Is my car battery gone?

Twista · Mar 6, 2011

So i was working on my car yesterday. I had to re-install the battery and i guess i tighten down the terminal to much with socket while applying to much pressure.

I noticed the little nipple on top post battery is bent up and exposing metal rings. I was wondering can i get away with 1 week of driving on this??

Please disregard the nasty battery. The red stuff is terminal protection spray and the white crap is corrosive/normal dirt i just cleaned up from the positive terminal. (had no idea the camera was going to magnify everything) The terminal shown in this picture is being replaced next saturday on my next off day.

ttocs · Mar 6, 2011

I wouldn't risk it. Get that acid down the side and below and even in a week you could have a fairly good mess to repair.

Twista · Mar 6, 2011

^^ That sucks. I already drained the battery completely 2 times and its still kicking away in -5 degree weather we had. He was a tough tough battery and nothing could keep him down forever. I can't say its a new battery because it came with the car, but its a good battery lol.

Sucks. You plan your day to do a simple $2 battery terminal switch and end up with a new $120 project lol.

Thanks for your input.

ccasion14:

Twista · Mar 6, 2011

Which battery would you get? A autocraft gold or duralast gold?
Both are 610 cold cranking Amps (760 cranking Amps), but ekk the Duralast actually has a gold ugly top which i cant stomach to see everything i pop the hood.

ttocs · Mar 6, 2011

stay the hell out of wally world is the only advise I can give you, that was duralast I think..... I got one and was happy that they would allow me to exchange it every year but after the 4th year I just went and bought a new one.

GDawg · Mar 7, 2011

Don't use it. It could over heat and then you could have battery guts all over your engine.

OnyxCobra · Mar 7, 2011

Twista said:
but ekk the Duralast actually has a gold ugly top which i cant stomach to see everything i pop the hood.

It is a lot of yellow, I've been wanting to paint mine. It does seem to be a decent battery for the money though.

Javi · Mar 7, 2011

Twista - 2
Bradley - 1

sucks though, and get a new battery.

2slo95fiveoh · Mar 7, 2011

ttocs said:
stay the hell out of wally world is the only advise I can give you, that was duralast I think..... I got one and was happy that they would allow me to exchange it every year but after the 4th year I just went and bought a new one.

Walmart sells nEVERSTART batteries, and they are junk.. I have had bad luck with Autozones Duralasts at work, so I would avoid those... Advanced auto or Oreillys have pretty solid batteries, or if you can spring the $90 get an interstate.. 7 year warranty... We have 0 problems with them at my job.

AaRoN · Mar 7, 2011

FYI: There are only 2-3 automotive battery manufacturers. They all sell under a couple or more different brand names though.

Venom351R · Mar 7, 2011

Same thing with Clutch's too

Twista · Mar 7, 2011

Well i just used my old battery to crank the car and shut it down and crank the car about 20 times without charging to figure out my hid problem.

Its a walmart battery and its been great to me. I already drained it twice fully and it still started in -20 degree weather.

No problem at all with this walmart battery. Just mad i broke it :BangHead:

ttocs · Mar 7, 2011

yea like I said I think walmart got some crappy batts the last few years. The terminals should not pull out like that, I do not care how tight you make it...... I killed mine once or twice as well but never knew how I killed it.

AaRoN · Mar 7, 2011

ttocs said:
yea like I said I think walmart got some crappy batts the last few years. The terminals should not pull out like that, I do not care how tight you make it...... I killed mine once or twice as well but never knew how I killed it.

LOL..if it's too tight, the terminals will detach. Metal terminals attached to a plastic case. Think about it. As far as killing your battery and not knowing how, maybe you should find out.

MustangChris · Mar 7, 2011

Venom351R said:
Same thing with Clutch's too

as well as many things. wouldnt surprise me if FRPP subcontracted their 302 parts (such as the GT40, headers, etc.)
oil filters are another prime example.

vermilion · Mar 8, 2011

i just use optimas.

ttocs · Mar 8, 2011

AaRoN said:
ttocs said:

yea like I said I think walmart got some crappy batts the last few years. The terminals should not pull out like that, I do not care how tight you make it...... I killed mine once or twice as well but never knew how I killed it.

Click to expand...

would you like to educate me on how that could happen? I have over 10+ yrs designing and installing custom car stereo and alarms, as well as a degree in electronics. After replacing the wallyworlds I have not had an issue, but maybe you know more about my situtation then I give you credit for........

In the time as an installer I could not tell you how many battery terminals I tightened down, waaaay too many to count honestly. I have seen what a slightly loose connection can do so I tend to err on the side of tighten that B down and call it a day. Now I have seen cheap battery terminals strip but never seen the anode/cathode come completely off like that. I would call that a manf defect unless it was preceding him dropping the battery or being in some serious accident.

LOL..if it's too tight, the terminals will detach. Metal terminals attached to a plastic case. Think about it. As far as killing your battery and not knowing how, maybe you should find out.