quick tip....baking soda and hot water works great. I use an old peanut butter jar so I can add the baking soda, water, and shake it up really well. ALSO, with the jar you can put the battery connectors in the water in the jar, and the solution will eat away all the corrosion that cant be gotten to with a wire brush. Works really well ... thanks for the video ....
Great job on the video I am a 66 year old mom I am the type of woman who has always enjoyed doing her own Car repairs as long as there are minor of course and special cleanups like this video shows thanks again good video keep up the good work
I have found that it is necessary to watch several, sometimes as many as 10 or 12 videos before I find one that is going to work best. Even having to watch so many, utube has saved me endless hours and quite a lot of hard earned money. Thank you
Thankfully, I had all the tools I needed in the garage and baking soda in the house! After prepping the area accordingly, reading the reviews and adhering to a strict safety regimen, the cleaning process worked wonderfully well! Appreciate the instructional video!
Thank you for sharing this example with us. This video gives me some ideas that I can use to work on the corrosion that I see on the battery in my vehicle.
@Kevin Pocasangre i think it's just common practice cause a lot of people aren't careful or don't understand how to be careful with their battery so it prevents damage?
@Kevin Pocasangre because if you leave the negative connected and touch the positive battery post against any metal from the car it short circuits thats why
It's because vehicles are common ground. If you attempt the positive first and your wrench touches anything metal on the vehicle it will ground out the battery. I even heard that the wrench can weld right on. P The battery might explode. But if you do the negative post first all you have to worry about is your wrench touching the positive post. Also it a good idea to never lay any tools on a battery.
Thanks. Helpful and slow enough to follow. Thanks for all the comment below as well about disconnecting safely. AND yes WEAR GOGGLES - I actually had a battery blow up in my face years ago - luckily I had on thick, over-sized prescription glasses.
ALWAYS REMOVE THE GROUND WIRE FIRST before touching the hot wire with a metal wrench. If you don't, and accidently touch the wretch to the chassis, you will start welding the wrench to the chassis.
Thank you for this video . Came to the dealer for only a oil change and they scared me saying the battery was leaking acid and my car would stop working anytime now . I was so closed to buying a new battery!! Thanks
Thank you Mike for posting this video on how to clean battery terminals! It was very helpful for this 56 yrs. old Grandma. lol ....I'm going to see if I can do this. Sincerely, Talitha
Just pikir got after over those battery terminal . After got water dry up squeeze 1-2" length of tooth paste mix 2-3 table spoon of water in a small cup or bowl stir well dilute toothpaste just apply over battery terminal an surrounding corroded area , leavw it dry and it will stop further corrosion and prevent terminals battery to oxidiate again.
Great video, for the common person!! An old tooth brush can also be used to clean it. I didn't know about the battery terminal protector. Thanks for the post!!!
Never had a corrosion problem on a car battery until I installed an amplified head unit, gave everything a deep scrub and even had to dip the leads into the baking soda solution. Never did I think it'd pull that green crap off but it worked like magic. Even got some dielectric gel and lubed the piss out of everything.
Good job Mike. I'll add an extra kudo for you wearing safety gloves, and add as well folks ought to always wear safety goggles or at least safety glasses to avoid any potential eye contact with corrosive material of any kind. an air filter over the mouth is never a bad idea either, but many would consider overkill. If corrosion is airborne, it's bad news. Most folks blow it off instinctively, and as such stand a risk of breathing some of it in. Simply put, BE CAREFUL, TAKE OBVIOUS PRECAUTIONS, AND BE THOROUGH, so you are not back soon to do it all again. Great upload Mike. keep up the good work.
Thank you Mike this help me a lot on my Mercedes. Of course I played it over and over while doing the cleaning, and I didnt even brake a nail!!!! lol :)
For safety precautions you're always supposed to disconnect the negative side of the battery before the positive side. It can literally blow up in your face. You also want to make sure that all of the battery acid is washed the vehicles engine compartment especially any electrical wiring because the acid will eat through the insulation and wire's will then start shorting out. The best way to make sure it's all off is plain water rinse it thoroughly. Don't worry the water won't do any damage because all the electrical connectors have weather pack seals. Oh BTW the amp cable had nothing to do with the corrosion it's your battery that's leaking at the battery post and the battery should be replaced
@@damonjohnson7044if you don't do all that you will be taking to the shop with electrical issues. It should be done right if you're going to post this on TH-cam it's very misleading that will only create more issues then to actually help.
@@nonyavyorbus2085 all you need to get rid of batt corrosion is a kettle of boiling water pour it on job done have used this method for 50 odd years never had a problem a old school mechanic told me this it does work
@@ivorjones6618 someone also told me to do this.. but i am not sure if to pour boiling water or warm water.. also can i just open the hood and put water on terminals without removing terminal or anything..? Can you please advise… Thanks
Before winter season starts, disconnect the terminals and clean them with a wire brush. Reconnect, then smear with petroleum jelly. The jelly will prevent corrosion and help keep the battery cranking all winter long!
Very good video. I have been around cars all my life. I used the batteries that had the terminals on the side for some of my cars for a long time years and years and I never had a battery corrosion problem with them. As soon as I switched to the type with the terminals on the top the problems started.
The two caps on the front of your battery are vent caps. You have to be careful not to let the water/ baking soda mix get into the battery. It will neutralize the acid if you do this too often. Always wear safety glasses with side shields or preferably a full face shield. The water in the battery breaks down to it's component parts. It becomes a gas from the charging and heat. H2O : 2 parts hydrogen and one part oxygen. The gas is very explosive. With the ground wire still on and you make an accidental connection to the red positive terminal from say a metal tool or a can it will be more then enough heat and or spark to blow up the battery. Acid, shrapnel and fire will be only inches from where you were working. Stay safe.
@@Ethanm353 not until you take off your ground cable then put some wide tape across the battery half that has the caps ,,tape a grocery bag over it or something so the soda and water dont seep into your batter like thie guys did..soda is an anti acid and will kill your battery if it gets into the battery...then when your finished cleaning the teminals spray the entire battery with your garden hose then take the tape and plastic bag or whatever you use to cover the acid holes off and spray your battery again o make sure you get all traces of soda off your battery..soda in battery equals battery death.
What’s the dislikes for trolls? This is an informative video and it worked for me. You can also use a lime squeeze the lime juice over the terminals and give it like 5 min then rinse with water. Works great! Thank you for the video.
If you don't have the anti corrosion spray you can take wheel bearing grease and coat the entire terminal and clamp with it after cleaning to keep out air and moisture. I've had connections stay clean for the life of the battery that way.
It never ceases to amaze me how people make videos like this for free. Computer videos of how to put them together, work on your car, whatever. True heroes!
ALWAYS remove the NEGATIVE Terminal cover then the POSITIVE, and replace starting with the POSITIVE..... Other than that life saving information, great job!
Removing the negative. I know that's what we were taught but the only thing I can figure why is that the negative is the output for the battery. I've tried both, but get the same little spark from either side. What were you taught? Me, Navy training.
Since the Negative is attached to ground, you risk getting shocked if you remove the positive while the negative is still attached and if at any time your wrench touches a grounded component inside your car. Thanks for your service!
I've always loved using baking soda and water to clean off the corrosion on battery terminals. It is super fast and with a little rinse and maybe some light brushing they are cleaner than ever!
