California GT Smog Story


RALPHIE

GT Owner
Mar 1, 2007
7,278
Are there easy access battery terminals that one can attach a Battery Tender Jr. to to maintain a full charge?

Kendall has a very nice Battery Tender Jr with a plug that hides behind one of the bars in the grill opening.

http://www.cooltechllc.com/ford/gt_chargeport_gt_float_charger_kit.shtml
 

topshot

GT Owner
Feb 6, 2012
280
Metro Detroit, MIchigan
I don't understand why hardly anybody uses the CTEK 3300's, I use them on all my cars, they only cost $79.00, really don't think there is any better solution..
 

Howard

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Apr 26, 2007
1,135
Florida/North Jersey
I use CTEK. My battery is always plugged in if I am not in the car. I'm on the original battery and all my gauges work (so far!). In May I'll be starting the GT for the first time in five months.

Howard
 

GTED

GT Owner
Apr 4, 2006
783
I use CTEK as well for years. I have 2 plugged in on the GT and the Exige when parked.

GTED
 

Empty Pockets

ex-GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Oct 18, 2006
1,361
Washington State
I don't understand why hardly anybody uses the CTEK 3300's, I use them on all my cars, they only cost $79.00, really don't think there is any better solution..


CTEK 7002 'used around here...
 

Superfly

HERITAGE GT OWNER
Mark II Lifetime
Jun 23, 2008
2,210
Edmonton, Alberta
Lots of guys with CTEK's. Me too, all the toys. More in fact, including my bike.
 

GT Venum

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Dec 4, 2010
325
Wisconsin
CTEK is the one that Optima Battery recommended to me when I replaced my battery.
 

Midnite Blu

GT Owner #755
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Nov 14, 2005
1,093
Southern California
You might want to check this out also. I use these on all my toys.http://www.saveabattery.com/ GO BLU
 

RALPHIE

GT Owner
Mar 1, 2007
7,278
Kendall has a very nice Battery Tender Jr with a plug that hides behind one of the bars in the grill opening.

http://www.cooltechllc.com/ford/gt_chargeport_gt_float_charger_kit.shtml

And, I recently bought a "Genius G7200" for the Race Department at Mammoth - to keep our 12 V Deep Cycle Battery that we use for Dual Horse Gates ski races. It seems to have really good specs, as does the G3500.

http://www.geniuschargers.com/G7200

http://www.geniuschargers.com/G3500

Like Kendall's, they come with a plug in wire that can be left connected to the battery cables.
 
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AtomicGT

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Apr 12, 2006
3,032
Los Angeles
OK, --- can somebody tell me why the factory trickle charger failed to work? Is it unreliable?

Even a better solution is to see if any knows if there are two terminals on the GT that one can attach an external Battery Tender Jr. to? Or some other commercial battery trickler, that is more reliable than the cigarette lighter version?
 

AtomicGT

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Apr 12, 2006
3,032
Los Angeles
Where is Torrie Mc or Shadowman on answering the question of external terminals on the GT? They know all the answers!
 
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Scooter

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Apr 15, 2009
166
Doc, drive it to my house in Idaho. You will get the proper reset miles, you can watch me register my GT for $52.00 this year (including personalized plates) watch me insure the car with State Farm (replacement) for $780.00 per year and then we can go blast around the miles and miles of smooth country back roads burning up countless gallons of very low taxed gas. Then with the time and money we saved with not going to an Idaho smog check station (we don't do that up here) we can get some dollar lap dances from some of Idahos' finest toothless dancing girls.

Steve, how did you get such a low rate on the insurance, Is it because the state you live in?
Thanks!
Scooter
 

junior

GT Owner
Mar 9, 2007
1,151
So Cal
Even a better solution is to see if any knows if there are two terminals on the GT that one can attach an external Battery Tender Jr. to? Or some other commercial battery trickler, that is more reliable than the cigarette lighter version?

I use the battery terminals with Kendal's kit. Wires are always connected to the battery terminal, wires/plug are neatly routed and mounted on the exterior air dam verticle bar, the plug have a nice cover used when the car is in motion, and plugs in to the tender terminals while parked. Really neat working solution.
 

Ed Sims

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Apr 7, 2006
7,850
NorCal
Doc, drive it to my house in Idaho. You will get the proper reset miles, you can watch me register my GT for $52.00 this year (including personalized plates) watch me insure the car with State Farm (replacement) for $780.00 per year and then we can go blast around the miles and miles of smooth country back roads burning up countless gallons of very low taxed gas. Then with the time and money we saved with not going to an Idaho smog check station (we don't do that up here) we can get some dollar lap dances from some of Idahos' finest toothless dancing girls.

Chris, your invited as well![/QUOTE

And if you make it as far as Tennessee, you can do it with no income tax... AND HWY 129, the Dragon, is just down the road. Of course, toothless and barefooted women do go hand
in hand here.

Was just in Boise racing my vintage mx bikes. Loved it up there (except for the wind). Sorry to steal the tread for one post.

