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Battery terminal corrosion

O

oj

Member
hey all, question for you...
The battery terminals on my truck are very badly corroded, the battery posts themselves are ok, but the positive clamps have been covered in white/blue ish build up, truck is a Dodge diesel with two batteries in parallel (12 volt). Truck starts ok, but when the glow plugs/heater cycles the volt gauge drops like a stone to about 10 volts, both batteries test ok and were both new one year ago. We did replace the battery cable between the positive terminals this year as the corrosion was so bad it ate thought the cable. The original battery clamps are lead, the replaced ones are brass/copper? and are badly eaten into already after about 4 months... The alternator doesn"t appear to over charge the batteries (at least not according to my tester). Any ideas to keep the corrosion at bay? Today i cleaned everything with a wire brush and scrapper the terminals/connections and then used vasaline on everything before i put it all back together. Any advise would be great... oj in mb.
 
Vaseline is good and if they corrode again use a mix of baking soda/water to pour over the corrosion and it will instantly dissolve away.
 
Might add some of those felt washers that are covered with anti acid coating plus check and clean the cables often using baking soda to clean,but don't get any into battery.Cables with lead ends last longer,but brass are ok.coat with gun grease.Don't have answer why some corrode so bad,but some batteries seem to be prone to that.But keep it clean clean clean//????????????????
 

Had a battery one time that had a leak around one of the posts and the acid fumes corroded the connector. Don't think thats your problem. Agree with ken about not knowing why some corrode and others dont. Like the felt washer suggestion also.

KEH
 
That's not normal.
There is some combination of too high voltage, extended high currents, high under hood temps and perhaps too full batteries.
 
Down here in Georgia we have a custom that works very well and that is to pour coca-cola on corroded cables and terminals.It really works and not pepsi and other brands nor sugar free drinks, only COKE !! Has something to do with the acid COKE uses.
 
I clean mine up and coat the posts and terminals inside and out with NO-OX electrical grease and no more problems.
 
(quoted from post at 15:27:34 10/18/08) .
Click to expand...

Clean things up (brush terminals and posts also) with hot soapy water or a good baking soda scrub and lay a penny on top. It will draw the corrosion first and you can either clean it or replace it as necessary when you check your oil. Costs you the initial work and a couple of cents a year.
A dime won't work ten times as good though, has to be a penny :)

Try it.

Dave
 
My TEA20 does that all the time..only the positive post. I pour Bi-Carbonated soda [baking] over it which kills the acid and rinse it off.. sometime I grease the terminals when I'm not a slack ah.
 
The most likely cause is post seal leakage, however, overfilling and/or a high charge rate can cause the vents to overflow. Is the top of the case damp? Once the acid is out it looks for something to eat.
 
had dodge diesels since their inception.
the corrosion, just clean them real good and put some grease on them.
your not going to stop it on these trucks.
everyone ive had has done it, got 2 now and they both will of the grease isnt on the post

when the manifold heater kicks on you will see the voltage drop. when you get a bad battery you will know, it wont start.
Oh and cummins do not have glow plugs, they have cold air intake manifold heaters, THEREFORE DO NOT USE EITHER TO START THE TRUCK.
 
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