Angela Beutel looked like about 1:1, maybe a bit heavy on the baking soda. It’s not really critical though. Stable bases are safer, so you want more than the acid, and the water just makes it wet enough so it’ll react. No calculations needed.
@@akbt2 you want a thin paste. An old toothbrush works great to apply the baking soda solution and to work it into the nooks and crannies. Continue applying the solution until it stops foaming (notice while he's wiping his off, that it's still foaming - that means the acid has not been completely neutralized)
Make sure your battery is completely sealed if you get any baking soda into battery it will flatten your battery and shorten its usefulness . Acid and base do not mix together. The best alternative is to just pour hot tap where over the corrosion instead. Best to remove negitive cable first then positive cable.
Simply take warm water (not hot) and pour it accross the battery and terminals use an old tooth brush to gently clean any residue that wasnt removed. Repeat if necessary and rinse all the residue off and flush the area thouroughly above and below the battery and its box with a garden hose . Do this before you touch a terminal for cleaning. If it is mild corrosion you may not need to remove the terminals. Keep your battery clean using this method and no more problem. The battery discharges accross the terminals when it's damp or wet and the battery is dirty. Dissimilar metals cause corrosion problem . And don't overtighten the terminals they have a pinch factor and overtightening them and bottoming out the bolt negates the holding or clamping effect = means they are not tight. This is not an old trick or hack it's an ancient inexpensive one that anyone can do. After your done buy a tube of dielectric grease and coat the terminals or the battery posts befor reinstalling them, this reduces or stops the corrosion completely. FYI dielectric grease insnt a lube, it waterproofs terminals and is conductive. Its used in electrical connectors throughout vehicles and many electrical applications. A small tube will last a long time as little is required. This got overanylized and beat to death when it's simple and easy. Don't need baking soda, could use vinegar but not necessary for a automotive style battery. So for you old dogs with the simple Warm Water Rinse, glad some of you are still around. One other point to the unaware, Google the cause(s) and be enlightened, don't just take a BoobTube vid or comment as gospel and that includes my post. Not just saying.
I think the battery terminal protector is supposed to be sprayed on after the terminal is tightened. (not before) Also you always want to disconnect the negative terminal first. Reconnect the negative last.
Robert Random EXACTLY - spraying it on BEFORE you reconnect only introduces more resistance into the circuit thereby degrading the service of the battery.
Note- he used a lot of baking soda on this- you can premix a teaspoon (for example) with water first. A wire brush is recommended but I use an old tooth brush as long as I toss it afterwards or keep it with car supplies.
Not that it hurts anything to put the corrosion resistor on the black terminal, but it's really not necessary. The black (negative) terminal is the cathode in the corrosion cell, which is all a battery is, and the red (positive) is the anode. The anode always corrodes in a corrosion cell, while the cathode doesn't. The corroding anode actually protects the cathode from corroding (cathodic protection), in the same way steel pipelines are protected.. Thanks for the helpful video.
+John B Good point, we used cathodic protection on under ground storage tanks at gas stations...till we switched to fiberglass...I wish I would of installed an anode bag on my 92 4runner. I drove it to the salvage yard with the rear axle ready to twist out of the frame.
So how come I have seen the same green corrosion on negative terminals, not only where they connect to the battery, but where they connect to ground, connect to the car's metal body panel?
Also, I suggest first covering the vents with Saran wrap, place a layer of paper towels on top and around the battery base, place the terminal clamp on top of the paper towels, then slowly pour a water/baking soda mix for minimizing a cleanup. Otherwise good presentation.
I would NOT recommend doing this!!! First, disconn NEG, then POS. Second, do NOT pour baking soda, then water on your battery!!! Doing this MAY damage your battery as the water/baking soda solution CAN flow into the battery cells neutralizing the acid in your battery and ruining it. A better method is to make a paste with the baking soda and a bit of water and then brush it on, wait a couple of minutes, then wipe it off till clean. Repeat as necessary. Then use some 200-400 grit sandpaper or a Scotch Brite pad and gently polish the terminals. Then slap it back together with some petroleum jelly/vasoline on the terminals. Done.
Sounds good. I just pour the soda solution on slowly, carefully, and shallowly so it can't get into the battery, then I soak it up with a paper towel, then pour water the same way.
The problem is actually a chemical reaction from the fumes of the battery ,it forms a sulfide compound (corrosion) . Hot water as was noted here is the best solution and if you provide an alternative piece of metal (copper penny) the buildup will be on that instead of the terminal .Coke works because of the acid (citric ) contained in it ,just don't get it on your paint .
You don't use the Acid in the Coke to clean the Acid off the battery 😲😖 It's the Soda in the Coke that Neutralizes the Acid buildup on the battery and terminals👍
Hi Dave C. Correct. Battery corrosion is caused by hydrogen gas being released from the sulfuric acid inside the battery. As the gasses react to the ambient atmosphere, it begins to produce a corrosive environment. Other elements such as moisture and salts only accelerate the process. But, don’t you mean a ‘ sulfate ‘ compound ? 🧐 Battery terminal corrosion is easy to identify. It’s the white, green or bluish stuff on your vehicles battery posts, battery terminals or battery cables. The white substance which you see around battery terminals is either lead sulfate or anhydrous copper sulfate. Anhydrous copper sulfate changes to blue color when exposed to moisture. The bluish material which you see around corroded battery terminals is hydrated copper sulfate and typically experience with copper connectors.Battery corrosion is a poor conductor of electricity, as it increases resistance within the circuit. As a result, the increased resistance can lead to transient current flow, which typically leads to your car not starting. This information was obtained from an article titled:- “Ultimate guide to clean and remove car battery corrosion”. (Author: Mandy Phillips.)
Good video thanks! I find it easier to use a baking soda paste and a wire brush Versus throwing some baking soda and dumping water on it, which makes a mess.
2:13 the water in itself washes the acid away. You are just adding a foaming effect of a base (the soda) mixing with an acid, but it's not doing anything for the terminals. Very hot water is all you need, and an old toothbrush and a towel :)
VINEGAR works wonders on terminal corrosion, and after it dissolves pour water or use a hose to wash the residue off, then unscrew wires IF you want to inspect further, most cases you don't have to, after rinsing you can use paper towels to wipe up.
first time I saw your channel I subscribe and this was very helpful they want me to buy battery terminals was suggested to me who knows how much that will cost
An old trick to prevent acid corrosion build up on your battery terminals in the 1st place is to glue a couple of pennies about an inch and a half from the terminal... corrosion goes onto the pennies and not the terminal, then clean off the pennies with a wire brush or use the baking soda method as in this video or just scrape off the pennies and replace them... also it's a good idea to grease your terminals to prevent corrosion build up.
Reason it’s an “old trick” is because sacrificial anodes are irrelevant for pennies made after 1983. Reason why people still swear it works is because batteries are sealed much better than they used to be.
Be careful with grease sometime it can cause no connection. I use crc electric grease and a light light application is ok but if you over due it wont start
@@patrickmitchell100 thats what i was told. I just slather the grease onto the felt pads, slide the end onto the terminal and slather the rest. I have never had a corrosion problem not adding anything to the inside of the cable end and onto the terminal.
