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Home / Lighting / Driving & light bars

Century NS40ZLS MF 12V Hi Performance starter battery, positive terminal forward-left C polarity, standard tapered posts, NS40Z footprint, red and black casing with carry handlesPolarity diagram of a six-cell 12 volt battery seen from above, positive terminal at the left and negative at the right, labelled 12 Volt C Polarity – Century batteryLine drawing of a standard tapered lead battery post, labelled Standard Terminal Post (STD) – Century batteryCentury NS40ZLS MF 12V Hi Performance starter battery, side view showing NS40Z case profile

Century

NS40ZLS MF Hi Performance Battery — 12V 360CCA 38Ah

105157

Century NS40ZLS MF Hi Performance 12V starter battery. 360 CCA, 63 min reserve, 38 Ah, calcium wet-cell on NS40Z footprint, C polarity (positive forward-left), STD tapered terminals. Fits earlier Toyota Hilux and Hiace petrol, Mazda B-Series, Ford Courier, Nissan Navara petrol. 30-month warranty.

$165.00

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Fitment: Japanese petrol imports with NS40Z tray (195 x 127 x 200 mm) and C polarity (positive forward-left).

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A 12V starter battery that delivers 360 CCA cranking and 63 minutes of reserve from Century's Hi Performance range, built around the NS40Z tray with left polarity and standard tapered posts. Suits Japanese petrol imports with the NS40Z footprint, including earlier Toyota Hilux and Hiace petrol, Mazda B-Series, Ford Courier, and earlier Nissan Navara petrol, where the battery sits with positive post forward-left when you're looking at the engine bay. The Hi Performance range sits above the Hi Vehicle budget tier and below the Ultra Hi Performance NS40ZLSX MF, which carries 410 CCA and 40 months warranty.

Calcium wet-cell plates sit on a Platelock plate pack that limits movement over corrugations, with a mud rack catching sediment so it doesn't bridge the plates. The 195 by 127 by 200 mm case (220 mm over the posts) matches the OE NS40Z tray on Australian stock. Flame-arrested lid, double-insulated separators, carry handles. A state-of-charge indicator in the top case lets you eyeball charge before cranking.

This is a flooded calcium wet-cell starter battery, not AGM, EFB, or deep-cycle, so don't run it as the auxiliary house battery in a dual setup or as the sole battery in a stop-start vehicle rated for EFB or AGM. Charge at 14.4 to 14.7V bulk and 13.5 to 13.8V float with temperature compensation. Fuse at the starter side if you're wiring in auxiliaries off the main terminals.

What sets it apart

Century built this in Australia for Australian heat, with Platelock plate restraint, mud rack sediment capture, flame-arrested lid, and 30 months on the Hi Performance tier. The NS40Z footprint keeps it as a drop-in replacement for the OE battery in Japanese petrol imports from the mid-1990s through the 2000s. If the vehicle was fitted with an Ultra Hi Performance NS40ZLSX from factory, step up to [handle:ns40zlsx-mf-century-ultra-hi-performance-battery-12v-410cca-42ah] for the matching 410 CCA and 40-month cover.

Charging, mounting and fusing

Flooded calcium wet-cell wants 14.4 to 14.7V bulk and 13.5 to 13.8V float at 20°C, with roughly -18 mV per °C temperature compensation to prevent overcharge in summer or undercharge in winter. The vehicle's own regulator handles this on a healthy OE charging system; aftermarket chargers need the wet-cell profile selected, not AGM or lithium. Mount on the OE mud-rack-compatible saddle, torque the hold-down bolt to 5 to 8 Nm per the Toyota service manual, and keep the terminals clean with a smear of petroleum jelly after cranking. Series-pair two for 24V only if both are the same age and state of charge within 10%, and reset the engine BMS on European marques from 2008 onward if the vehicle has an intelligent charging strategy that logs battery age.

  • 360 CCA cranking — Hi Performance tier starting output
  • 63 min reserve — Keeps accessories alive if the alternator drops
  • Platelock plate pack — Resists vibration on corrugated roads
  • Calcium wet-cell — Lower water loss, longer service life
  • Mud rack base — Catches plate sediment, prevents shorts
  • Flame-arrested lid — Blocks spark ignition of hydrogen vent
  • Moulded carry handles — Easier swap on tight engine bays
  • 30-month warranty — Century Hi Performance tier cover

Electrical

Voltage: 12V DC

CCA: 360 A (SAE J537)

Reserve capacity: 63 min at 25A

Capacity: 38 Ah at C20

Chemistry: Calcium wet-cell

Build

Terminal: STD tapered

Polarity: C (positive left)

Case: Flame-arrested MF

Length: 195mm

Width: 127mm

Height: 200mm

Total height over posts: 220mm

Weight: 9.9kg

Disconnect the negative terminal first, then positive, and lift the OE battery out of the tray with the moulded carry handles. The NS40Z footprint matches the original equipment battery in most Japanese petrol imports from the mid-1990s onward where this SKU is listed, so no tray modification is needed.

Set the new battery into the tray with the positive post forward-left (C polarity). Fit the hold-down clamp onto the Toyota-style ridge or your vehicle's hook-down bar, and torque the clamp bolt to 5 to 8 Nm per the OE service manual. Over-torquing warps the case; under-torquing lets the battery lift on corrugations.

