Car Battery sizes: MGF and TF

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Rob Bell
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Car Battery sizes: MGF and TF

Post by Rob Bell » Sun Sep 02, 2012 5:30 pm

For information only really, but when ordering a new battery for my MGF, I found that Eurocarparts.co.uk erroneously only lists a single battery for the MGF and two for the TF.

To the best of my knowledge, all MGFs equipped with EPAS from the factory (and therefore all TFs?) use the 075 battery battery size. Only MGFs that did not have either EPAS or ABS had the smaller 063 battery.

Battery dimensions/capacity/performance:

063 (non-EPAS MGF): h 175mm x w 175mm x l 207mm Typical performance* - 44 Ah, 420 CCA

075 (EPAS MGF and TF): h 175mm x w 175mm x l 242mm Typical performance* - 60 Ah, 610 CCA

*Performance based on equivalent Exide batteries; Ah = Amp Hours; CCA = Cold Crank Amps

The battery tray has two available screw positions, both available for use with a captive nut welded in place, to accommodate either battery size - and indeed either battery has sufficient performance to start your MG when in good condition and in warm weather. However, the larger battery may be worth considering if you use your MG all year round, or use the car infrequently - the larger capacity battery less susceptible to current drain due to the presence of the alarm and continuous supply of power to the clock and possibly stereo (head unit).
Picture showing two screw holes for the two different available batteries - A is for the 075, and B is for the 063
Picture showing two screw holes for the two different available batteries - A is for the 075, and B is for the 063
Picture above is a battery tray removed from an MGF (TF is identical). Two screw holes arrowed - A is for the 075 battery, while the 063 is retained by screw hole B.

Hope this is of help to someone! :)

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Re: Car Battery sizes: MGF and TF

Post by Martin_Bmth » Sat Jan 11, 2014 12:15 pm

Hey Rob, i got my battery tested and it showed as being weak so im investing in a new big 075 one from europarts (£29.63 using mgrorg25 discount code - comes with a 3 yr guarantee - bargain i believe :-) ).
http://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/c/MG_MG ... ad1&000020

My F's got epas and abs and seems to have had a small battery from the start as its larger battery clamp hole has never been used. Seems weird but europarts list the 063 batteries for an F too... :-)

:thumbsu: So Top tip from you on this post here i recon for getting the right size battery, thanks :thumbsu:

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Re: Car Battery sizes: MGF and TF

Post by talkingcars » Sat Jan 11, 2014 12:29 pm

I made this mistake on my F and have been running the 063 for about a year, it seems ok.

Eurocarparts have the same mistake listed for the ZR160 so my wife ended up with the same but the ZR seems to be fine, even after standing for 3 weeks.

If my mk1 ZS180 doesn't sell soon and I have to scrap her one of the others will get a 075.

I had to get Halfords to change the battery recently for the mk2 ZS as it had expired after 10 months
(I only went there as I needed it in a hurry on a Saturday night as I was going to Manchester the following day).
Their 075's used to be 520amps, the new ones are 500.
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Re: Car Battery sizes: MGF and TF

Post by Rob Bell » Sat Jan 11, 2014 6:31 pm

Glad it was of help :)

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Re: Car Battery sizes: MGF and TF

Post by Mike H » Sat Jan 11, 2014 8:47 pm

Interesting what Martin_Bmth said above, as I replaced the battery on the TF just before Christmas, noting that with a 10 plate car, assuming that the battery was the original, I removed a '63' and replaced it with a '75' using a securing plate screw hole that had never been used!
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Re: Car Battery sizes: MGF and TF

Post by Rich in Vancouver » Mon Jan 13, 2014 2:39 am

There is another option for those who think they have to have the biggest, most powerful battery that will physically fit in the car. (Weight be damned!)
I am using an Optima Red Top group 34 battery. This battery is too large to use the MGF battery clamp but it is very simple to use a TR-7 battery hold down in existing holes. If the car won't start I can just drive it home on the starter! :thumbsu:
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Re: Car Battery sizes: MGF and TF

Post by Geoff.F » Mon Jan 13, 2014 8:57 am

I am not sure that biggest is best.
I use Varta batteries and have 3 cars each with their "Silver" 075 with 600 CCA.
They are passed down from car to car with the MG getting the new one. The Clio one is 13 years old.
Not the cheapest or perhaps they are with the additional cost of a tank of petrol amortized over 13+ years and never let down.
Geoff F.