Rinse well with hot water , and when you are done just spray some WD40 or any motor oil on the connector = good to go. For even longer results cut a circular piece of thick fabric , make a hole the size of the battery pole , soak the fabric into motor oil, place it over the pole, put back your wire connector , tighten it and you're done. No more corrosion.
Or use regular greese. Better yet dilithium electrical greese. Important part of all of this is to alwas keep the battery components clean of carrosian, which, will give you sure starts as your battery starts your car, your alternator takes over the electricity running through your car operating the lights and other accessories within your car or truck.
@@jamesglenn520 Yikes. Spellcheck only helps if you have the right word to start with. I think what you're looking for is _dielectric_ grease. Dialectic is what you talk through with your shrink. 😐
mix the baking soda IN warm water......then submerge the wire and/or pour it over/on the terminal MUCH cleaner method When done use Silicon Grease/lube to prevent ANY corrosion.....DON'T pay 99c+ for those little packets....get a LARGE tube in the plumbing section of an hardware store for $3-5
Shop tried telling me I needed a battery and an alternator. I suspected corrosion was the problem. Used the baking soda and toothbrush method and it started up like new. Mechanics really try to take advantage of women. Thank god for youtube.
Thanks. Same question as other people in the comment. 1. Shouldn't you have to remove neg. first? 2. Wouldn't it be more wise to avoid the water and use a flat tip screw driver or any such tools to remove the corrosion?
Yes; and yes-dry scrubbing to remove most of the build-up without splashing it all over the surrounding insulation tubing and components, and then cleaning with a paste of baking soda + the smallest amount of water and wiping away, then rinsing with clean water would be best. Keeping the baking soda away from the vents (where it pools up and bubbles in that channel running mid-way across the battery casing) is notable, since the cleaning solution will have an unwanted effect with the battery solution if it leaks inside. The battery casing is fine with water-they're designed to handle weather. But applying the anti-corrosive grease to the post and clamp before reconnection is not proper application of the technique either. You want to coat the *connection* in anti-corrosive material and ensure the firmest, most consistent connection between the power source (terminal post) and power delivery (clamp) possible. Adding dielectric grease (which does not carry current) between the two is Opposite Day.
BRILLIANT!!!! Looks like you got baking soda with water down in the cells, KISS THAT BATTERY GOODBYE! Proper way of doing it is make a paste with the baking soda so that you can wipe it away rather than flushing it away with water which will get it everywhere
Hey dude, I don't mean to be a stiff or anything...but see that bubbling around the filler cap? That's the alkaline baking soda solution draining down into the electrolyte (acid ?) The soda is great for neutralising acid but its gonna leak down into the battery and dissolve the acid inside !! Not ideal really. Personally, i would mix up a paste in a separate container and dab a paper towel onto the terminal to minimise the flooding that just occurred. Hope you don't mind me commenting.? Have a great day my friend.
I've found a liberal flush with water after using baking soda and water usually works better than all the towel wiping action. Cleaning and lubricating the threads on the hold down J bolts saves a lot of grief later also.
instead of a shim, you can also just stick a metal screw in between the tightener to create a better hold. It holds the terminal in place great and its a cheap fix.
That would create an incomplete/inefficient seal between the clamp and the terminal post, though. If and when anything becomes a bit loose from vibrations of the engine and the act of driving, the jiggling clamp/screw could cause a short in the circuit, followed by a 35,000⁰F arc flash as the current jumps from the terminal to the clamp through the gap. This could easily explode your battery, especially on a hot day with a volume of extremely flammable & heavy hydrogen sulfide gas lingering beneath the hood on top of your battery where it is vented by the casing during operation. Not a good idea. This is what we call a "hack job," AKA "redneck fix," AKA "fatal mistake."
Try taking the positive cable off first with an end wrench or a ratchet and let the wrench make contact with some of the metal of the car body and you will see why you take the negative off first.
Pour vinegar on it. It dissolves instantly. It will even display bright shiny copper. If you want to soak it for a while use a paper towel. Fold it over a few times, put it on top of the terminal and pour the vinegar on it. The paper towel will hold the vinegar there until you wash it away. Then clean it with a wire brush.
Pour Vinegar/Acid on the battery to clean the Acid off???😖🤯 You use the Soda to Neutralize the Acid first before touching it and spreading it everywhere like he did in the video 👍
In a perfect world, there is no need to look under the hood of your car, naturally, it happens, and the car failed to start. I was faced with this corrosion(and a failed battery)recently to a degree that was unexpected in my 2005 Toyota Avalon. The blue corrosion shroom on the positive terminal was huge, at least 3 inches circumference and 2 inches height covering the entire terminal and clamp. I removed what I could with a putty knife to try to keep it from falling in elsewhere. Then treated with white vinegar and wire brush. Flushed several times with water. Negative terminal was perfect without treatment, and detached from battery. My attempt to remove positive terminal resulted in the destruction of the cable terminal, as it snapped in half, but the positive cables were still solidly corroded together where cables attached to vertical bolt on the terminal. After cleaning up remains of the terminal and clamp, I let it air out overnight. Next morning, clamped the remains of the clamp to the terminal with some vice grips, and the car started. Off to AZone for new battery. Battery confirmed dead. Paul at AZ not able to free cables from what is left of positive terminal due to corrosion. Bought new battery, 2 possible generic terminal replacements, vice gripped the positive cable back onto the new battery and head home to grapple with the cables corroded on the old positive terminal bolt. At home , I removed the negative terminal, the vice grips on the positive terminal and cable, and removed the new battery. Using vice grips and several wrenches, I was unable to budge the nut corroded on the vertical post of the terminal. Time for some brain over brawn. Using a section of 2x4 in the battery area, I was able to clamp the positive cable and terminal in a position where it was steadied on the 2x4 for a drilling. Using my hammer drill, I penetrated the corroded nut next to the bolt until just through to the cable terminations corroded at the base of the vertical post. Once that was done, the corroded nut was removed with a wrench and the corroded cable terminals were freed, though still stuck together. Working with a small chisel and hammer with the vice grips, I was then able to separate the 2 cable terminations from each other. I cleaned each cable termination piece with vinegar, visually inspected, and reinstalled on the new positive battery terminal, reinstalled the new battery, positive first, negative last. Next step is too replace the ill-fitting generic positive terminal from AZ that is being used for the time being...
Coke can be used to clean car battery terminals. The slight acidity does NOT react with battery acid, so you can pour it over the battery and let it wash away corrosion. Wire brush and hose off with water. some vaseline will help from corroding quickly again. So will rinsing your engenroom once a month too. I have used this method for 45 years with fantastic success. Also, for those of you with chrome, coke will also remove light rust. Light rust. When I was 10 years old my grandfather gave me a bottle of coke and a rag, yep all afternoon cleaning bumpers.
NEVER disconnect the positive before you disconnect the negative. I don't care how many times you've done it w/o issue or how careful you think you are. ALWAYS disconnect Neg first. ALWAYS reconnect the Neg last. It's the only safe way. BTW- Coke or Pepsi will clean off all that corrosion w/o the mess but either way you need to hose all that acid/corrosion/debris off and out. Also, to do the cable, get old tooth brush wet and dip it in baking soda so you can clean in there good. Wear eye protection as well as gloves. Any of that watery debris/corrosion gets on your cloths, expect a hole or wear old clothes.
