corroding positive battery terminal

[TOYO-ED]

Hi.
I have a '99 camry 4-cyl. My old positive battery terminal started corroding and the battery eventually died on me. I cleaned off the corrosion and acid on most of the stuff off the positive battery cable. i got a new battery. Now the cycle is repeating itself again. The positive battery terminal is starting to corrode again. Does anyone have the same problem?
is it the battery or the car?
thanks.

[karazy]

It could be either, but I would assume it's the car first, seeing how it was present on the old battery. Clean the posts and apply some vaseline, for protection. Once the battery is reconnected, make sure they are tight, do a voltage check at the battery before and after the car is started. The alternator may not be gone. It could be just a bad connection elsewhere in the system or at the battery.

[Eye8Pussies]

put a penny on your battery...all the corrosion and rust will then collect on that instead of the terminals

[Super Kaioken]

a penny on the battery? Do you just keep it on while driving with tape or something x_x'

[Tercel GTS]

The penny will just sit there unless you slam on brakes or hit something. As soon as corrosion begins on the penny swap it for a clean one. It really does help.

[Toysrme]

It always happens.

1) Use di-electric grease on both of the terminals and the wires to help seal it from the elements
2) use one of the baking soda filled felt pads on the positive terminal



Toothbrush and bakingsoda / water clean that very well.

[thoughthard]

Goto the auto parts store, and ask for the felt battery terminal washers that are treated. Last time I bought them, they had them behind the counter, in a quart sized paint can type container. They last a long time. I have never had a problem with corrosion after I started using them.

[TOYO-ED]

thanks for the replies, and i think i'll try some of them out. the penny remedy sounds interesting, so i think i'll try that first.

[userlain]

To properly install a battery terminal, you are supposed to use anti-corrosive gel on the part of the terminal that connects to the post.

You can find it at any auto-parts store for $2. It will come with plenty of the gel to do both the positive and negative terminals.

Note: the gel will not hinder conductivity

[Hamsterman]

anybody use vasoline on the terminals...

i never had corrosion problems, but heard vasoline was good - and almost everybody has some at home

[karazy]

The reason I said to check the car, is that this problem can be caused by overcharging, or some other underlying fault. The rate is increased by having excess gases escaping from the battery. Corrosion will not build up on a normal healthy system. Using a penny to try to mask the problem, is not what I consider proper maitenance. Next thing you know, there'll be pennies in the fuse box.

[TOYO-ED]

yeah, i was thinking of going to Sears (where i got the new battery) to have them check out my charging system. i was kind of surprised to see the corrosion on the battery so fast. I didnt know i had to put anti-corrosion gel on the terminals. Im just hoping it's nothing; i dont wanna spend more money.

[lenjack]

It will cost you if you go to Sears...even if there's nothing wrong.

[mandyfig]

Sever corrosion is an indication of abnormality. Try the dielectric grease protector (not vaseline). Then observe. It could be a bad battery, where there is an abnormal amount of gases being released. if you can spare the time, take it to Sears and complain about it, they might replace the battery. It could be overcharging, too, more Amps, more gases, therefore your voltage regulator might be at fault.

Try checking the battery voltage while it is running, should be 14+ volts max, I think.

Good luck.

[skewe]

before applying vasoline, clean the sucker up good.

to clean it, i get boiling water, pour it over the corroded area. It will clean out the corrosion.

I know my dad used to use grease and it works.