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My 2012 Fit has the original battery and it is starting to act sluggish with the colder weather. I want to replace it before it fails. The battery group is 151R. I am finding the cost is around $160 at the auto parts stores. I have seen many posts saying that a group 51R is cheaper and can be substituted but requires modifications because it is larger than the original. I would like to know if anyone has found a simple way to install the 51R and still not make the installation look like it was done by an amateur. Will appreciate anyone’s help.
Battery issues of this sort can be traced back to a need for preventative maintenance, checks and services, or PMCS, unless you've added on some high draw extras. However if you insist on upsizing, you could buy a "project box" via amazon and cut it to shape using a plastics blade on a table saw. Theres tons of em available, so sizing shouldnt be tough and you could go plastic or metal. Might not even need to cut it.
cut the stock tray and drill in.
i havent checked spacing to see if theres even room to fit the battery neatly, but if we're talking mods...
Anyways, heres a 151r for the fit. 100 bucks. https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/NBP65151R
nothin fancy whatsoever, but it works in my car.
Do a U-Tube search. I replaced mine with a 51r. I trimmed off the fins on side of airbox and cut battery box to fit. Cables hooked up easily.
so you reused the old battery box. Did you remove it to do the modification and what did you need to do to it? Did the new battery fit in the same orientation as the original then?
I used the existing battery box. Once you take the battery out it lifts right out. I forget exactly what part I cut off of it with my Dremel. I think maybe the motor end of it. Also took the cover off the cold air box and cut the fins off. Then simple matter of just putting battery and box in and hooking up. DO a search for some U-Tube how tos.
Check NAPA. Their 151r is about $100 with core. I got 5 years out of one, but mine is pretty gently used (longish commute for topping off battery, temps not severely cold or hot).
You got 6 years out of your factory battery, I think this one would do as well with no mods.
I used the existing battery box. Once you take the battery out it lifts right out. I forget exactly what part I cut off of it with my Dremel. I think maybe the motor end of it. Also took the cover off the cold air box and cut the fins off. Then simple matter of just putting battery and box in and hooking up. DO a search for some U-Tube how tos.
I took a closer look at my situation based on what you said you did. My guess is that you cut off the end of the battery box near the cold air box since you also had to cut off the fins on the cold air box. Since the 51R battery is tightly sandwiched in it really shouldn’t go anywhere should the holdown loosen up. I have one other question. It looks like the 51R is higher than the 151R. Was that a problem when connecting the battery cables? It doesn’t look like there is hardly any extra length available with the cables.
I tried fitting the longer 51R battery into my 2013 Fit sport, but wasn't happy with the way it fit. I also ground down the fins on the side of my air cleaner lid on the battery side of it. I purchased a same year as my car plastic battery tray from Honda for a Civic- the 51R battery is the battery size for a Honda Civic. I installed the battery and tray in my car but I found the battery still touched both the side of the driver side headlight and the shaved-down side of the air cleaner lid. I removed the 51R and re-installed the original 151R battery at that time. I'm now at 6 years on the original battery and am now re-considering/ finding a way to install the 51R.
The other option for installing the 51R battery in a gen 2 Fit, is shown in this youtube video... .
. Although in this video the battery tray is cut, the battery tray bolts into the Fit and can be replaced if the need arises. Placing the battery diagonally over the battery tray gives more room for the battery and still bolts down the battery with the original battery bolts and the positive terminal will still clamp onto the battery post as illustrated in the video.
I tried fitting the longer 51R battery into my 2013 Fit sport, but wasn't happy with the way it fit. I also ground down the fins on the side of my air cleaner lid on the battery side of it. I purchased a same year as my car plastic battery tray from Honda for a Civic- the 51R battery is the battery size for a Honda Civic. I installed the battery and tray in my car but I found the battery still touched both the side of the driver side headlight and the shaved-down side of the air cleaner lid. I removed the 51R and re-installed the original 151R battery at that time. I'm now at 6 years on the original battery and am now re-considering/ finding a way to install the 51R.
The other option for installing the 51R battery in a gen 2 Fit, is shown in this youtube video... .https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvwLo3xt-8E . Although in this video the battery tray is cut, the battery tray bolts into the Fit and can be replaced if the need arises. Placing the battery diagonally over the battery tray gives more room for the battery and still bolts down the battery with the original battery bolts and the positive terminal will still clamp onto the battery post as illustrated in the video.
Your first option that you tried is the simpler of the two. However, you said you weren’t happy with the fit. Just curious why, Did you feel there wasn’t enough clearance at both ends? I watched the video and that option is a possibility also but more work. It didn’t look like he reused the plastic battery box though. Wonder why?
Your first option that you tried is the simpler of the two. However, you said you weren’t happy with the fit. Just curious why, Did you feel there wasn’t enough clearance at both ends? I watched the video and that option is a possibility also but more work. It didn’t look like he reused the plastic battery box though. Wonder why?
I wasn't happy with the 51R battery installation in the stock location battery tray, because there was no clearance on either end of the battery. The battery touched on both ends- to the modified air box lid on one end and the headlight housing on the other end.
