Battery Swap Questions
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 3,031
Likes: 45
From: The Shenandoah Valley
Like said, I just swapped and let the computor reset itself, I reset radio memory buttons and time.
My truck came with a 540 and I replaced it about a month and a half ago with a Motorcraft 750--no complaints. I thought a 540 was weak for such a big vehicle (even though my STX doesn't have all the electronic goodies the higher-end trims have, still a lot going on)
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 2,068
Likes: 2
From: So. Cal.
Just because Ford made it the "standard" battery (it was the "standard as equipped" battery on my SIL's '07 XLT super Crew w/ 5.4L), and by the way, on my wife's former '88 Mercury Topaz 2.3 L 4 cyl. as well as her former '95 Taurus SE w/3.0 L V-6., doesn't mean it should have been, just that that is what they did. My '04 had the 1st. option of the 650 CCA and they offered a 2nd option of a 875 CCA. Ford also offered a 975 CCA, but not as an option, only for sale as the top offering when replacing. It's up to the guy who orders the stock for the dealership to check one of the decent options. Some do, some don't.
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 256
Likes: 1
I've been running the Wally World EverStart batteries and never had any issues. Sure, I could buy the Sears Platinum/Optima/etc batteries for 2-3X's the cost, but it doesn't really give me anything tangible in return. I normally get 5-6 years out of them, so I can buy two of them come out ahead of the dry cells. Not saying that the dry cells aren't good batteries (they are), but on a dollar-value basis, I don't see the benefit.
After installing that 425 watt DieHard Power Inverter in my truck, I wanted something that would let me sleep at night, should the fiancée and I go camping/outing. The 540 stock just gave me nightmares....
