So just want to introduce myself to the forum. I am in Spartanburg SC, and I have a 2001 prius that we got about 12 years ago. Car still runs, but is needing some attention. I hope to start on it soon. Was hoping I can get some much needed advice on this board. I own several Porsches, and do my own work. So used to complex cars. I have found forums to be very helpful to tap into the collective wisdom. Most of the gen1 is in decent shape. the car will act up from time to tame, but I have been able to stumble through it. Just learned that you can't let this car sit. Right now, I need to replace the 12V battery and just want to confirm that a 51R is the form factor I need. I did replace the terminals to a lager size several years back. I also was able to swap out the hybrid batter pack with a Gen 2 version several years back. the other thing is I was wondering if someone comes across a Gen 1 that they are parting out if they can contact me. I would like to refresh the interior if I can find a good one. I lent the car to a buddy of mine, and i got it back with a paint spill on the back seat. can also use a front bumper. I will post a picture in the next day or so. looking forward to this project, adn hopefully I can tap into the knowledge of others in this forum. thanks -- rr
I'm over in Central North Carolina they pop up on the marketplace and various and sundry places very regularly and there's a place down in Conyers Georgia or several places that have miles of Prius you'd have to physically go down there sometimes you see them on eBay selling things If you look at the sellers information you'll see quite a few junk yards down in Conyers and you can do some googling and look at some Google maps there's a couple of junkyards down there that literally have miles of Prius old ones that is quite something.
Correct on the 51R case size. A cheaper alternative would be a lawn tractor battery like this one: https://www.batteriesplus.com/productdetails/sliu1rxhd . I have that battery installed in my '02. There are less expensive ones available from the usual suspects. I bought terminal adapters to convert the lawn tractor battery's spade lugs to SAE terminal posts. It's also possible to bolt directly to the spade lugs. This battery has given good reliable service for over a year so far, even through a stretch of single-digit low temps here in PA, so it should work fine in SC too. I have hopes that it lasts at least as long as my previous Interstate 12V, which was seven years. We'll see.
thanks for the info. Will have to expand my search. Took the car out today. It runs great. Triangle of death is on, so will have to diagnose that.
i think i tried 51R in the past and it was too large you have to bend the supporting metal piece away 151R seems to fit but has less capacity.
Do you remove the entire hold down and put a board or something? 151R https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/autocraft-gold-battery-group-size-151r-370-cca-151r/10081210-p It's not as wide but about the same or a little taller than the 51R.
I removed the hold down and changed the terminals on the cables. The 51R fit like a glove int the space.
The U1R lawn tractor battery fits the space, and the factory hold-down too! Can't remember now whether I had to shim the U1R underneath with a nominal 1" thick board, like I did with the 51R. And I sure like the price of the U1R, compared with that 151R linked above.
i think the 151r i got was 109 with a 3 year replacement up to 8 year prorated. the 51r seems like better value tho, i think you can get one around the same price as the u1r if you happen to know the board measurement, maybe i can try cutting a wood one next time.
The U1R lawn tractor battery has a much smaller Ah capacity than the OEM AGM or its direct AM replacements. These U1R and 51R batteries are all flooded lead/acid, not AGM which is why they're all so cheap. It is your car and your money, do what you like.
In re: board size, I don’t recall exactly, but it fits the tray there in the wheel well. I just happened to have the right size board on hand from a previous project (call me lucky), so I didn’t even have to cut it to fit. The U1R doesn’t weigh as much as a 51R, and that’s a help for me now in my dotage, trying to wrestle a heavy chunk of a battery into that tight space.
Is it okay to use a non AGM battery? I can get a U1R at Walmart for $30 Posts are even in the same positions