Ed
 

AtomicGT

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Apr 12, 2006
3,032
Los Angeles
Can someone fine Ed Sims for the hijack!
 

SteveA

GT Owner/B.O.D
Mark IV Lifetime
Dec 13, 2005
3,694
Sandpoint Id
Doc, drive it to my house in Idaho. You will get the proper reset miles, you can watch me register my GT for $52.00 this year (including personalized plates) watch me insure the car with State Farm (replacement) for $780.00 per year and then we can go blast around the miles and miles of smooth country back roads burning up countless gallons of very low taxed gas. Then with the time and money we saved with not going to an Idaho smog check station (we don't do that up here) we can get some dollar lap dances from some of Idahos' finest toothless dancing girls.

Steve, how did you get such a low rate on the insurance, Is it because the state you live in?








It is the exact same policy I had in Orange County for $1350 per year. Less population? Fewer uninsured? Fewer months to drive, fewer lawsuit cases?.... my guess is all the above.
Thanks!
Scooter
 

SteveA

GT Owner/B.O.D
Mark IV Lifetime
Dec 13, 2005
3,694
Sandpoint Id
Ed, North (The Panhandle) and South (potato farms) Idaho are both beautiful but very different places geography wise.
 

Nafod

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
OK, --- can somebody tell me why the factory trickle charger failed to work? Is it unreliable?

John,

Problem with the factory charger is no indication of what it is doing.. MY OE one was DOA when I bought the car new. The warranty replacement has worked fine since 2006. I also had to replace the OE battery at that time , under warranty.

This summer , I'm probably going to the Sear's Platinum Series battery, Speed Hut gauge replacement set and the CTEK 7200 charger.

The battery and gauge set is so I don't have to replace the originals(gauges) in the future ; and the CTEK charger ,which is designed to work with the Gel battery ,has an indicating system and a recondition cycle for them. Also it has a mode to keep the car's electrical system hooked up/active while changing batteries so the car's electronic's are not reset...(SMOG drive cycle)

Bruce
 

AtomicGT

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Apr 12, 2006
3,032
Los Angeles
Well, I finally got the Smog Verification completed, not without some effort. If anyone has to change their battery and need a smog test, do the smog test before the battery goes. I have now loaded and unloaded my trailer ramps to get my FGT on the road 4 different times for the California Smog Verfication, along with a notice I was delinquent in getting the smog test performed. arriving 2 days ago from Gerry Brown, Gov. of California.

So, this Wednesday, I was determined to get it done. Got the FGT on the street, ran it for 15 minutes between 25-45 MPH, then took I-10 East to Chino Hills and the Chino Airport. Was suppose to drive 25 minutes between 45-60 MPH. That is impossible in So Cal unless you want to drive behind the truck drivers. So for about 80 miles I was around 65 MPH. Had breakfast at Flo's Diner at the Chino Airport. Parked the car in the middle of the empty lot and watched about 25 people over the next hour come up to it and take pictures.

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Drove back after having a stack of 3 buttermilk pancakes, and a side of bisquits and gravey, Flo's style, only could eat 1/2 of a single bisquit. Calories are emmense on this side dish for $2.50

IMG_3695.jpg


Finally got back to the Smog Station two Blocks from Buerge Ford in West LA. Passed easily, this is my 4th attempt in 10 days.

IMG_3697.jpg



So if you have a dead battery and need a Smog Test, Change the battery, drive the car for 120 miles, go to breakfast somewhere and by the time you get back, you will pass the test.

Driving west back from Chino Hills on the Ca 60 to West LA, air conditioning is cool, but not cold. Thumbs up all the way home though from other freeway commuters, like a victory run, except no race! Dropped the FGT off at the Ford Dealership, the one I bought it from originally, and they flushed the AC system, new level of freon and it works perfectly. I am a little disgusted with the fact I haven't made the effort to drive this amazing piece of automotle art more than 50 miles last year. Actually enjoyed being passed up by nearly everyone on the 60 as I was trying to keep the car at 60 MPH to reset the on board computer and O2 sensors.

The one amazing consistency is the fellow travelers thumbs up passing you as your are driving the Ford GT, and the crowds that accumulate everywhere it is parked. Still to this day, 6 years out, it is like it is brand new! Had to go through the exercise of getting the car back up my driveway today with the trailer ramps. Neighbor was having a reception for some woman's organization, parked the car behind my Yukon, put the trailer ramps out. A fairly hot brunette is leaving the party in a 530 BMW, pulls up, rolls down her window and asks "What Kind of Ford is that? I though it was a some kind of new corvette?"

Told her it was a Ford GT and it would smoke any vette on the street. Wife was driving up the street, so conversation was short. She was hotter than the engine compartment, but no way to get an accurrate temperature reading at the time ! :thumbsup

You guys who have been to Flo's, Ralphie, SteveA, Jeff, et. al, remember the bisquits and gravey? Monster Meal.
 
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BlackICE

GT Owner
Nov 2, 2005
1,416
SF Bay Area in California
What do people like EP do that don't drive, or Sam that doesn't want to put mileage on his heritage?