Mods are in the profile, but to save you the trouble almost stock.
How many cold cranking amps should my battery have? The reason why I asked is kinda a long story but here goes.
When I did the L61 swap to my '02 SE I went ahead and put in a Fidanza flywheel and a Centerforce clutch. I had a Walmart (came with the car three years ago) 600 cca battery. Everything was fine. Then after about 6 months when I'd turn the key it sounded like the starter was jamming up and not fully engaging the flywheel. It would make a kerchunk sound and stop even though I was still holding the key forward. I'd let go. Try again and it would start. Without an extra car at the time to drive and living twenty minutes from work, I had to do this for a couple weeks.
One day it turned over and "locked" up. It wouldn't turn over, click, or anything. My dad tried to jump me and it didn't start or turn over. We push started it and got it home fine. I took it home, replaced the starter thinking it was jammed. When I put the new one in it started doing the same thing. It would grind and chunk and then start. My dad got some starter shims and we tried in, out, and all depths, but just the same results. We spent a day at this until a few teeth dropped out of the inspection hole from the flywheel. Luckily Fidanza replaced it free of charge as a defect. 
So, we assumed the battery wasn't pushing the starter gear to the end of the shaft and picked up a 720 cca battery.
Finally it started up with no noise or problems. Drove it for about 4 months. Then it all started over again. I thought maybe it had a dead cell and got it tested. Checked out fine on the battery and the alternator (13.4 V). I had it exchanged anyway, but they only had a 600 cca again.
Long story short - I don't think I've had a battery yet that is putting out enough cold cranking amps. I don't mind buying an Optima or dry cell race battery but I don't want to buy another battery if it's not the battery at all. Just to be safe I went back through and tightened and cleaned my grounds near the battery, the starter, and the alternator.
Anybody have an idea I'm willing to listen.
I think 660 is what it's supposed to take. HOWEVER, it sounds to me like you've got a bad starter possibly. I know I took one of mine apart and cleaned it because it wasn't working. I put it back in and it worked a couple of times and quit, so I put my other bad one in after cleaning it and there is a washer or something in the end of the shaft that I dropped at some point. This would make the starter crank a bit then go bang bang bang and it wouldn't start. You might wanna get the starter tested. If it's messed up and drawing too many amps, your battery won't have enough to pull it.
Another thing, isn't there something with the findanza flywheels that people had problems with them getting tore up and failing? Might look into that.
Also, when getting a deep cycle battery, you need to oversize it a bit. A deep cycle is made for a longer period of discharge, and not really for starting. An SLI battery (Starting Lighting and Ignition) is made for a massive discharge rate for a short period of time. Which is enough to get the engine started.
SHOoff - Starter in it is brand new and the old starter does the same thing too. I've put the old one back in to make sure.
YOUNG J - I've checked the cables and terminals. I had a '99 Avenger that has done that to me before and replaced the cable. The Fire has new terminals, battery, and been sprayed with anticorrosion treatment. The starter and alternator show no signs of wear, rust, corrosion, or bad grounds.
Quote:
Checked out fine on the battery aToday's no/low maintenance batteries need at least 14.2 volts to recharge due to the calcium used to strengthen the battery plates.nd the alternator (13.4 V)
Just looked over your post again. Is that the correct. or a typo?
Your alternator should be putting out more than that. I've seen 13.6+ volts is what it should be, but i've also seen some places say at least 13.2 volts.
But I did find this:
"Today's no/low maintenance batteries need at least 14.2 volts to recharge due to the calcium used to strengthen the battery plates."
It could be a situation where the alternator works, but just not enough to keep the battery up. And that's why you're noticing it over a long period of time.
Possible. The alternator came with the engine when I did the swap. I think it was a '03.
But it was tested at Autozone and he brought out what looked to be pretty much a multimeter and stuck it on the battery while off, then while the car was running and got 13.4 V. I don't think you could get a good reading on the battery posts and say it's from the alternator because the car is running. I might try and get it to Advance where they bring out the big nasty rolling machine to see if they can test my Alternator. Otherwise I'm going to start pulling off parts and have them each tested off the car.
The whole system should read over 14, even if you test at the battery. 13.4 if it's still good is real boarderline. But if it were me i'd try to put as much load on it as possible and see if it drops.
Replaced the alternator, but still clunks when starting sometimes. Took it to get checked at a Tire King and he siad it was a bad starter bendex. The starter is less than six months old. Could it be? Advice?
new doesn't mean good, just means new to you! I've had problems where the brand new starter is damaged. My advice is to check the resistance in the wire from the battery to the alternator, get a DVOM and place one probe on the positive post on the back of the alternator and then on the positive post of the battery. It should never be above .2 ohms between any two connections. Also check the ground on your alternator, ground one probe to the case of alternator and then to the negative side of your battery, it too should have around .2 ohms of resistance and not much more. if they were to have too much resistance, then you need to replace the connections. Once you have done both of those and they check out fine, check the connector going into the alternator to make sure that you do not have any breaks in the wires or short to grounds. As far as the Bendix is concerned, take it to auto zone and have them test it. When they do test it though make sure that they verify that the Bendix is extending and it should not have very much free play. It should spin only one way and come out to engage the flywheel, if it spins the other way warranty it out. You should be able to check this with your fingers. Hope this helps you find your problem.
Had the starter tested. It's good. But it had teeth in it again. The Auto Zone guy said it might not have the right number of teeth on the flywheel. Stock is listed at 135
damn bro sorry to hear your having so many issues. i have a fidanza flywheel on my eco and i have over 80K miles on that flywheel and no issues at all..
sucks to hear hope you get it all fixed..
my brother has a focus and he had to replace the aftermarket starter 2 times. Sorta did the same thing as yours.
I would try a junkyard starter. I got a 2000 2.4 starter for like 35$. worth a shot.
I have also heard of flywheel issues from fidenza with the starter ring.
good luck..
Was it the Findenza flywheels that were having the problems with the bolt holes ending up oblong? I could see it making a loud clunk if the flywheel wasn't sitting in there right since in certain spots you'll have some serious binding with the starter. Of course, I'd think that would make a noticeable vibration if it wasn't on straight too. But who knows... cars can be weird.
i would change flywheels with a new starter, i have heard alot of bad things about the fidanza flywheels, but thats just me hopefully you figure it out