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Re: Car Battery sizes: MGF and TF

Post by MaddAussie » Mon Jan 13, 2014 10:36 am

Rich in Vancouver wrote:There is another option for those who think they have to have the biggest, most powerful battery that will physically fit in the car. (Weight be damned!)
I am using an Optima Red Top group 34 battery. This battery is too large to use the MGF battery clamp but it is very simple to use a TR-7 battery hold down in existing holes. If the car won't start I can just drive it home on the starter! :thumbsu:
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Re: Car Battery sizes: MGF and TF

Post by talkingcars » Mon Jan 13, 2014 6:43 pm

MaddAussie wrote:Sacrilege!!!!
Don't panic, it is exactly the same as the one found in the early mini so it is in the family.
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Re: Car Battery sizes: MGF and TF

Post by MaddAussie » Mon Jan 13, 2014 7:29 pm

But but but its a Triumph part.... :thumbsd: :lol:
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Re: Car Battery sizes: MGF and TF

Post by Rich in Vancouver » Tue Jan 14, 2014 12:31 am

Actually it's an aftermarket Stainless Steel part!
If it makes you feel better I sold my Rust-free (Really!) 1975 TR7 to finance my MGF. :D

For what it's worth, once it was sorted my TR was a great car. Of course, being 35 years old it was nowhere
as civilized as the MGF, but it was a decent car, reliable even!
BTW: If you think changing a head gasket on an MGF is a pain, try doing it on a TR7! :rant:
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Re: Car Battery sizes: MGF and TF

Post by colintf » Tue Jan 14, 2014 11:58 am

MaddAussie wrote:But but but its a Triumph part.... :thumbsd: :lol:

It was all BL :thumbsu:

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Re: Car Battery sizes: MGF and TF

Post by colintf » Tue Jan 14, 2014 12:00 pm

Rich in Vancouver wrote:Actually it's an aftermarket Stainless Steel part!
If it makes you feel better I sold my Rust-free (Really!) 1975 TR7 to finance my MGF. :D

For what it's worth, once it was sorted my TR was a great car. Of course, being 35 years old it was nowhere
as civilized as the MGF, but it was a decent car, reliable even!
BTW: If you think changing a head gasket on an MGF is a pain, try doing it on a TR7! :rant:
Image

I was more of a TR6 fan myself (and the TR5) I remember feeling so gutted when the TR6 was replaced with a tin top TR7. Maybe if the convertible was released at the same time, it might of been a softer blow?

Your TR7 looks nice there 8-)

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Re: Car Battery sizes: MGF and TF

Post by Rich in Vancouver » Wed Jan 15, 2014 12:57 am

The paint on the TR looked pretty sad at that point. It was originally French Blue but someone had put a cheap coat of paint on it at some time.
At the risk of being drummed off the forum here is a pic of the car when it was looking better. It was actually car #764 out of the 115000-odd built.
One interesting point is that BL actually badged one of the TR7 prototypes up as an "MG Magna" and ran it through some focus groups to see if it could be a replacement for the MGB. That didn't pan out apparently! :lol:
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Re: Car Battery sizes: MGF and TF

Post by colintf » Wed Jan 15, 2014 11:51 am

I didnt know that Rich

Thanks for sharing the info and the great pic :thumbsu:

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Re: Car Battery sizes: MGF and TF

Post by Rob Bell » Wed Jan 15, 2014 6:22 pm

I actually really fancy a TR7 DHC.... :?

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Re: Car Battery sizes: MGF and TF

Post by colintf » Wed Jan 15, 2014 6:29 pm

Rob Bell wrote:I actually really fancy a TR7 DHC.... :?

drop in a V8 Rob :thumbsu:

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Re: Car Battery sizes: MGF and TF

Post by Rob Bell » Thu Jan 16, 2014 11:52 am

Yes, a TR7 V8 DHC would be very nice indeed Colin! :D A genuine TR8 DHC would be nicer still of course! :lol:

BTW, back to batteries. My 1.8MPi was fitted from new with the 075 battery (it had EPAS). I wonder whether during the "Project Drive" era (where as much cost as was humanly possible was removed from the TF) the decision was made to fit the smaller battery to all cars?

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Re: Car Battery sizes: MGF and TF

Post by Geoff.F » Thu Jan 16, 2014 8:05 pm

Triumph did not make a decent sports car after the TR2.
As for the Optima Red Top, if I am reading their Website correctly then it has a capacity of 50AH. The VARTA 075 has a Capacity of 61AH. I will test it again in Switzerland soon.
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Re: Car Battery sizes: MGF and TF

Post by colintf » Thu Jan 16, 2014 8:10 pm

Geoff.F wrote:Triumph did not make a decent sports car after the TR2.
As for the Optima Red Top, if I am reading their Website correctly then it has a capacity of 50AH. The VARTA 075 has a Capacity of 61AH. I will test it again in Switzerland soon.
Geoff F
Many would disagree ref the statement regarding the TR2 there Geoff :o

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