@@projectmanagement2356 - You obviously don't no shit about auto electrical system basics. Every piece of bare metal around the battery is Negative. Any time you remove Positive cable first and accidentally touch Negative with the wrench while still in contact with Positive you are going to complete the circuit and cause an arch. A real auto mechanic knows this. Fool.
@@x-man5056 Well, while I do perform all vehicle maintenance and repairs on my own vehicles, I am actually not a mechanic. Though I am used to working with high voltage, and under circumstances that would no doubt make you uncomfortable.
@@projectmanagement2356 Not uncomfortable at all. I know how a 12v DC system works. I have high degree of education and experience with Electricity, Electronics and automobile electrical systems. Certified Navy Nuclear/SubSafe in 2012. I don't give people advice about things I have little or no experience with. I don't mess with systems I don't have certainty of safe work practices. You seem to assume allot of things you have little or no knowledge of. Based on your statements your life insurance company ought to raise your premiums.
@@x-man5056 I am referring to my career. I routinely short high current dc at work. I dont have the luxury of being 100% prepared for what repair I need to effect. I am paid to solve problems quickly with limited time or resources to make decisions. Something you clearly distance your self from.
Chad is correct to say never do this to a battery. Batteries are vented so baking soda WILL get into the cells and you will be replacing the battery soon. Lead acid batteries put off hydrogen gas which is very explosive and needs venting and that is where the shit gets in that you have poured on your battery. This shade tree mechanic video is bad advice and should have told you wear eye protection and to DISCONNECT the negative terminal first. A spark can cause an explosion. I have witnessed it. The corrosion on the terminal comes from the small gap between the terminal post and battery case. Clean the mess with a wire-brush and make the terminal post shine. Then before putting the clamp back on place a red round felt protector on the the terminal, you have seen them in the store with all the battery stuff. Oil the felt and place it on the terminal and then the cable clamp. The felt stops the gas from creating the white acid deposits on the clamp. Make sure terminals are tight. If your battery ever dies from headlights left on etc charge it on a proper charger asap. The alternator will not charge it enough and will overheat trying to so you will soon be buying an alternator and a battery. If you do as this fellow is instructing you may be buying a white cane and a seeing eye dog too! If your car is not driven for a week cput a charger on the battery. Get a load tester as well to see what condition your battery is in. My last battery was a 4 year and it lasted over 7 years. Auto batteries are not made to run inverters or stereos or power amplifiers. If your power amp needs capacitors then buy the dang capacitors. You can also get a deep cycle battery to run items such as TV or stereos with an inverter (DC to AC). Deep cycles do not have the amps for a starter but can be discharged a few hundred times and recharged. Auto batteries can be discharged a few times- then they are ruined.
Cravinbob is spot on! Some people should refrain from putting out information that is NOT CORRECT. There’s at least THREE things this guys video did wrong. Please- Don’t put out shoddy information.
Best bet is using a hose with plain water to wash it off first and break it down then mix up some baking soda and water say in a coffee can or something larger to wash it off once again to eat off the remaining corrosion. Let dry then cover the terminals with a spray battery terminal coating or just coat your battery terminals on the battery with grease. Both work well.
quick tip....baking soda and hot water works great. I use an old peanut butter jar so I can add the baking soda, water, and shake it up really well. ALSO, with the jar you can put the battery connectors in the water in the jar, and the solution will eat away all the corrosion that cant be gotten to with a wire brush. Works really well ... thanks for the video ....
Great job on the video I am a 66 year old mom I am the type of woman who has always enjoyed doing her own Car repairs as long as there are minor of course and special cleanups like this video shows thanks again good video keep up the good work
Wanted to help my dad out so I watched this , I acted like I knew what I was doing , thanks dude , helped out a bunch
Definitely been there 🤣🤣
Lol you know the vibes
Naaa,,just bring beer.!
Wow! Finally a repair I can do even at my age - 67. Very informative, clear and visual instructions. Thank you.
I have found that it is necessary to watch several, sometimes as many as 10 or 12 videos before I find one that is going to work best. Even having to watch so many, utube has saved me endless hours and quite a lot of hard earned money. Thank you
Thanks for the video. Most of all, you got straight to the points! I cleaned my terminal on my F250! Thanks again!
Thankfully, I had all the tools I needed in the garage and baking soda in the house! After prepping the area accordingly, reading the reviews and adhering to a strict safety regimen, the cleaning process worked wonderfully well! Appreciate the instructional video!
Thank you for sharing this example with us. This video gives me some ideas that I can use to work on the corrosion that I see on the battery in my vehicle.
When i change my oil i always put a little on my battery terminals.It keeps the corrosion away & doesn't cost nothin extra. Good video any how.
one tip man, always take off the negative side first...even for cleaning just one side. then put back on positive, then negative.
@Kevin Pocasangre i think it's just common practice cause a lot of people aren't careful or don't understand how to be careful with their battery so it prevents damage?
@Kevin Pocasangre because if you leave the negative connected and touch the positive battery post against any metal from the car it short circuits thats why
@Kevin Pocasangre because otherwise it might go boom.
It's because vehicles are common ground. If you attempt the positive first and your wrench touches anything metal on the vehicle it will ground out the battery. I even heard that the wrench can weld right on. P The battery might explode.
But if you do the negative post first all you have to worry about is your wrench touching the positive post.
Also it a good idea to never lay any tools on a battery.
Plus current ,dc current flows neg to pos. the neg side can. Load up and then hooking up pos create a voltage surge damaging some IC components
Here 8 years later…. About to go clean the terminal on my 2019 Chevy Colorado.
Hey thanks Mike!!👍🏻👷🏻♂️
thanks for making this video and posting it, it really helps lots of people like me in need of some education and help.
I appreciate videos like this that show us non-car-repair types how to do what seems like the simplest task to any mechanic. Thanks for posting this.
Thanks. Helpful and slow enough to follow. Thanks for all the comment below as well about disconnecting safely. AND yes WEAR GOGGLES - I actually had a battery blow up in my face years ago - luckily I had on thick, over-sized prescription glasses.
ALWAYS REMOVE THE GROUND WIRE FIRST before touching the hot wire with a metal wrench. If you don't, and accidently touch the wretch to the chassis, you will start welding the wrench to the chassis.
Korek
What’s a ground wire?
@@jaidastallworth5395 The battery wire that is connected to "ground", aka the chassis.
My thoughts exactly. Video neglected this super important step.
Im guessing youve welded a wrench to your chassis before 😂
Thank you for this video . Came to the dealer for only a oil change and they scared me saying the battery was leaking acid and my car would stop working anytime now . I was so closed to buying a new battery!! Thanks
Yeah but maybe it was leaking acid. This is just battery terminal corrosion. Two different things.
Gotta know @jassyolvera1617 - did the battery go bad or was it a Stealership move? Checking back in 2025 for an answer.
Thank you Mike for posting this video on how to clean battery terminals! It was very helpful for this 56 yrs. old Grandma. lol ....I'm going to see if I can do this.
Sincerely,
Talitha
How did it go talitha?
hey buddy I don’t think she made it man...:(
@Rob Genson well what if you just use hot water. ?
