purchasing new batteries

[tamrat]

hello all once again, the difficult cold starts of the Surf was finally diagnosed to faulty passenger side battery (my surf is LHD). Glow plugs weren't getting enough juice in the morning, and hence the hard starts.

the current batteries are cheap GS 70AMPs (one is about a year and a half old, the bad one is almost 4 years old). i have searched the forum and many posts recommend between 70 and 80amps for the surf. here is the problem, I can only find 60AMP batteries at my price range. they are from a company called Yuasa, which, with my limited research, has a good reputation. they are rated at 370CCA and go for about US$125. The 75amp SMF Panasoic (690CCA) goes for almost US$160 and another Silver-Calcium (750CCA) one goes for almost $220, which is just ridiculous.

so my question is can I get away with the two 60AMP batteries or should bite my teeth and buy the 75amp Panasonic?

[arh]

somewhere on here it is recommended that 650cca,(which is the important "size"), is the minimum that is required, now whether that is for 2 or 1 I am not sure, but I know that I replaced my batteries about a month ago, and acquired 2 x 650cca batteries and I know that the truck doesn't turn over as quick as it used to before, (the old ones were 750cca each), but even so, it has always been recommended to change both batteries together as the poorer one of the 2 will pull the good one down to its level, cca = cold cranking amps. arh,
ps hows the weather, its cold here, lol.

[NiftyNev]

Buy one good battery rated at at least 750CCA. Just connect and properly insulate the cables on passenger side. Couldn't afford two batteries myself when both mine died. Cables were bolted together at passenger side and insulated with rubber hose over the fittings.

Nev.

[tamrat]

which passenger side? as I said my Surf is a LHD.

and i have read that wiring the old one with the new one isn't a good idea. or is there no problem at all?

[NiftyNev]

On a right hand drive you just link the cables from right battery and left side after disconnecting the second battery. Is your fuse box on left or right side? I didn't say use the old battery.

Nev.

[tamrat]

nev, my fuse box is on the right side.

so this morning both batteries were flat. absolutely no charge at all. i was getting tired of asking my neighbors for help every time and frankly i didn't want to do heavy lifting in the morning (no jumper cables, good old fashioned battery swap was always the way).

desperate times, desperate measures, huh! i just went out and bought the two Panasoic 74amp batteries ( http://www.panasonic.hk/english/prod...8l-(74ah).aspx ). car now starts perfectly.

but wait...now my headlights dont work, (i don't know if I should start a new thread). i flick the switch and parking lights are okay. another flick to the low beam and the parking lights turn off and the high-beam indicator comes up on the dash. whats up with that? all fuses are okay, i didn't short anything when I swapped the batteries (100% sure), everything else works (well the rear lights, plate no light don't work). when i try to turn on my low beams i can hear a clicking noise from right side inside the car, kinda like what the indicators make.

any suggestions