Clean both terminals with a wire brush, fit the positive cable first and torque to 5 to 8 Nm, then the negative. Smear petroleum jelly over the terminal clamps to slow corrosion. If an auxiliary circuit is wired off the main posts, fuse it at the starter side with a MIDI or MEGA matched to the circuit's cable gauge.

If the vehicle is a European marque from 2008 onward with an intelligent charging strategy, reset the engine BMS with the OBD tool so the regulator doesn't fast-charge the new battery as though it were still the aged original. Charge at 14.4 to 14.7V bulk and 13.5 to 13.8V float with temperature compensation if the vehicle sits unused for extended periods.

Fitment: Japanese petrol imports with NS40Z tray (195 x 127 x 200 mm) and C polarity (positive forward-left).
Earlier Toyota Hilux petrol (NS40Z-tray models)
Earlier Toyota Hiace petrol (NS40Z-tray models)
Mazda B-Series petrol
Ford Courier petrol
Earlier Nissan Navara petrol (NS40Z-tray models)
D polarity vehicles — use NS40ZS MF instead
EFB or AGM-rated stop-start vehicles — use matching EFB or AGM battery
Deep-cycle, auxiliary, or house battery role — use deep-cycle AGM or lithium

Q: What does NS40ZLS MF mean?
A: NS40Z names Century's small-footprint battery tray (195 by 127 by 200 mm) used in Japanese petrol imports; L is left polarity (positive post forward-left); S is a sub-variant within the NS40Z range; MF is maintenance-free sealed construction. Together: a 12V 38 Ah NS40Z-tray starter battery with left polarity, standard tapered terminals, and sealed calcium wet-cell plates.

Q: What's the difference between the NS40ZLS MF and NS40ZLSX MF?
A: Same NS40Z footprint, same C polarity, same STD terminal. The NS40ZLSX MF is Ultra Hi Performance tier with Century's Platelock plate pack upgrade and extra starting reserve: 410 CCA versus 360 CCA, 65 min reserve versus 63 min, 42 Ah versus 38 Ah, 10.9 kg versus 9.9 kg, and 40 months warranty versus 30 months. Step up to the LSX if the vehicle came with Ultra Hi Performance from the factory or if you want longer service life in hot-climate daily driving.

Q: What does CCA mean and why does 360 matter?
A: Cold Cranking Amps measures how much current the battery delivers at -18°C while holding above 7.2V for 30 seconds. 360 A on this NS40ZLS MF is the Hi Performance tier figure and covers smaller four-cylinder petrol engines with the NS40Z tray. If the OE sticker on the vehicle calls for 350 CCA or less, this is a safe like-for-like upgrade. If it calls for 400 CCA or more, step up to the Ultra Hi Performance NS40ZLSX MF.

Q: What does the 63 minute reserve capacity mean?
A: Reserve capacity is how long the battery delivers 25A at 25°C before voltage drops to 10.5V. In practical terms: how long you could run headlights and the ignition system if the alternator died while driving. 63 minutes gives roughly an hour of driving on battery alone with lights on.

Q: Will this fit my vehicle?
A: Check the physical battery footprint first. If the OE battery is 195 by 127 by 200 mm with the positive post forward-left and a standard tapered post (not small post), this is a direct replacement. Common fit: earlier Toyota Hilux and Hiace petrol, Mazda B-Series, Ford Courier, earlier Nissan Navara petrol, and other NS40Z-tray Japanese petrol imports with C polarity. Cross-check the Century battery finder with the OE sticker if the current battery has been swapped at any point.

Q: What's the difference between C polarity and D polarity?
A: C polarity means the positive post sits forward-left when you're facing the battery from the front of the vehicle. D polarity reverses this, with positive forward-right. The NS40ZS MF is the D polarity mirror of this battery. Fitting the wrong polarity won't physically connect: the OE cables won't reach the correct posts and forcing them will damage the vehicle's wiring loom. Check the OE battery before ordering.

Q: Is this a dual-purpose battery I can use as a house battery?
A: No. This is a flooded calcium wet-cell starter battery optimised for short, high-current cranking bursts. Deep-cycling it (discharging below 50% repeatedly) wrecks the plates in weeks. For a dual-battery setup, pair this starter with a proper deep-cycle AGM or lithium house battery and a DC-DC charger between them.

Q: Can I use this on a stop-start vehicle?
A: Only if the OE sticker calls for a conventional MF or standard flooded battery. If the sticker calls for EFB or AGM, this won't survive. Stop-start cycling needs the deeper reserve and plate construction of EFB or AGM batteries. Fitting a standard MF to an EFB or AGM-rated vehicle also disables the stop-start system in some marques, logs a BMS fault, and shortens battery life to months rather than years.

Q: Can I pair two of these for 24V?
A: Yes, in series, provided both batteries are the same age, same state of charge within 10%, and both are the same NS40ZLS MF part number. Charging a 24V series pair needs a 24V-capable charger or a 24V alternator; a 12V charger won't balance them. Monitor state of charge on both at least annually, because one weak cell in series drags the healthy battery down.

Q: How long will this battery last and what does the 30 month warranty cover?
A: Typical service life in Australian conditions is 3 to 5 years depending on heat exposure, cycling, and charging habits. The 30-month warranty from Century covers manufacturing defects (sulfation, internal short, cell failure) and runs from the date of purchase. Heat kills batteries faster than cold does, so one sitting under a summer bonnet lid in Perth will see shorter life than one in a shaded garage in Hobart.

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