Just pikir got after over those battery terminal . After got water dry up squeeze 1-2" length of tooth paste mix 2-3 table spoon of water in a small cup or bowl stir well dilute toothpaste just apply over battery terminal an surrounding corroded area , leavw it dry and it will stop further corrosion and prevent terminals battery to oxidiate again.
@@chrispy9913 🤣
Great video, for the common person!! An old tooth brush can also be used to clean it. I didn't know about the battery terminal protector. Thanks for the post!!!
Never had a corrosion problem on a car battery until I installed an amplified head unit, gave everything a deep scrub and even had to dip the leads into the baking soda solution. Never did I think it'd pull that green crap off but it worked like magic. Even got some dielectric gel and lubed the piss out of everything.
I was told to remove corrosion from battery terminals with warm water, when was an apprentice motor mechanic in the 1950, and it always worked.
Me too David.
Can the battery cables be left on if just using water? Not sure if i have a tool for removing cables?
You still need to have something to Neutralize the Acid to stop the corrosion.
Good job Mike. I'll add an extra kudo for you wearing safety gloves, and add as well folks ought to always wear safety goggles or at least safety glasses to avoid any potential eye contact with corrosive material of any kind. an air filter over the mouth is never a bad idea either, but many would consider overkill. If corrosion is airborne, it's bad news. Most folks blow it off instinctively, and as such stand a risk of breathing some of it in.
Simply put, BE CAREFUL, TAKE OBVIOUS PRECAUTIONS, AND BE THOROUGH, so you are not back soon to do it all again. Great upload Mike. keep up the good work.
Thank you Mike this help me a lot on my Mercedes. Of course I played it over and over while doing the cleaning, and I didnt even brake a nail!!!! lol :)
For safety precautions you're always supposed to disconnect the negative side of the battery before the positive side. It can literally blow up in your face. You also want to make sure that all of the battery acid is washed the vehicles engine compartment especially any electrical wiring because the acid will eat through the insulation and wire's will then start shorting out. The best way to make sure it's all off is plain water rinse it thoroughly. Don't worry the water won't do any damage because all the electrical connectors have weather pack seals. Oh BTW the amp cable had nothing to do with the corrosion it's your battery that's leaking at the battery post and the battery should be replaced
If you got to do all that you might as well take it to the shop
@@damonjohnson7044if you don't do all that you will be taking to the shop with electrical issues. It should be done right if you're going to post this on TH-cam it's very misleading that will only create more issues then to actually help.
Agree ,
My Toyota has the same problem year 2 of 2 of my Interstate 12V .
@@nonyavyorbus2085 all you need to get rid of batt corrosion is a kettle of boiling water pour it on job done have used this method for 50 odd years never had a problem a old school mechanic told me this it does work
@@ivorjones6618 someone also told me to do this.. but i am not sure if to pour boiling water or warm water.. also can i just open the hood and put water on terminals without removing terminal or anything..? Can you please advise… Thanks
Before winter season starts, disconnect the terminals and clean them with a wire brush. Reconnect, then smear with petroleum jelly. The jelly will prevent corrosion and help keep the battery cranking all winter long!
Very good video. I have been around cars all my life. I used the batteries that had the terminals on the side for some of my cars for a long time years and years and I never had a battery corrosion problem with them. As soon as I switched to the type with the terminals on the top the problems started.
You didn't switch batteries you switch vehicle makes from GM to anything else but GM
That's because the life expectancy of the battery is longer than any GM Vehicle 😂🤣
The two caps on the front of your battery are vent caps. You have to be careful not to let the water/ baking soda mix get into the battery. It will neutralize the acid if you do this too often. Always wear safety glasses with side shields or preferably a full face shield. The water in the battery breaks down to it's component parts. It becomes a gas from the charging and heat. H2O : 2 parts hydrogen and one part oxygen. The gas is very explosive. With the ground wire still on and you make an accidental connection to the red positive terminal from say a metal tool or a can it will be more then enough heat and or spark to blow up the battery. Acid, shrapnel and fire will be only inches from where you were working. Stay safe.
Please can you tell me if it's safe to use the baking soda/water method on a connected terminal. I can't even disconnect mine.
or can i use PB blaster? Bc it seems to be more rust than corrosion
@@Ethanm353 not recommended
Thank you chemist!
@@Ethanm353 not until you take off your ground cable then put some wide tape across the battery half that has the caps ,,tape a grocery bag over it or something so the soda and water dont seep into your batter like thie guys did..soda is an anti acid and will kill your battery if it gets into the battery...then when your finished cleaning the teminals spray the entire battery with your garden hose then take the tape and plastic bag or whatever you use to cover the acid holes off and spray your battery again o make sure you get all traces of soda off your battery..soda in battery equals battery death.
Take off the neg terminal before messing with the positive. Saves a lot of arcs and sparks.
I am agree
Thank you :’)
Am I literally clueless how do I know which one is which ? Does it say on the battery ?
@@alejandracisneros4176 Black is negative, red is positive
@@jmor2252 thank you so much🙏🏽
What’s the dislikes for trolls? This is an informative video and it worked for me. You can also use a lime squeeze the lime juice over the terminals and give it like 5 min then rinse with water. Works great! Thank you for the video.
HOORAY FOR me being the only person in the world with no baking soda on hand
Nope I'm in the same boat and have ran into multiple occasions I need it lately..
What if you don't use baking soda?
@@MrGriff305 buy terminal cleaner
just pore boiling water over it works and no mess to clean up
@@michaelreid85 don't worry dude this was 7 months ago
If you don't have the anti corrosion spray you can take wheel bearing grease and coat the entire terminal and clamp with it after cleaning to keep out air and moisture. I've had connections stay clean for the life of the battery that way.
It never ceases to amaze me how people make videos like this for free. Computer videos of how to put them together, work on your car, whatever. True heroes!
This is a great tip for the older vehicles to keep them in great shape
ALWAYS remove the NEGATIVE Terminal cover then the POSITIVE, and replace starting with the POSITIVE..... Other than that life saving information, great job!
Removing the negative. I know that's what we were taught but the only thing I can figure why is that the negative is the output for the battery. I've tried both, but get the same little spark from either side.
What were you taught? Me, Navy training.
Since the Negative is attached to ground, you risk getting shocked if you remove the positive while the negative is still attached and if at any time your wrench touches a grounded component inside your car. Thanks for your service!
I've always loved using baking soda and water to clean off the corrosion on battery terminals. It is super fast and with a little rinse and maybe some light brushing they are cleaner than ever!
Do u think that this is the reason that my truck won’t start , all of a sudden? I see corrosion on the positive terminal.
@@jdsirrom6764 Very possible.
So easy and quick! Thanks for the video. 😎
Thank you mikesvlogtv for providing such interesting information.
Mix the baking soda with the water in a paper cup FIRST! Then pour it on.
What would be the baking soda to water ratio?
Angela Beutel looked like about 1:1, maybe a bit heavy on the baking soda. It’s not really critical though.
Stable bases are safer, so you want more than the acid, and the water just makes it wet enough so it’ll react. No calculations needed.
@@akbt2 you want a thin paste. An old toothbrush works great to apply the baking soda solution and to work it into the nooks and crannies. Continue applying the solution until it stops foaming (notice while he's wiping his off, that it's still foaming - that means the acid has not been completely neutralized)
That actually makes more sense 👌
i thought the same thing lol
Make sure your battery is completely sealed if you get any baking soda into battery it will flatten your battery and shorten its usefulness . Acid and base do not mix together.
