Other than Motorcraft Battery Install

[Mackab]

I am in need of a new battery and where I am located does not carry the OEM motorcraft type. Since the plastic battery pan and mounting are made to fit the notched case of the motorcraft, I have no way of "cleanly" mounting a standard type battery. Has anyone found a way to do this with any luck?

[busboy4]

Hi
I don't know what year you are talking, but I am on battery 3 in my '96 3.8L and the two newest have not been motorcraft, yet the "cover" and screw-in "wedge" have fit fine on the new battery. I have had the same experience with my other cars. As long as you purchase the same group battery (Probably 65) you should be fine.

In my recent experience, you cannot touch Walmart's battery prices.

[DRW1000]

I think Busboy is correct........Look for the correct Group number and all should be fine. The group number includes physical size and mounting as part of the definition.

[wiswind]

I bought mine at Autozone....

If you go to a auto parts store....tell them the year and engine (3.8L or 3.0L)...they will be able to tell you which battery will fit.

I bought the top rated battery that Autozone carries. It has 1000 Cranking Amps....and something like 850 Cold Cranking Amps.
I think it was the "Duralast Gold".

Buying an aftermarket replacement battery will be very easy...as the Windstar uses one of the very common battery sizes.

I think that you will remove the plastic cover....and will need to look down in toward the base of the battery.....and loosten a screw down there.....which holds a clamp to a grove in the base of the battery.

Clean the cables and battery terminals.....lightly grease them once the cables are in place and tight.

[kurtr]

I just replaced my original battery this week (98 Windstar). I used the Duralast Gold from AutoZone. $69.99. Cold cranking amps = 875.

The cold cranking amps of the original Motorcraft battery were 650. If I was to do it again, I probably would have gotten the cheaper ($55.99) Duralast battery with cold cranking amps of 750.

Kurt

[phordguy]

Go to any automotive store or Walmart and get a group 65 series battery and it will work. I just bought the bright yellow one from walmart and it works fine and exactly the same size as the old one, it was $62 before tax. Plan on getting a new hold down bolt though, battery acid had nearly broken mine into two pieces! Other than the dealer I don't know where to get the hold down bolt, so I left mine out for now.

[garync1]

I got a Advanced Auto titanium series for about 69.00 plenty of ccamps even more than the oem motorcraft.Keep in mind even if you had a dealer close by there no telling how long its been on the shelf. I had issues with walmart batteries
that I guess were on the shelf too long and had to change them out almost every year even though it still had a warranty got feed up with them. It was not on the windstar but another car i had. I also had problems with there lawnmower
batteries. My motorcraft battery lasted about 7 years. Good battery.