Car Battery Corrosion Protection Installation
Corrosion and dirt easily find their way around the case and connections of your car's battery. This not only makes it difficult for the electrical charge to travel to your vehicle's starter motor and the rest of the electrical circuits but also reduces battery service life. Cleaning and protecting your battery from corrosion will ensure that the starter motor has access to full battery power, current flows easily through battery terminals and battery's life service increases.
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Box-end wrench set
- Open-end wrench
- Plastic gloves
- Baking soda
- Water
- Foam cup
- Soft brush
- Clean shop rag
- Battery post and terminal cleaner
- Wire brush
- Scraper
- Petroleum jelly
Instructions
-
-
1
Hold the battery clamp bolt with a box-end wrench on the ground (black) battery cable and loosen the retaining nut on the bolt with an open-end wrench. Loosen the clamp bolt on the other battery cable and disconnect the cables from the battery.
-
2
Put on your plastic gloves and unfasten the battery hold-down bracket with a wrench, remove the battery from the engine compartment.
-
-
3
Inspect the battery case for cracks or damage that might lead to electrolyte (battery acid) leakage and corrosion. Replace the battery if damaged.
-
4
Mix 3 tbsps. of baking soda in 20 oz. of water in a foam cup. Apply the solution to the battery case with a soft brush and thoroughly clean the outer case. The solution might foam as you apply it. This will eliminate and neutralize any corrosion and grime stuck on the plastic material. Keep the solution from seeping under the vent caps and going into the cells, though. Wipe the battery with a clean shop rag.
-
5
Dip the battery cable terminals in the solution, and use a battery post and terminal cleaner to remove corrosion from the terminals, cable wires and battery posts.
-
6
Clean the battery tray in the engine compartment with a wire brush and a scraper.
-
7
Replace the battery in the engine compartment and install the hold-down bracket with the wrench.
-
8
Apply a thin coat of petroleum jelly around the base of the battery posts where the cable terminals seat. Replace the battery cables and tighten the terminals with the wrenches. Apply another coat of petroleum jelly to the top of the battery posts and terminals. This will inhibit corrosion buildup around the battery posts and terminals.
-
1
