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When I purchased my Acura CL-S from the original owner a couple years back, I continued to use the OEM battery that was installed. Since I didn’t get to drive the car much, the battery had gone dead several different times. After jumping it and recharging it so many times, I felt it was probably about time to replace the battery. Plus, it would be nice to get a battery that had some more cold-cranking amps (CCA’s) to help with cold starts.
What Size is the Car Battery on the 2nd Gen Acura CL & CL Type-S?
The Acura CL Base & Type-S trims both take the same size battery: either a group size 24 or a group size 34. The original OEM car battery comes in a group size 24, but if you search for a battery to fit these cars, you will find that group size 34 is included. Therefore, if you are looking for a replacement car battery for the 2nd generation Acura CL or CL Type-S, either a group 24 or a group 34 will work.
What’s the Difference between Group Size 24 & 34?
The main differences between a group 24 and a group 34 is the size and the amount of cranking amperage. The reserve capacity may be different between the two groups as well.
The dimensions between the two groups is similar in the width and depth dimensions, but the group 24 is about an inch taller than the group 34 battery. If you choose to go with a group 34 battery, a battery spacer may be needed. But it is very possible for you to get away without using a spacer as the battery cables will just need to be adjusted a bit to make them fit on the shorter group 34 battery.
As for the different cranking amperages, the group 34 does seem to generally have better performance. The best thing to do when comparing a particular car battery with both group 24 and group 34 options is to just check the differences in specifications. Below is an example of the difference between a Napa car battery (The Legend Premium) for group 24 and group 34:
| Battery Specifications | Group 24 | Group 34 |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturer Part No. | 724MF | 734MF |
| Reserve Capacity | 120 min. | 115 min. |
| BCI Group No. | 24 | 34 |
| Cold Cranking Amperage (CCA) | 890A | 985A |
| Wet or Dry | 725A | 800A |
| Weight | 42.5 lbs | 41 lbs |
| Length | 10.75 in. | 10.75 in. |
| Width | 6.75 in. | 6.875 in. |
| Height | 9 in. | 8 in. |
Tools & Materials
You’ll pretty much just need the new car battery and a 10mm socket for your socket wrench. A small adjustable wrench or combination wrench could do as well.
Car Battery
As mentioned earlier, the OEM battery is a group size 24, but a slightly shorter but better performing group size 34 will work as well. A battery spacer may help with better fitment, but you can likely make it fit without one. I went with this battery from Napa Auto Parts:
NAPA Battery 24 Months Free Replacement BCI No. 24
10mm Socket/Socket Set
A 10mm socket will be needed for disconnecting the negative and positive terminals of the old battery and installing it onto the new. Any simple socket set or mechanics tool set will do.
Replacing the Car Battery on an Acura CL Type-S
Remove the negative terminal, then remove the positive terminal with 10mm socket and set aside. Use a deeper 10mm socket if you have one to remove the battery mounting bracket. Once the 10mm nuts are loosened on the bracket, you should be able to pull the bracket out to free the battery.
The old OEM Acura car battery below.
I opted for the Napa “The Legend Premium” group 24 car battery for my replacement. It comes with a nifty battery handle. There was a core charge by Napa so I simply brought battery in when I bought the new one and made the exchange on the spot to get my core refund.
Install the new battery via the mounting bracket, reinstall the positive terminal, then the negative terminal last. Then replace the cover if you have one.
The battery replacement is super easy to swap out and I’m glad I went with an aftermarket one with some better performing specifications over the OEM one. Now, it doesn’t hesitate one bit when starting the engine; a stark contrast to how it seemed to struggle with the previous aged battery.