As far as the battery box cover not being used in the video, it's due to the 51R battery being 2" longer than the stock 151R battery. If you want to retain a plastic box around the battery, you can ether cut one end out of the stock plastic box and let the 51R just protrude through the end of the stock box, or contact a Honda dealer and see if they offer a 51R box for a 2012 Civic- which is the source of this larger, more powerful battery upgrade. I hope this helps.
The video posted by @56chevydan has an alternative battery recommendation comment from Daniel Allen in the summer 2018 for an odd-sized 56 Group battery requiring minimal modification for 2010 Fit (standard 56 might not work, so you need to measure LxWxH).
"Thank for this video, it helped my figure out how to upgrade my 2010 Fit's battery. I didn't end up using the 51R, because I think cutting the battery mount was a bad idea. Instead I spent nearly an hour at Walmart figuring out which battery could fit a little better. I discovered the EverStart 56 (8.75 x 6.00 x 8.50) which is shorter than 9in, but almost an inch thicker than the 151R and 51R. Turns out that the only modification to the Fit, is bending a little tab inward on the battery retainer bracket. That just allows you to fit the wider battery. The battery nearly fits in the slot, but it has a double sided tab on the bottom of the battery for mounting to other cars. I simply cut off both plastic tabs with a jig-saw, then it fits perfectly into the battery slot (without the plastic box of course). So 540 CCA for $99. No mods to the fit. walmart.com/ip/EverStart-Plus-Lead-Acid-Automotive-Battery-Group-56/49988404 "
"You're right, this one from EverStart is unusual. Well regardless it is a prefect fit for the Fit. It's been about 2 weeks now, and the car starts up super fast. I think the 151R is just barely strong enough for the 1.5L engine to turn, mine failed after 1.5 years. Note, I also added another ground wire from the negative directly to the engine casing. I didn't realize the ground solely went to the car frame. This might have help reduce resistant between the starter motor and car frame. The speed and intensity of the starter motor is much better with both upgrades. "
51R do not seems to be all of the same dimensions... Mine is installed the same way as the original, but does not touch the air box and headlight. It is really close, but there is a gap.
There is no need for a battery box: older Civics with 51R did not have any battery box, just an under tray. This is what I used in my Fit. Also added a rubber "mat" between the battery and tray.
At least with the 51R, my car start, even at -30°C in the canadian winter!
51R do not seems to be all of the same dimensions... Mine is installed the same way as the original, but does not touch the air box and headlight. It is really close, but there is a gap.
There is no need for a battery box: older Civics with 51R did not have any battery box, just an under tray. This is what I used in my Fit. Also added a rubber "mat" between the battery and tray.
What model 51R do you have? Do you know the precise dimensions?
51R do not seems to be all of the same dimensions... Mine is installed the same way as the original, but does not touch the air box and headlight. It is really close, but there is a gap.
There is no need for a battery box: older Civics with 51R did not have any battery box, just an under tray. This is what I used in my Fit. Also added a rubber "mat" between the battery and tray.
At least with the 51R, my car start, even at -30°C in the canadian winter!
THanks for your reply. That is what I hope will be my case, that it will fit with some clearance. I don’t intend to tackle this right now since the temp. Is below zero with wind chills between -35 to -45 for the next couple days. I’m sure you are experiencing the same. Did you have to add an under tray or just use what was already there?
OK i just froze my fingers at -4F or -20C to take these pics.
For whatever reason the 51R has failed me since I was in for service a few weeks ago. Last winter it started every time. I believe I have a parasitic drain and it has gone dead a couple of times. Last night I left it plug into the little battery tender you can just see part of in one pic on the left. This morning it growl a bit but started. I am happy. Once warm weather comes will do a search for the drain culprit.
When batteries are not fully charged, they freeze at high temperatures, near 0*C (32*F) so that destroys batteries.
Your electrical contacts might be poor (due to salt) so that reduces alternator ability to charge. And reduces battery ability to power starter. See some electrical testing/cleaning/parasitic primer info at bottom of first post:
Definitely thanks for the pictures. Like they say a picture is worth a thousand words. Cold here too. Highs today and tomorrow in the minus numbers with wind chills -35 to -45. How many years are on this battery? Also wondering what that black thing with the small red wires connected to the terminals is. Maybe to connect the battery tender? Thanks again!
Definitely thanks for the pictures. Like they say a picture is worth a thousand words. Cold here too. Highs today and tomorrow in the minus numbers with wind chills -35 to -45. How many years are on this battery? Also wondering what that black thing with the small red wires connected to the terminals is. Maybe to connect the battery tender? Thanks again!
the battery only 1 1/2 years.
the back thing has a fuse in it.. it then runs to the tender.
THanks for your reply. That is what I hope will be my case, that it will fit with some clearance. I don’t intend to tackle this right now since the temp. Is below zero with wind chills between -35 to -45 for the next couple days. I’m sure you are experiencing the same. Did you have to add an under tray or just use what was already there?
Like mentionned in my post, I used a 00 Civic battery under tray, I also placed a rubber mat between the metal support of the car and the under tray.
01-28-2019, 10:46 PM
