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OEM Battery?

5K views 5 replies 4 participants last post by  earthworm 
#1 ·
I recently noticed a disconnected fluid hose lying in the engine bay of my wife's '01 9-3 base model. Worried it had come disconnected from somewhere in the coolant system I took the car to my indie Saab mechanic. He told me that this hose was connected to the original battery which was in the car to drain it (?) and that someone had replaced the OEM battery with an aftermarket one (the one in there is a Sears Die Hard battery that came with the car when we bought it as a CPO car from the dealer), probably the car's original owner. The aftermarket battery has a larger footprint than the original battery, I think, therefore the hose can't plug-in to drain the battery enclosure, or something like that.

So after all that rambling, does anyone know who made the OEM battery for the OG9-3?

If not available, does anyone know of an aftermarket battery available for sale in the U.S. which closely approximates both the size and power output of the OEM battery?
 
#2 ·
The battery that is specified for your car is BCI group size 47 or 47/90

Internally = 6 Cells, each +2VDC = +12VDC.

The dimensions for the original battery are: (L x W x H) (Or very close to these):

246mm x 175mm x 190 mm > 9-11/16" x 6-7/8" x 7-1/2"

Replacement batteries examples:

AC Delco = ACD47-60
Interstate = MT-47


Most batteries sold today are of the maintenance free type, are sealed (for your protection) and don't require the user to add water anymore. The tube you describe might be for the overflow on a battery that had vents for the acid inside to escape if needed.
 
#3 ·
The hose is just a battery vent. Very few batteries actually have a vent hose these days, but Costco sells an exact replacement that has the proper vent hose fitting if still want one. I don't know who made the original battery (Saab probably uses multiple suppliers), but Johnson Controls makes the Costco version.
 
#4 ·
Jeremy R. said:
but Costco sells an exact replacement that has the proper vent hose fitting if still want one.... but Johnson Controls makes the Costco version.
Its funny you say Costco sells an exact replacement. If you go to the Optima website (Johnson Controls redirection) and use the companies own battery look up tool, they don't list a battery they manufacture for Saab between 1994 to 2005, so I wonder what Costco is selling to Saab owners?
 
#6 ·
The '96 900 uses type 42 battery, but in the '97 we use a type 75, which requires a minor alterration...

The later 9-3 must have made some changes in this area, and all all I know the 42 and 75 may have been replaced.
IMO, the battery vent hoses are a good idea; over the years sulfuric acid fumes can be very destructive..
Can it be that Johnson Controls is the only American battery manufacturer ???
 
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