The best alternative is to just pour hot tap where over the corrosion instead. Best to remove negitive cable first then positive cable.
Thanks for sharing these tips, now I have to get some tools instead of hot water which was a tip from my neighbor!
You saved me a lot of money just now!! Thanks. God bless.
Thank you for this. I'll ne cleaning mine out tomorrow.
Simply take warm water (not hot) and pour it accross the battery and terminals use an old tooth brush to gently clean any residue that wasnt removed. Repeat if necessary and rinse all the residue off and flush the area thouroughly above and below the battery and its box with a garden hose . Do this before you touch a terminal for cleaning. If it is mild corrosion you may not need to remove the terminals. Keep your battery clean using this method and no more problem.
The battery discharges accross the terminals when it's damp or wet and the battery is dirty. Dissimilar metals cause corrosion problem . And don't overtighten the terminals they have a pinch factor and overtightening them and bottoming out the bolt negates the holding or clamping effect = means they are not tight.
This is not an old trick or hack it's an ancient inexpensive one that anyone can do. After your done buy a tube of dielectric grease and coat the terminals or the battery posts befor reinstalling them, this reduces or stops the corrosion completely. FYI dielectric grease insnt a lube, it waterproofs terminals and is conductive. Its used in electrical connectors throughout vehicles and many electrical applications. A small tube will last a long time as little is required.
This got overanylized and beat to death when it's simple and easy. Don't need baking soda, could use vinegar but not necessary for a automotive style battery. So for you old dogs with the simple Warm Water Rinse, glad some of you are still around. One other point to the unaware, Google the cause(s) and be enlightened, don't just take a BoobTube vid or comment as gospel and that includes my post. Not just saying.
Dielectric grease is non conductive, better using contact paste.
Wire brush works fantastic for removing corrosion. Use dielectric grease for connections. Thanks for posting
Well, I know this is a late comment but thank you so much for this video. It was very informative.
If you would simply mix the baking soda with the water first and then pour in onto the terminal it would work much better and less messy.
As a child, I was shown to pour Coke "yes the soda" on your battery corrosion and it will disappear .
Mike, thank you for this very informative video, it helped me out🤙🏼
You’re da Man!!!!
This helped me a lot! Thank u sir and have a good day.
I think the battery terminal protector is supposed to be sprayed on after the terminal is tightened. (not before) Also you always want to disconnect the negative terminal first. Reconnect the negative last.
Robert Random EXACTLY - spraying it on BEFORE you reconnect only introduces more resistance into the circuit thereby degrading the service of the battery.
thank you, was wondering this myself. so you do want to disconnect the wires before cleaning? not just the one you need to clean right,
Vasoline applied to the battery terminal will PREVENT corrosion!
Yes Robert that is for after post is clean n tight. Also have seen guys spray wd-40 on posts.
@@oldarthritichands4137 What every happened to using good old fashioned white lithium grease. Is that not a good thing to use these days?
Note- he used a lot of baking soda on this- you can premix a teaspoon (for example) with water first. A wire brush is recommended but I use an old tooth brush as long as I toss it afterwards or keep it with car supplies.
I use my wife's toothbrush.
@@philipwebb960 savage 😂
@@philipwebb960 Chad move.
looks easy enough I will do my riding lawn mower tomorrow thank you
Fantastic tip, it works fine with my big battery-bank.
Not that it hurts anything to put the corrosion resistor on the black terminal, but it's really not necessary. The black (negative) terminal is the cathode in the corrosion cell, which is all a battery is, and the red (positive) is the anode. The anode always corrodes in a corrosion cell, while the cathode doesn't. The corroding anode actually protects the cathode from corroding (cathodic protection), in the same way steel pipelines are protected..
Thanks for the helpful video.
+John B Good point, we used cathodic protection on under ground storage tanks at gas stations...till we switched to fiberglass...I wish I would of installed an anode bag on my 92 4runner. I drove it to the salvage yard with the rear axle ready to twist out of the frame.
So how come I have seen the same green corrosion on negative terminals, not only where they connect to the battery, but where they connect to ground, connect to the car's metal body panel?
Sorry bud, I have to disagree. The reason I got to this video is because of corrosion on my black terminal. Like a massive amount.
@@soilmanted dhx8
@@fernadolara6093 eiy9, or egw7, depending upon your point of view.
Also, I suggest first covering the vents with Saran wrap, place a layer of paper towels on top and around the battery base, place the terminal clamp on top of the paper towels, then slowly pour a water/baking soda mix for minimizing a cleanup. Otherwise good presentation.
Thank you so much for sharing. God bless you♥️!
Thank you .. video was very helpful because I need to take my battery to Costco so they can check the whatage
I would NOT recommend doing this!!! First, disconn NEG, then POS. Second, do NOT pour baking soda, then water on your battery!!! Doing this MAY damage your battery as the water/baking soda solution CAN flow into the battery cells neutralizing the acid in your battery and ruining it. A better method is to make a paste with the baking soda and a bit of water and then brush it on, wait a couple of minutes, then wipe it off till clean. Repeat as necessary. Then use some 200-400 grit sandpaper or a Scotch Brite pad and gently polish the terminals. Then slap it back together with some petroleum jelly/vasoline on the terminals. Done.
it did flow into the cells lol @ 3:00 see the bubbles on the cell caps bubbling in the crack
Sounds good. I just pour the soda solution on slowly, carefully, and shallowly so it can't get into the battery, then I soak it up with a paper towel, then pour water the same way.
You can also tape over the cells first
G&K Ol' School fuck i almost fucked up my battery..good thing i took a dab and sat down to read the comments first.. thank you, stay terpy✌
not to mention it being the wrong thing to use to neutralize alkali ... jesus has no one here been to high school? (you know - chemistry class) ????
The problem is actually a chemical reaction from the fumes of the battery ,it forms a sulfide compound (corrosion) . Hot water as was noted here is the best solution and if you provide an alternative piece of metal (copper penny) the buildup will be on that instead of the terminal .Coke works because of the acid (citric ) contained in it ,just don't get it on your paint .
You don't use the Acid in the Coke to clean the Acid off the battery 😲😖
It's the Soda in the Coke that Neutralizes the Acid buildup on the battery and terminals👍
Hi Dave C. Correct.
Battery corrosion is caused by hydrogen gas being released from the sulfuric acid inside the battery. As the gasses react to the ambient atmosphere, it begins to produce a corrosive environment. Other elements such as moisture and salts only accelerate the process.
But, don’t you mean a ‘ sulfate ‘ compound ? 🧐
Battery terminal corrosion is easy to identify. It’s the white, green or bluish stuff on your vehicles battery posts, battery terminals or battery cables. The white substance which you see around battery terminals is either lead sulfate or anhydrous copper sulfate. Anhydrous copper sulfate changes to blue color when exposed to moisture. The bluish material which you see around corroded battery terminals is hydrated copper sulfate and typically experience with copper connectors.Battery corrosion is a poor conductor of electricity, as it increases resistance within the circuit. As a result, the increased resistance can lead to transient current flow, which typically leads to your car not starting.
This information was obtained from an article titled:- “Ultimate guide to clean and remove car battery corrosion”. (Author: Mandy Phillips.)
