I’ve done quite a bit of searching on this site, but I’m still uncertain about our battery options for a stock 2009 Fit Sport. Basically what I want to know is what battery options (make/model, etc) do we have for a stock 2009 Fit without doing any special mods, and are those options better than OEM? I have no problem in removing the plastic battery tray, but I don’t want to perform any mods to the positive battery fuse/connection, and of course I would like for the replacement battery to be stronger than the OEM. I’ve seen threads mentioning that series 51R will work, but perhaps that was for first generation Fits because I see no possible way to put that battery in my vehicle. Am I incorrect…will a 51R fit in an 09, and if so what exact brand/model works?


I called two auto parts stores for a battery replacement…one had a battery in stock for $199 and another would have to order one for $149, and both were approx 330 CCA. I want to know my options before my battery craps out. What can we do?

 

This should give you some answers. If I don't have any photos stored, I will shoot a few today and edit them into this post. The Kirkland 51R battery is inexpensive, much more powerful than the stock battery, and fits easily after you remove the plastic battery tray that holds the little stock battery.

https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/fit-...y-gds-ges.html

 

NAPA sells one the right size (151R) for not too much.

 

Thanks...and reading your thread you have a 2009 Fit...correct? And yes, I would really like to see photos!

 

330 CCA, 65 month warranty, 19lbs. Looks to be the same size and power...but a viable option nonetheless...thanks

 

2009 Fit Sport is my car. See below for photos, click on thumbnails to enlarge-----

 

Here's a GE with the stock airbox still in place with a 51R. Kinda ugly.

 

thanks for the photos, but your vehicle has a different intake system than mine. I assume yours in not stock. I have a sizable air filter box next to the battery.

 

Steve244...well, its interesting. I'm surprised that you can close the hood. Perhaps it would have been better to add a short positive cable and somehow re-mount the original positive connector away from the battery. The Honda engineers that designed the positive connection with integrated wires and fuses (along with a tiny battery) must have laughed their asses off. Other than the height of the connection, the issue that I see is a lot of unprotected positive charged metal. Honda really screwed us...

What exact brand of battery is that and where did you purchase it? I assume each 51R battery is somewhat different.

 

heh, that's not mine. I'll be picking up a 151R from NAPA sometime this summer. Better than being stuck and paying twice as much from somewhere else...

 

My bad...understand. Again, just trying to determine viable options. I hate being limited to bad choices...like politics.

 

Right- my intake system is not stock. I have my "sizable intake box" just like yours on a shelf in my garage right next to my stock muffler. In 2014, I will need to get the first state smog inspection on my Fit, and will have to reinstall the stock intake system just for the smog test. Then the stock intake will go right back on the shelf until the next smog test is required. In my original (linked) post, I gave the dimensions of the Kirkland battery. If you are at all interested in it, measure from the inside wall of the headlight across to the side of the intake box. there just might be enough room for the full-size battery.

 

I read somewhere that you should have your OEM parts back on for at least 10 days or else the State will not accept the data from your car. Have you heard of this?

 

In my case, "the State" is California. There is absolutely NO WAY for a smog inspection tech to know how long my stock intake system has been under the hood. When I go for my first smog test in late 2014, I doubt that the tech. will even notice how clean the intake box is.

Regarding whether or not it will fit with the full size battery, I measured the distance from the mounting bracket next to the cylinder head to the inside wall of the full size battery. It is approx. 7-3/4". Then I measured the distance from the intake system mounting rubber grommet to the right side of the box. It is about the same distance as the empty space in my engine bay. Putting the stock intake back on for a smog test will be a really tight fit, but it looks like it can be done.

 

My original OEM battery died just the other day (Oct 2014). The in-service date of the vehicle was October 2008, so not bad service life. Ended up buying a Honda battery from my dealer for $125...it's a three year full replacement and 100 month warranty.

 

I installed this NAPA battery yesterday: BAT 65151R

Price out the door was $82.69 with core return and company discount.

Installation took ten minutes with no modifications. It is made in South Korea, which I found interesting. The website showed that they only kept one in stock, so it's obviously not a popular battery.

No regrets.