Battery Maintenance

[Spork1569]

Koozy thanks for this thread. I noticed some white clouding happening on my negative terminal yesterday, cleaned it up. Going to check the cells later today. Didn’t know about the green bubble dot. Good stuff.

Just noticed a mushroom of white on my negative terminal this morning when filling up my washer fluid. Have had the car for a year and a half and this is the first time this has appeared so now I have a weekend project to clean up along with changing out the spark plugs.

Any luck keeping it at bay or is it something I should start looking out for every so often?

 

[TyphoonFiST]

Just noticed a mushroom of white on my negative terminal this morning when filling up my washer fluid. Have had the car for a year and a half and this is the first time this has appeared so now I have a weekend project to clean up along with changing out the spark plugs.

Any luck keeping it at bay or is it something I should start looking out for every so often?

This protector and cleaner from CRC work great.

https://www.crcindustries.com/products/battery-terminal-protector-7-5-wt-oz-05046.html

You can also use this on the terminals after cleaning them and they are dry ..... then the protector over it so it protects even longer.

https://www.crcindustries.com/products/dielectric-grease-3-3-wt-oz-02085.html

 

[Ford ST]

I wouldn't call it a project. A can of soda will clean that off in about 15 seconds. Use diet so it's not a sticky mess.

Sent from my LG-LS997 using Tapatalk

 

[Spork1569]

I wouldn't call it a project. A can of soda will clean that off in about 15 seconds. Use diet so it's not a sticky mess.

Sent from my LG-LS997 using Tapatalk

Finally a perk of being diabetic, got plenty of diet soda around lol.

The terminal connection is what seems to have more of the gunk, should throwing soda in the engine bay be fine? I had planned on taking the battery out and giving it a good scrub too.

 

[Ford ST]

Finally a perk of being diabetic, got plenty of diet soda around lol.

The terminal connection is what seems to have more of the gunk, should throwing soda in the engine bay be fine? I had planned on taking the battery out and giving it a good scrub too.

I have been doing it for 15 years. I rinse off with a little water after I clean it.

Sent from my LG-LS997 using Tapatalk

 

[Bretley]

Just noticed a mushroom of white on my negative terminal this morning when filling up my washer fluid. Have had the car for a year and a half and this is the first time this has appeared so now I have a weekend project to clean up along with changing out the spark plugs.

Any luck keeping it at bay or is it something I should start looking out for every so often?

Check your battery by the terminal post to see if the plastic is cracked around the base. Same thing happened to me with the OEM battery.

 

[Spork1569]

Check your battery by the terminal post to see if the plastic is cracked around the base. Same thing happened to me with the OEM battery.

Will do. Hopefully it's not time for a new battery yet.

 

[jeff]

Just noticed a mushroom of white on my negative terminal this morning when filling up my washer fluid. Have had the car for a year and a half and this is the first time this has appeared so now I have a weekend project to clean up along with changing out the spark plugs.

Any luck keeping it at bay or is it something I should start looking out for every so often?

I cleaned mine, then opened up the battery, metal was exposed, shame on me. Filled it up, cleaned it up, drove the car....HAL red eye of evil was on the next day. I kicked myself for not maintaining the battery, checked it a week later, lo and behold the indicator had turned green. Not sure what's up, maybe I restored it, maybe it's about to die...it is 6 years old so its life is likely about over.

I will say this, from here on out I'm gonna remember to check that battery indicator, I check my oil about once a week so both can be done weekly.