How To: Battery corrosion and how to prevent it

jj71787 · Post by **jj71787** » Wed May 30, 2007 9:28 pm

does anyone else get alot of erosion on their batteries?

ragek23 · Post by **ragek23** » Thu May 31, 2007 12:39 am

i had a lot and then i cleaned it, it hasn't come back in quite some time

jj71787 · Post by **jj71787** » Thu May 31, 2007 12:41 am

i always clean it it comes back quickly and it eats away at the battery cables

WykedHellFire · Post by **WykedHellFire** » Thu May 31, 2007 12:51 am

Ive been told to buy a piece of felt (sp?) in a square and cut a hole in it for the battery terminal. and then reconnect. I guess something about the felt keeps the corrosion away.

jj71787 · Post by **jj71787** » Thu May 31, 2007 12:54 am

you put the felt under the positive cover?

WykedHellFire · Post by **WykedHellFire** » Thu May 31, 2007 1:01 am

I have yet to do it to my car but a buddy has, you just take two square pieces of felt and put one on each terminal. then put your cables on top.

jj71787 · Post by **jj71787** » Thu May 31, 2007 1:14 am

ill try it
is this just on neons because my father has a sebring and his car doesnt have this problem neither does my mother and she has a malibu

WykedHellFire · Post by **WykedHellFire** » Thu May 31, 2007 3:29 am

Im not sure why it happens to certain cars but not others. It might have something to do with were a person lives that effects it.

anomalous0 · Post by **anomalous0** » Thu May 31, 2007 3:33 am

That thing where you take the weatherstripping from under the hood has something to do with it. Also, I find that if you put a dab of grease around the terminals after you reconnect them it helps alot. Obviously moist climates will get more erosion, but I live in arizona and still got it pretty bad to where my car wouldn't start

hybrid-Srt2001 · Post by **hybrid-Srt2001** » Thu May 31, 2007 4:17 am

the felt things work pretty well, as for cleaning, use baking soda and water to neutralize the acid and stop rusting/corrosion. i'm pretty sure that if you got a sealed battery such as an optima, you wouldn't have this problem as much.

teamliviD · Post by **teamliviD** » Thu May 31, 2007 5:32 am

Its a mopar thing....they all do it.

jj71787 · Post by **jj71787** » Thu May 31, 2007 5:32 am

That's what I did I used baking soda n water just wondered why my car gets it n my parents or sisters cars don't get it and they live in the same place I do

dansou5 · Post by **dansou5** » Thu May 31, 2007 7:14 am

my friend has this spray that he got for his ATV that stops it. Cant remeber the name of it but i will asked him at school today. He strayed it a couple of months ago and still none...

gilly02le · Post by **gilly02le** » Thu May 31, 2007 10:07 am

OPTIMA BATTERIES FTMFW!! I've never had any of that crap on my optima red top, i also got different battery posts and found that the gold plated ones don't corrode like the stock copper ones..

Panhead · Post by **Panhead** » Thu May 31, 2007 11:17 am

vasoline will keep the terminals from corroding.

kc2005ptgt · Post by **kc2005ptgt** » Thu May 31, 2007 12:18 pm

You realize that you mean Corrosion, yes?

I see a few got it

Erosion: The process of eroding or the condition of being eroded: erosion of the beach; progressive erosion of confidence in our legal system; erosion of the value of the dollar abroad.
The group of natural processes, including weathering, dissolution, abrasion, corrosion, and transportation, by which material is worn away from the earth's surface

Just razzing yopu all - but seriously, someone said somthing about the Optima Red Top not corroding, and I disagree, my stupid red top did

And I have no clue why - just corroded the positive wire right off the terminal, and caused the car to quit one day - freaked me out! Happened during my wife's best friend's wedding. I went back to where I bought it from and they said it is not covered because that kind of "stuff" happens all the time

So whatever, Optima. Nice powerful battery, but I guess a lifetime warranty does not mean anything? Now my battery tray, the top of my tranny, and of course my wires all have to be cleaned periodically.

