Blas and Other Battery Experts-Help!

[ERA Chas]

Strange (to me) battery problem in my DD. Well maintained, low miles, garage kept, no mechanical flaws.
Battery is a Bosch, top line, less than 3 year, old series 25.
The problem is battery fluid drawn out of the cap vents, seeping down the case and rusting the well it sits in.
I puled it, neutralized the acid in the well, coated with rust converter and cleaned the battery. Thinking the level too high, I wicked out fluid just to the level of the split rings. Cleaned every thing and reinstalled.
Battery tested 12.5 - 12.6 in 30F and 60F weather. With engine on, reads 14.2 - 14.4 under same conditions and at 1200 and 2000 RPM fast idles.
I've done this three times and continue to see fluid at the caps and muck in the well. But the fluid level is not down to the plates.
So I think the charging system is OK but can't figure the battery. Am I boiling fluid? It is just being wicked out by the vent cap design? And yes, the batt is firmly attached in its well.
Appreciate any advice.

[Blas]

Any sweet smell in the trunk after driving the car?
Is the battery warm or hot to the touch?
Can you reproduce the fluid bubbling out of the top if you remove the battery and put it on a charger on your bench top?
Have you tried a different battery?
You say the charging system is ok... Grounds, etc...
Be minefull thart that the liquid is acid and Hydrogen is involved if you are off-gassing the battery. Wear safety glasses when working with the battery.
Is your blinker fluid level ok?

[ERA Chas]

Thanks for answering the call Blas.
To be clear-this is not a Cobra-it's my daily driver. Battery in left front. Grounds are OEM and fine. Battery not hot. Don't have another batt to try in its place-my other car uses larger size.
No sweet smell. Yes, I'm careful about venting fumes.
Haven't tried the battery on a charger out of the car. I'm just not sure it's bubbling out or the vent system is siphoning it out.

[Blas]

Ahhhhh..... DD = Daily Driver......

Blinker fluid ok...?

I would start with having the battery load tested, could have a bad cell.

Sure sounds like an overcharging issue to me...

[ERA Chas]

Originally Posted by Blas

Ahhhhh.....
Blinker fluid ok...?

I would start with having the battery load tested, could have a bad cell.

Sure sounds like an overcharging issue to me...

'Blinker fluid'? Me no comprende.
Yes I always thought overcharging but 14.2 on the alternator does not seem excessive.
Load testing sounds like a good idea-where do I go for that?

[Blas]

Any auto parts store should be able to do that, but you will need to remove the battery and take it in. Sears comes to mind, you might be able to take it to their shop installed for a free test.

How many cells are bubbling fluid out?

Does the battery acid appera clear or brown?

I'm thinking an internal short in the battery.

Rule #1 in comedy, if you need to explain the joke it's not funny.... forget the blinker fluid thing.

[ERA Chas]

A comedian AND an electrical genius-I'm impressed.
The fluid in the battery is crystal clear. Fluid emanates from both cell compartments atop the batt. Not just one cap. Three cells are connected by one venting cap-like a manifold.
I'll shoot a pic tomorrow if it will help you make sense of this-got company here now and I'm playing hooky

[tkb289]

Chas,

If you wind up needing a new battery, some are made with a vent spout that you can connect to a drain hose. Should this happen again, the water / acid goes on the ground and not on the car.

Blas is right, get it tested. I do like the blinker fluid theory

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by tkb289

Chas,

If you wind up needing a new battery, some are made with a vent spout that you can connect to a drain hose. Should this happen again, the water / acid goes on the ground and not on the car.

Blas is right, get it tested. I do like the blinker fluid theory

Wow, Chas. You live a sheltered life if you've never heard the "blinker fluid" joke. Chas, for the record, the Cobra blinker doesn't require any fluid. But the blinkers on a 1963 Dodge Dart do.

[ERA Chas]

The years I spent in finishing school protected me from such clap trap.
Now, late in life, I'm nearly Finished.

[Blas]

That's ok...I didn't know what a "DD" was (as related to cars that is )

[ERA Chas]

OK some visual aids as promised:



The fluid is just to the split rings. This was taken this AM but has been cleaned 5 times before. You can see a bit of fluid on the batt top and around the cell cover perimeter. Other 3 cells are similar appearance. Plates are clearly visible in some of the cells but a few have a gray deposit (sulfate?) on their tops.
Batt was 12.6 at 63F this AM. Car not started.

[Blas]

Battery is toast....

[ERA Chas]

Originally Posted by Blas

Battery is toast....

Man of few words.
Just a 'bad battery'? I can replace it under 3 year warranty but what / how killed it?
And why does it show normal voltage?

[Blas]

Seeing as this battery is from your daily driver, I assume it is constantly used with no extended periods of no-run time.
But - other things that come to mind are:
If the battery has ever totally discharged and was then recharged (hopefully not using a "deep-charge" type charger)...
or:
I'll also assume it has never discharged and partially frozen...
or:
If your electrolyte had got extreamly low once or twice and you didn't notice it until the car didn't start one day.... so you then refilled it with water, and hopefully did not use "Tap" water, especially if you have well water....
or:
They just don't make batteries like they used too....

Bottom line is:
If you got the build-up on the battery plates, you've got a problem...

or
Maybe you have sea monkeys are living in the battery?

[FWB]

a battery engineer explained battery construction to me, he was working for interstate, i didn't pay too much attention but the jist of it was the construction method of how the plates are affixed inside the battery was changed by most of the manufacturers, they had a bean counter tell them they could save money was the story i heard.....anyway what happens is now the plates sometimes touch inadvertently and shorts the battery, sometimes it still starts the car but other times its not as nice as cases exploding or acid puking out the top.

truth? who knows but it's what i heard......he did say he stayed at a holiday inn express, so it must be true

[Blas]

Did he mention the Sea Monkeys?

[ERA Chas]

Are sea monkeys like blinker fluid? See-I loin quick Mo!

Sorry-no to all above. Car is 7 year old 45K mile cream puff. This is second battery after OEM, replaced 2 1/2 years ago. Garage kept, never frozen or deep discharged.
Any additions done with distilled water, in fact I figured I had it over filled the first time I saw this recent problem.
I can take batt back under 3 year replacement warranty.

BUT-the only factor I didn't mention was that when I bought it, I got a different group size but superior CCA and RC. I wanted a Bosch but the group 35 size (OEM for the car) didn't have correct terminal orientation. So I bought the size 25 which fit perfectly with correct terminals.

Could the size difference work differently with the charging system in the car-overcharging it at only 14.2.

[Blas]

Should not be a problem: Battery Groups are related to case sizes and +/- terminal orientations & locations.

It is odd that a Group 25 battery and a Group 35 battery which differ in their left vs right position of the "+" terminal fit you car???

[ERA Chas]

OK glad to know that. Yes-they didn't have a 35 in stock so I bought the 25 which had the correct orientation. And it fit perfectly in the slot.
Blas, I neutralized the spilled acid in the compartment with baking soda / water solution and it made streaks everywhere. Can I now rinse with plain water? I hate that it rusted the fenderwell but the converter stopped that. I'd like to clean it all and repaint after the new one goes in.

And Fred, your source may be right but I'm mystified why it was perfect for 2 years and suddenly the plates shift or sulfate and causes fluid boil over. But it still runs the car and reads 12.6V.??