Battery Slot

[RaneeHobbs]

Question: I notice some dried battery acid around the battery. I checked the battery and saw no problem with the battery. First, why would there be dried battery acid around where the battery is. Second, what is the best why of cleaning this up and making it not happen again.

[So Cal Mark]

overcharging the battery can cause the fluid to boil and you'll get vapor and wetness. Baking soda works well to neutralize it. I'd definitely check the charging voltage

[RaneeHobbs]

Ok, next question. There is quite abit of corrosion on the metal where the battery sits, how should I clean it and is there some kind of paint to keep it from getting worse?

[DieselSpider]

After a complete baking soda neutralization of the acid you could take a rag soaked in a 50/50 mix of white vinegar and water and let it sit for a day to remove/dissolve the rust and after a good flushing with water dry it out and use the rust proof primer of your choice putting a plastic battery tray with a drain hose under the battery to route any stray acid seepage away from the sheet metal and down to the ground.

[v6spider]

RaneeHobbs is your spider an early model with battery up front? Or is yours the later model with battery in the trunk? Mine is a 72 and I moved the battery to the trunk. It cleaned up the engine bay for one and the weight dispersion is vastly better I think..

Cheers!
Rob

[Turbofiat124]

My 80 model was doing this. I never got to the bottom of it but I think it was because i was using an old Craftsman's battery charger to recharge the battery every 2 or 3 months during the winter. The kind that doesn't turn itself off. I think it was boiling the acid/water out of the battery. I was connecting the battery charger to the alternator post so I didn't have to pull the cover off.





Since then I bought some of those trickle chargers from Harbor Freight for all of my cars and last time I pulled the cover have not noticed any sulfur buildup around the battery.

As mentioned backing soda and water will neutralize any acid. I took a wire brush to the rusted metal and painted it with Rustoleum silver.