titansxt · Post by **titansxt** » Thu May 31, 2007 12:27 pm

^ Was thinking the same thing.... Your batteries must really suck, mine just corrodes. Weird.

jj71787 · Post by **jj71787** » Thu May 31, 2007 3:05 pm

ill try the vaseline

Panhead · Post by **Panhead** » Thu May 31, 2007 4:52 pm

jj71787 wrote:ill try the vaseline

it works. i had corrosion once. i cleaned the terminals and after i put the vasoline on...never had a problem since.

scneonchic · Post by **scneonchic** » Thu May 31, 2007 5:55 pm

My battery on my blue neon is a red top optima and Ive never had any problems w/ corrosion

My battery on the CG is corroded really badly...we used some battery acid cleaner, but it didnt do too much. I havent had much time to do a more thorough cleaning, but Ive heard the vasaline thing too. I think mine may just need a new battery though. Its been in there since 02. (not just because of the corrosion issue...its slow starts as well)

gilly02le · Post by **gilly02le** » Thu May 31, 2007 5:57 pm

its has more to do with the battery terminals you are using..the stock ones corrode like a mother...since i changed them i have had no problems..

jj71787 · Post by **jj71787** » Fri Jun 01, 2007 2:06 am

no use in changing the stock ones

BlackRoseRacing · Post by **BlackRoseRacing** » Fri Jun 01, 2007 6:00 am

Corrosion will happen to any battery...
To make it plain as english, due to the electrical current and other stuff its going to happen....
Use baking soda and water to wash the battery and the surrounding area to neutralize all the acid. You may see acid and there are times you will not due to the fumes from the battery, these fumes will settle on components inside the engine comarment and start the surrounding are to corrode.
Once washed with baking soda and water, then use standard carwash to rinse all the BS/water out of the engine compartment. If you dont, once the water evaporates, the baking soda will dry and leave white spots everywhere from turning back into a powder.
Of course dry the are you worked with, and then head to any parts story that sells batteries....WallyWorld,Napa,O'reilly's...whatever....
In the same isle are little things called battery pads. These pads have a special chemical added to them to help prevent corrosion, install these pads onto your "CLEAN" battery posts and have a nice day..
You cant stop 100% of the corrosion, but atleast 95% of it.....
There is more information to be found if you search, acid is not the only reason corrosion starts, it also has to do with electrolysis but thats to much detail for some people

PS -
Here are more links to more information:
http://focus.noegruts.com/battery/battery.htm
http://www.waynesgarage.com/docs/battery_cables.htm

OB · Post by OB » Sat Jun 02, 2007 1:32 am

cleaning the battery terminals routinely and keeping basic maintenance up on the battery (assuming it's non maint-free) will prevent most corrosion. Older batteries tend to do it worse. Might be time to replace the batt if its really as bad as you say and keeps coming back.

jj71787 · Post by **jj71787** » Sat Jun 02, 2007 1:43 am

the battery is fine i clean it once every 2 months i dunno if thats normal or if the battery should be cleaned more or if it shouldnt have that much corrosion that often

Bebo · Post by **Bebo** » Sun Jun 03, 2007 2:03 am

I changed to a dry cell battery, upgraded my grounds, & I keep the terminals coated with terminal protector. It seems to work pretty well & my lights don't dim no matter how hard the bass hits.

jj71787 · Post by **jj71787** » Sun Jun 03, 2007 2:40 am

my lights dont dim either would corrosion cause your battery to burn out like that

untamed · Post by **untamed** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 3:01 pm

the best corrosion cleaner is coke... pour a little bit on it and clean up the mess before it leaks onto other things. Try it before you say anything...trust me... I was surprised too.

and then put vasoline on your post and work it in there for a nice tight fit.

not that kind though

Post by **Diablo0** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 3:36 pm

Might also try putting a light coat of dielectric grease on the terminals as well.

JJS66 · Post by **JJS66** » Wed Apr 30, 2008 5:59 pm

CRC Battery Terminal Protector works very well. They also sell a cleaner that I like as well.