Optima Red Battery
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Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 43
Likes: 0
From: Wisconsin
Year: 2004
Model: Grand Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 V6
Ok I bought a new federated gold 675CCA June this year. Wasn't happen with and wanted to try a Optima because of the 800CCA/1000. Ya it's double the price of the federated one. Fit fine all good.
Changed all 6 spark plugs to NGK's about 2 weeks ago and noticed the mpg readout went from 15.2 to 15.3 in like a day. 33K from last plug change. 3 of the 6 Champion plugs were junk.
I made a 2 trips yesterday about 8 mi and noticed the mpg went to 15.6??
Then drove 15 mi around 70 mph and watched the mpg go from 15.6 ending at 18.9?? That is highest mpg I have ever seen. Bought it new, now with 93K. Original Starter & Alternator
Did it need to go on the hwy that bad or did the battery cause something weird?
Thanks
Changed all 6 spark plugs to NGK's about 2 weeks ago and noticed the mpg readout went from 15.2 to 15.3 in like a day. 33K from last plug change. 3 of the 6 Champion plugs were junk.
I made a 2 trips yesterday about 8 mi and noticed the mpg went to 15.6??
Then drove 15 mi around 70 mph and watched the mpg go from 15.6 ending at 18.9?? That is highest mpg I have ever seen. Bought it new, now with 93K. Original Starter & Alternator
Did it need to go on the hwy that bad or did the battery cause something weird?
Thanks
Last edited by Blue04; Sep 11, 2015 at 04:15 PM.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 43
Likes: 0
From: Wisconsin
Year: 2004
Model: Grand Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 V6
Well, that's great if all it took was to swap out a Battery. I have a habit of buying parts from a little local auto shop in town. They carry 1 simple line of batteries and always say oh thats plenty of power to start that. Kinda wondered why places like Advance carry Optima's. Do people really buy $180-$220 batteries? I guess so
CF Veteran
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,127
Likes: 12
From: 9000 ft, CO
Year: 1999 XJ
Model: Cherokee
Engine: I6 4.0L
Well, that's great if all it took was to swap out a Battery. I have a habit of buying parts from a little local auto shop in town. They carry 1 simple line of batteries and always say oh thats plenty of power to start that. Kinda wondered why places like Advance carry Optima's. Do people really buy $180-$220 batteries? I guess so 

Old fart with a wrench
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 14,398
Likes: 740
From: Manlius, east of Syracuse, NY
Year: 2000 XJ Sport & WJ Laredo
Model: Grand Cherokee (WJ)
Engine: 4.0L
I really hate to burst your bubble, but a battery is just an electrical storage device. I don't think it has anything to do with fuel mileage. It does help starting and electrical load carrying ability, but I doubt it does anything to make a hotter spark. It's probably the NGKs.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 43
Likes: 0
From: Wisconsin
Year: 2004
Model: Grand Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 V6
All I can say is the the NGK's netted a .1 increase in mpg last month according to the on board computer with the non optima battery. I will be doing a mileage check the next time I fill up. Also, have been running ethanol free fuel. Not anything wild like Shell 93 just 87. Will be back with an update.
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Seasoned Member
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 437
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From: Central Jersey
Year: 91
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 I6 H.O.
All I can say is the the NGK's netted a .1 increase in mpg last month according to the on board computer with the non optima battery. I will be doing a mileage check the next time I fill up. Also, have been running ethanol free fuel. Not anything wild like Shell 93 just 87. Will be back with an update.
Last edited by XJPat; Sep 12, 2015 at 10:52 AM.
Old fart with a wrench
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 14,398
Likes: 740
From: Manlius, east of Syracuse, NY
Year: 2000 XJ Sport & WJ Laredo
Model: Grand Cherokee (WJ)
Engine: 4.0L
My WJ is running BFG 245/70R16 Rugged Terrain A/T's with 3.55 gearing and a new head with valves and lifters. It's got 178K miles on it and I use 87 octane E10. On a 3 hour run to Rochester and back at 70 mph with all the windows down, I got 20.5 mpg actual, not VIC recorded. That's amazing to me. AND the lock-up converter doesn't work! That's with Champion plugs and a Fram air filter. Normal driving I get around 14-16 mpg.
Of course, in the winter when doing my newspaper route, that goes down to about 12 mpg. That's with lots of idling and 375 stops, u-turns and k-turns. On Sundays I carry about 3/4 ton of paper in it.
Of course, in the winter when doing my newspaper route, that goes down to about 12 mpg. That's with lots of idling and 375 stops, u-turns and k-turns. On Sundays I carry about 3/4 ton of paper in it.
Last edited by dave1123; Sep 12, 2015 at 10:57 AM.
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