Yes I know it's an old one with loads of history on BC but :

My Banner has died (well actually it was Spike's spare he had lent me - you just can't get decent stuff on permanant loan these days ).

What does everybody recommend for a replacement - stick with a Banner or change to ?

Thanks in advance for all your comments - good and bad

Hi,

I changed to a Hawker Odyssey PC680 a good few years ago after my 2nd Banner died in 4 years. I know they are pricey, but mine is now 10yrs old and it has never missed a beat. My main reason was they gave out more cranking amps and I was struggling with the starting of my Zetec when hot. It didn't cure it (a geared starter motor did that!) but I don't regret it I'd have been through 3 Banners since then I'm sure.
It even fitted in the same tray as the Banner - http://www.our-nest.co.uk/Caterham/Images/Upgrades/hawkerf.JPG

http://www.odysseyfactory.com/battspecs.html

I simply buy a standard type car battery and have made a suitable tray to fit it in, they last at least 5 years. My Zetec originally struggled when hot to turn over, an Exide with 470 CCA costs less than half of these tiny things people insist on fitting without the reliability and charging issues. OK, they weigh a bit more, just eat a small breakfast before you drive the car if that bothers you.

I ran a PC680 for years, but I switched to a Ballistic Performance EVO2 16 cell LiFePO battery over 18 months ago and it has performed flawlessly. That includes start ups after sitting overnight in temps just a little over freezing and sitting idle for a month at time. Although Ballistic claims it weighs 3.5lb, it came in at just 3lb 4.5oz on my postal scales. For those of you who can't convert in their heads from proper weights and measures to that confounded metric system, that equates to "really, really freaking light" in kilos. By comparison, the PC680 weighed 14lb 10oz. on the same scales, which is just "rather light" in kilos.



-John

You could always wait until mine fails to start once, I panic go and buy another one; then you can have the old one

I'd agree with Caterham Zetec - buy a standard car battery for a fraction of the cost - sorted permanently
To all you zetec engined cars the slow crank speed may be due to starter motor shaft length, I had similar problem, made up a spacer to move the starter away from bellhousing IIRC it was 3.5mm thick [2 Standard washers] will do to try before you bother making up a plate, this dodge has worked for me and several other KC owners I know with Zetec engines, who suffered from the dreaded slow cranking.

Eugene is a 210BHP Blacktop Zetec, and I use a Banner battery with no problem at all...

Not on mine. The car is fitted with a James Whiting supplied flywheel which is designed to use a standard stater motor with no spacer. If you use a standard or standard lightened flywheel the spacer is required unless you have a special starter with a short pinion shaft.

With a full size battery but only 300 CCA (as used on my old x-flow with no issues) I used to get the dreaded hot click or slow turn over which could be very embarrassing when I refueled with a hot engine. With the 470 CCA battery never had an issue.

CatZ
If you have a bespoke zetec flywheel I'm surprised you had any cranking problems at all don't understand why?

Having a "bespoke" flywheel makes no difference if your battery has insufficient power. When I first fitted the Zetec I struggled with hot starting but I assumed since the battery was over 5 years old it was getting past its best. Bought a new battery from the same factors with the same rating (300 CCA) since my old x-flow was fine with that battery and had a much higher compression ratio than a Zetec, same problem. Battery checked out fine. I decided to try a battery with a higher CCA and hey presto, no more starting issues. When that died I replaced it with another battery with the same CCA, since then no problems.

The car still has a Pinto type Bosch starter which was on the x-flow, its probably 25 years old now and was a recon when bought, never had an issue with it. Way more reliable than the Lucas thingy I had before.