Good video thanks! I find it easier to use a baking soda paste and a wire brush Versus throwing some baking soda and dumping water on it, which makes a mess.
It worked, thank you so much. Saved me tons of cash.
2:13 the water in itself washes the acid away. You are just adding a foaming effect of a base (the soda) mixing with an acid, but it's not doing anything for the terminals. Very hot water is all you need, and an old toothbrush and a towel :)
I just use hot water also, melts it right away.
Best answer actually
Can I just pour hot water over it without disconnecting it??
Yeah but look at the foaming man...the foaming. We are easily amused.
@@arelicastrejon3221 yes
VINEGAR works wonders on terminal corrosion, and after it dissolves pour water or use a hose to wash the residue off, then unscrew wires IF you want to inspect further, most cases you don't have to, after rinsing you can use paper towels to wipe up.
first time I saw your channel I subscribe and this was very helpful they want me to buy battery terminals was suggested to me who knows how much that will cost
Great job 👍🏾simple and easy.
An old trick to prevent acid corrosion build up on your battery terminals in the 1st place is to glue a couple of pennies about an inch and a half from the terminal... corrosion goes onto the pennies and not the terminal, then clean off the pennies with a wire brush or use the baking soda method as in this video or just scrape off the pennies and replace them... also it's a good idea to grease your terminals to prevent corrosion build up.
Reason it’s an “old trick” is because sacrificial anodes are irrelevant for pennies made after 1983. Reason why people still swear it works is because batteries are sealed much better than they used to be.
Why cant I see the reply marked here? Weird. I was curious what the commentary on this tip was.
1:24 Never hit the terminal clamps like that. They are super easy to break.
Thanks man. Very helpful video!
I have never seen anyone apply the spray or grease onto the terminal before they connected the cable. I won't stress it anymore. Cool vid!
Be careful with grease sometime it can cause no connection. I use crc electric grease and a light light application is ok but if you over due it wont start
@@patrickmitchell100 thats what i was told. I just slather the grease onto the felt pads, slide the end onto the terminal and slather the rest. I have never had a corrosion problem not adding anything to the inside of the cable end and onto the terminal.
Rinse well with hot water , and when you are done just spray some WD40 or any motor oil on the connector = good to go. For even longer results cut a circular piece of thick fabric , make a hole the size of the battery pole , soak the fabric into motor oil, place it over the pole, put back your wire connector , tighten it and you're done. No more corrosion.
use copper grease on battery terminals
Or use regular greese. Better yet dilithium electrical greese. Important part of all of this is to alwas keep the battery components clean of carrosian, which, will give you sure starts as your battery starts your car, your alternator takes over the electricity running through your car operating the lights and other accessories within your car or truck.
@@danbasta3677 O my God😲
Spellchecker is a wonderful thing 👍
Grees/Grease Dilithium/Dialectic 😖😂🤣
@@jamesglenn520 Yikes. Spellcheck only helps if you have the right word to start with. I think what you're looking for is _dielectric_ grease. Dialectic is what you talk through with your shrink. 😐
@@benburwick3403 Funny how long it took for someone to finally notice 🤣 😂
And yes it was my intention to misspell it and see if anyone noticed 🤭😁
mix the baking soda IN warm water......then submerge the wire and/or pour it over/on the terminal
MUCH cleaner method
When done use Silicon Grease/lube to prevent ANY corrosion.....DON'T pay 99c+ for those little packets....get a LARGE tube in the plumbing section of an hardware store for $3-5
Hi mike thank you you show us you very nice helping people they do not know like me thank you gain
Shop tried telling me I needed a battery and an alternator. I suspected corrosion was the problem. Used the baking soda and toothbrush method and it started up like new. Mechanics really try to take advantage of women. Thank god for youtube.
or u can spray a lil WD-40 on terminals, its conductive
Thanks. Same question as other people in the comment. 1. Shouldn't you have to remove neg. first? 2. Wouldn't it be more wise to avoid the water and use a flat tip screw driver or any such tools to remove the corrosion?
Yes; and yes-dry scrubbing to remove most of the build-up without splashing it all over the surrounding insulation tubing and components, and then cleaning with a paste of baking soda + the smallest amount of water and wiping away, then rinsing with clean water would be best.
Keeping the baking soda away from the vents (where it pools up and bubbles in that channel running mid-way across the battery casing) is notable, since the cleaning solution will have an unwanted effect with the battery solution if it leaks inside.
The battery casing is fine with water-they're designed to handle weather.
But applying the anti-corrosive grease to the post and clamp before reconnection is not proper application of the technique either. You want to coat the *connection* in anti-corrosive material and ensure the firmest, most consistent connection between the power source (terminal post) and power delivery (clamp) possible. Adding dielectric grease (which does not carry current) between the two is Opposite Day.
BRILLIANT!!!! Looks like you got baking soda with water down in the cells, KISS THAT BATTERY GOODBYE! Proper way of doing it is make a paste with the baking soda so that you can wipe it away rather than flushing it away with water which will get it everywhere
excellent video. I will follow this step by step.
If you're going to use this baking soda method, you can control where the water goes a lot better, by using a spray bottle.
Yeah this was kinda silly.... all the battery acid is now eating away his battery tray
Hey dude, I don't mean to be a stiff or anything...but see that bubbling around the filler cap?
That's the alkaline baking soda solution draining down into the electrolyte (acid ?)
The soda is great for neutralising acid but its gonna leak down into the battery and dissolve the acid inside !!
Not ideal really.
Personally, i would mix up a paste in a separate container and dab a paper towel onto the terminal to minimise the flooding that just occurred.
Hope you don't mind me commenting.?
Have a great day my friend.
MultiOutdoorman
Great safety advices!
Well why dont you make a video and show us what you're talking about?
MultiOutdoorman this is how a real competent person responds to videos.
MultiOutdoorman )
MultiOutdoorman Id like to see this vid as well
I've found a liberal flush with water after using baking soda and water usually works better than all the towel wiping action.
Cleaning and lubricating the threads on the hold down J bolts saves a lot of grief later also.
Agreed, plus flushing with water get everything clean like hardware and the battery tray.
Thanks! This video was very helpful 😊
disconnect the negative terminal first. Keeps you from completing the circuit
I would use coca cola and just pour what was left of a flat can not brank. it works great.
That's what I use. I don't even take the cable off.
Very informative video , good tutorial !!
Sierra Mist cleans really well. No disassembly required
instead of a shim, you can also just stick a metal screw in between the tightener to create a better hold. It holds the terminal in place great and its a cheap fix.
That would create an incomplete/inefficient seal between the clamp and the terminal post, though.
If and when anything becomes a bit loose from vibrations of the engine and the act of driving, the jiggling clamp/screw could cause a short in the circuit, followed by a 35,000⁰F arc flash as the current jumps from the terminal to the clamp through the gap.
This could easily explode your battery, especially on a hot day with a volume of extremely flammable & heavy hydrogen sulfide gas lingering beneath the hood on top of your battery where it is vented by the casing during operation.
Not a good idea. This is what we call a "hack job," AKA "redneck fix," AKA "fatal mistake."
Try taking the positive cable off first with an end wrench or a ratchet and let the wrench make contact with some of the metal of the car body and you will see why you take the negative off first.
