My negative battery connection builds up this white powdery dust. Is the battery going bad or are the connection wires messed up?

I'm guessing that this is hurting my car's performance too. Can someone confirm that?

Does pepboys sell optima batteries? Did a search and they seem to be the most popular. I'm going to the track in a couple days, so no time to order one online.

Thanks for info!

That happens with typical batteries over time. Get some rubber gloves and clean the battery terminal and the wire off. Auto stores sell this dielectric goo that will help prevent the terminals from corroding. I don't remember the exact name of the stuff, but it shouldn't be hard to find. It's also typically used to coat the tops of spark plugs and inside spark plug wires.

so the battery isn't bad? I'd love to be able to save the money for other things. :thumbsup

I don't really have trouble with startups, sometimes the cd player will skip if i have the stereo turned up too loud with a song that has massive bass, but other then that, it seems like it's still good.

No your battery isn't bad.

I recommend you take some fine grit sand paper and polish the terminal(s) and then get some battery grease (I think that's what it's called / it can be bought in little $.99 packets at the check out at autozone) and lube that thing up.

autozone also sells these circular pads that are anticorrosive or somehting like that they go around your terminals :thumbsup

at work (precision tune auto care) we use a battery terminal clearner spray and then we spray on a protective coating.

just spray on the cleaner and wait about 2 min for it to eat all the corrosion away then re do it to make sure.then wash off the cleaner with water and dry it good with a rag. then just spray on the treminal protector. we got ours from autozone and its like 4 dollars a can but you can do liek 100 cars with 1 can of each. also buy the little felt treminal washers there .99 for a set ans they stop the corrosion from forming. but you have to replace them every 3 04 4 montha becuse they dry out and they dont work any more

this is the battery cleaner we use http://www.chaseproducts.com/products/auto/batterycleaner.cfm

and the protectant is just a light coat of transpartent red spray paint

hope it helps

doesn't forget to check the terminal connectors sometimes those get corroded and stuff and need to be replaced, if they're really eaten up then change em.

Take the connector off and if its real lose you can probably just blast it with an air hose and it'll come off.

Or you can use same paper or a wire brush to clean it.

Autostore also sell a terminal cleaner that had a metal brush with an indentation for the terminal to fit and you rotate it and cleans it right up.

you can also use baking soda and water to clean it too as it'll break up all that dry acid.

When I had a factory battery go bad (started leaking) it ate through a $25 gold plated Monster Audio negative terminal. I was pissed. The entire thing corroded to the point where it did not exist anymore. So I got an Optima red top, new $25 terminal, new 0 gauge ground cable, and man did my car drive better.

I wish it would drive like that now.....

-Jared
Melbourne, FL

I was looking at the negative battery terminal... how do you replace it? Do you have to pull off the whole wire and replace it with a whole new set? Or do you cut off the old connector and clamp on a new one?

I cleaned off my terminal but it seems to be coming back already.. i'm just going to get a new batter and replace the connector at the same time.

i have the same thing happening to me with my battery. just go get yourself a realy hot cup of water, pour it on the negative terminal and it will get rid of the corrosion. after that, just get some vasiline and put it on the terminal or the corrosion will come back. that should take care of your problem.

i use pepsi to clean the terminals from corrosion, just did that on my g/f's POS today...

works like magic and takes 30 seconds to do...

plus pepsi is more readily avail then baking soda and cleaning products!...

good luck...

WTB: Dodge Omni


http://www.geocities.com/shadyporshe851proof/frame_content/indexframe.html

mods: star stage III clutch + 60mm tb + the normal mods, bass, lights well u get the picture

i heard coke works too:thumbsup

Yes, pep boys sells optima for a set price, I'm not going to say how much, it may vary from store to store or state to state but it's well over a hundred dollars for the red top, and the yellow just add in another 40 bucks...pretty expensive for a sealed battery but, it's a nice batt.

:cheers

WOW soda I never thought about that! haha you guys just taught me something neat. But woudln't that get sticky. I guess you'd have to water it down after.