.

So, what is the recommended battery for an S3? One that fits on the tray, flat on the 'floor' and behind
the 'north / south' 'glass ridge that's part of the tray.

Re: What battery for the S3?

PostPosted: Thu Mar 08, 2018 3:32 am
by Elan45
Greg,

My Elan needs to share its battery w/ my Eleven S2. That uses a common garden tractor size/ shape, but they come in various capacities and qualities. I'd been using the 300 CCA ones for years, now there is same size but 350 CCA. I made an aluminum bracket that clamps over the whole top of the battery out of 1/8 x 3/4 alum bar stock from my local hardware store. It is held with a pad of foam rubber on the fender/ body side and the fiberglass edge you mentioned. Works a treat, and when I shut down the Florida shop in a couple of weeks, the Elan will return its borrowed battery to the Eleven, back in Ohio.

When newish, the 300 CCA bat would crank over the Eleven's 120hp Coventry Climax FWE with no trouble using the old original Lucas bendix inertia drive starter. Its getting on a few years now and it won't crank for the extended periods it used to, but still acceptable. The Eleven was a loss system w/ no on board charging. The Elan's still on a DC dynamo, but I upgraded to one of Mr Gustofson's gear reduction starters on the Elan.

Roger

Re: What battery for the S3?

PostPosted: Thu Mar 08, 2018 9:55 am
by gjz30075
Thanks Roger. I'll check out the garden tractor size batteries.

Re: What battery for the S3?

PostPosted: Thu Mar 08, 2018 10:35 am
by elanfan1
The one in your Sprint may fit well but might. Not be the correct one. As far as I know the correct one is an 037

Re: What battery for the S3?

PostPosted: Thu Mar 08, 2018 11:50 am
by Craven
I use this one, Far East origin but have used their battery on my Mercedes and it out performed premium brands hands down.
Check terminal orientation if you changed from Positive earth.

http://vi.vipr.ebaydesc.com/ws/eBayISAP ... cureDesc=0

Re: What battery for the S3?

PostPosted: Thu Mar 08, 2018 12:16 pm
by gjz30075
Thanks guys. I'll check those sizes against the two battery trays.

Re: What battery for the S3?

PostPosted: Thu Mar 08, 2018 6:24 pm
by tvacc
I use an Odyssey 925 in my 71 Elan. Fits real nice.