Dielectric grease works well too. Old school cars taillight bulbs etc.. works wonders even where two factory connectors are made.
Nice tip for those who don't know but should know thanks
just wondering is it safe for water to get on the battery like that? im thinking of trying this but i was worried about the water on it
Pour vinegar on it. It dissolves instantly. It will even display bright shiny copper. If you want to soak it for a while use a paper towel. Fold it over a few times, put it on top of the terminal and pour the vinegar on it. The paper towel will hold the vinegar there until you wash it away. Then clean it with a wire brush.
Pour Vinegar/Acid on the battery to clean the Acid off???😖🤯
You use the Soda to Neutralize the Acid first before touching it and spreading it everywhere like he did in the video 👍
@@jamesglenn520 How bout this? You do it your way. I'll do it a way that I know works very well. Everyone's happy.
In a perfect world, there is no need to look under the hood of your car, naturally, it happens, and the car failed to start. I was faced with this corrosion(and a failed battery)recently to a degree that was unexpected in my 2005 Toyota Avalon. The blue corrosion shroom on the positive terminal was huge, at least 3 inches circumference and 2 inches height covering the entire terminal and clamp. I removed what I could with a putty knife to try to keep it from falling in elsewhere. Then treated with white vinegar and wire brush. Flushed several times with water. Negative terminal was perfect without treatment, and detached from battery. My attempt to remove positive terminal resulted in the destruction of the cable terminal, as it snapped in half, but the positive cables were still solidly corroded together where cables attached to vertical bolt on the terminal. After cleaning up remains of the terminal and clamp, I let it air out overnight. Next morning, clamped the remains of the clamp to the terminal with some vice grips, and the car started. Off to AZone for new battery. Battery confirmed dead. Paul at AZ not able to free cables from what is left of positive terminal due to corrosion. Bought new battery, 2 possible generic terminal replacements, vice gripped the positive cable back onto the new battery and head home to grapple with the cables corroded on the old positive terminal bolt. At home , I removed the negative terminal, the vice grips on the positive terminal and cable, and removed the new battery. Using vice grips and several wrenches, I was unable to budge the nut corroded on the vertical post of the terminal. Time for some brain over brawn. Using a section of 2x4 in the battery area, I was able to clamp the positive cable and terminal in a position where it was steadied on the 2x4 for a drilling. Using my hammer drill, I penetrated the corroded nut next to the bolt until just through to the cable terminations corroded at the base of the vertical post. Once that was done, the corroded nut was removed with a wrench and the corroded cable terminals were freed, though still stuck together. Working with a small chisel and hammer with the vice grips, I was then able to separate the 2 cable terminations from each other. I cleaned each cable termination piece with vinegar, visually inspected, and reinstalled on the new positive battery terminal, reinstalled the new battery, positive first, negative last. Next step is too replace the ill-fitting generic positive terminal from AZ that is being used for the time being...
Coke can be used to clean car battery terminals. The slight acidity does NOT react with battery acid, so you can pour it over the battery and let it wash away corrosion. Wire brush and hose off with water. some vaseline will help from corroding quickly again. So will rinsing your engenroom once a month too. I have used this method for 45 years with fantastic success.
Also, for those of you with chrome, coke will also remove light rust. Light rust. When I was 10 years old my grandfather gave me a bottle of coke and a rag, yep all afternoon cleaning bumpers.
NEVER disconnect the positive before you disconnect the negative. I don't care how many times you've done it w/o issue or how careful you think you are. ALWAYS disconnect Neg first. ALWAYS reconnect the Neg last. It's the only safe way.
BTW- Coke or Pepsi will clean off all that corrosion w/o the mess but either way you need to hose all that acid/corrosion/debris off and out. Also, to do the cable, get old tooth brush wet and dip it in baking soda so you can clean in there good. Wear eye protection as well as gloves. Any of that watery debris/corrosion gets on your cloths, expect a hole or wear old clothes.
It make no real difference. Electrical potential in a non forward biased circuit has an equal polarity potential. Ass
@@projectmanagement2356 - You obviously don't no shit about auto electrical system basics. Every piece of bare metal around the battery is Negative. Any time you remove Positive cable first and accidentally touch Negative with the wrench while still in contact with Positive you are going to complete the circuit and cause an arch. A real auto mechanic knows this. Fool.
@@x-man5056 Well, while I do perform all vehicle maintenance and repairs on my own vehicles, I am actually not a mechanic. Though I am used to working with high voltage, and under circumstances that would no doubt make you uncomfortable.
@@projectmanagement2356 Not uncomfortable at all. I know how a 12v DC system works. I have high degree of education and experience with Electricity, Electronics and automobile electrical systems. Certified Navy Nuclear/SubSafe in 2012. I don't give people advice about things I have little or no experience with. I don't mess with systems I don't have certainty of safe work practices. You seem to assume allot of things you have little or no knowledge of. Based on your statements your life insurance company ought to raise your premiums.
@@x-man5056 I am referring to my career. I routinely short high current dc at work. I dont have the luxury of being 100% prepared for what repair I need to effect. I am paid to solve problems quickly with limited time or resources to make decisions. Something you clearly distance your self from.
thanks man,you just save me $42
Thank you for an excellent video.
Thanks for the video the comments were very helpful
Chad is correct to say never do this to a battery. Batteries are vented so baking soda WILL get into the cells and you will be replacing the battery soon.
Lead acid batteries put off hydrogen gas which is very explosive and needs venting and that is where the shit gets in that you have poured on your battery.
This shade tree mechanic video is bad advice and should have told you wear eye protection and to DISCONNECT the negative terminal first. A spark can cause an explosion. I have witnessed it.
The corrosion on the terminal comes from the small gap between the terminal post and battery case. Clean the mess with a wire-brush and make the terminal post shine. Then before putting the clamp back on place a red round felt protector on the the terminal, you have seen them in the store with all the battery stuff. Oil the felt and place it on the terminal and then the cable clamp. The felt stops the gas from creating the white acid deposits on the clamp. Make sure terminals are tight.
If your battery ever dies from headlights left on etc charge it on a proper charger asap. The alternator will not charge it enough and will overheat trying to so you will soon be buying an alternator and a battery.
If you do as this fellow is instructing you may be buying a white cane and a seeing eye dog too!
If your car is not driven for a week cput a charger on the battery. Get a load tester as well to see what condition your battery is in.
My last battery was a 4 year and it lasted over 7 years.
Auto batteries are not made to run inverters or stereos or power amplifiers. If your power amp needs capacitors then buy the dang capacitors. You can also get a deep cycle battery to run items such as TV or stereos with an inverter (DC to AC). Deep cycles do not have the amps for a starter but can be discharged a few hundred times and recharged. Auto batteries can be discharged a few times- then they are ruined.
Thanks for the tips
Cravinbob is spot on! Some people should refrain from putting out information that is NOT CORRECT. There’s at least THREE things this guys video did wrong. Please- Don’t put out shoddy information.
5:18 I never knew what that was when I was little.. today I know.
Best bet is using a hose with plain water to wash it off first and break it down then mix up some baking soda and water say in a coffee can or something larger to wash it off once again to eat off the remaining corrosion. Let dry then cover the terminals with a spray battery terminal coating or just coat your battery terminals on the battery with grease. Both work well.
Great video! Made me laugh too! Awesome!