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Battery is sizzling and about to explode
#1469047
07/16/13 10:27 PM
07/16/13 10:27 PM
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Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,521
Tacoma, Washington USA
Adam71Charger
OP
pro stock
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OP
pro stock
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,521
Tacoma, Washington USA
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bought a brand new battery for my 318. Works/starts great been using it for a month. recently, I noticed little specs of ruined paint in my engine bay, I thought it was brake fluid leaking from somewhere and splattering all around the engine bay.. turns out one of the vents/caps at the top of the battery is leaking, and the battery is all pushed out and looks like it's about to explode. I stopped at the parts store and they tested my battery. With the engine off, the battery was fulled charger. At engine idle, the battery was getting 14.24 volts and was 90 degrees, and they said the alternator was good. I noticed over the past few days that the needle in the alternator gauge in my dash goes way past the 'C' mark, like the battery is getting over charged. Does this sound like a battery problem or an alternator problem?
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Re: Battery is sizzling and about to explode
[Re: Adam71Charger]
#1469050
07/16/13 10:40 PM
07/16/13 10:40 PM
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 685
pennsylvania
poboyengineering
mopar
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mopar
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 685
pennsylvania
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put a voltmeter on it..im betting the alternator is charging at 14.5+ volts.
It may be ugly, but it sure is slow.
Girls comb their hair in rear view mirrors and the boys try to look so hard....
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Re: Battery is sizzling and about to explode
[Re: Adam71Charger]
#1469052
07/16/13 11:01 PM
07/16/13 11:01 PM
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,040
Lincoln Nebraska
RapidRobert
Circle Track
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Circle Track
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,040
Lincoln Nebraska
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As said bad reg or no reg ground. Less likely would be a grounded "green" field wire or alt field is grounded on the green wire side (brush assy). ASAP! pull the connector off of the reg till you get it solved. Deepcycling the batt by letting it run down with no charging is FAR less damaging than driving it with it full fielded like it is right now. That'll cook the batt/damage wiring & terminals/stress bulbs & accessories that are on as they ain't designed for 15+ volts
live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth
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Re: Battery is sizzling and about to explode
[Re: IMGTX]
#1469059
07/17/13 03:16 AM
07/17/13 03:16 AM
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Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 3,877
Oregon
hooziewhatsit
master
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master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 3,877
Oregon
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You say they tested the voltage at the battery at idle and it was at 14.25v? If so, that voltage is fine... 15v+ would cause your problem. 14.5v is ideal charging voltage, so your problem may be the battery. Unless something else goofy is going on 
If you ever find yourself in a fair fight, your tactics suck.
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Re: Battery is sizzling and about to explode
[Re: hooziewhatsit]
#1469060
07/17/13 06:25 AM
07/17/13 06:25 AM
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Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 21,345
Marysville, O-H-I-O
70Cuda383
Too Many Posts
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Too Many Posts
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 21,345
Marysville, O-H-I-O
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these alternators are not very good. if you have 14.5 volts at idle...what kind of voltage is it putting out when you have say 2500 RPM?!
**Photobucket sucks**
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Re: Battery is sizzling and about to explode
[Re: 70Cuda383]
#1469061
07/17/13 08:12 AM
07/17/13 08:12 AM
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 905
SD
zrxkawboy
super stock
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super stock
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 905
SD
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As others have said, test your voltage at higher RPM. It's possible a bad battery could cause your ammeter to read "charge".
It's Swifty! Swifty, you toad sucker!
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Re: Battery is sizzling and about to explode
[Re: Adam71Charger]
#1469066
07/18/13 12:37 AM
07/18/13 12:37 AM
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 1,688
Marlboro, NY, USA
Rick_Ehrenberg
top fuel
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top fuel
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 1,688
Marlboro, NY, USA
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My best guess: battery has a shorted cell. In the old days (removable caps), this was easy to test, but not any more.
If I'm right, you are now effectively charging a 10-volt battery at 14.5 V (prox). Current goes sky-high, battery explodes. Not fun.
Rick
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Re: Battery is sizzling and about to explode
[Re: RapidRobert]
#1469068
07/18/13 01:47 AM
07/18/13 01:47 AM
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Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,521
Tacoma, Washington USA
Adam71Charger
OP
pro stock
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OP
pro stock
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,521
Tacoma, Washington USA
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Started it up and the gauge sits right in the middle at idle, raises just a bit at higher rpms. Everything appears to be fixed, the gauge doesnt bounce around or go to far in either direction, and the battery doesnt leak or sizzle any more. I will have to see what the tester says when they hook it up. Yeah I know, I need to buy a multimeter already... Is it a good idea to replace the battery even if it still operates fine? I think the over charging problem did affect connections/wires elsewhere.. my left turn dash indicator is stuck on, and my low beams dont work. Both of these problems were happening before I fixed the VR and wires. Im not getting a new harness until the 440 goes in, and even then I still might not. Im decent at making my own if I have all the parts. Will have to see if they are all available later. 
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Re: Battery is sizzling and about to explode
[Re: IMGTX]
#1469070
07/18/13 01:54 AM
07/18/13 01:54 AM
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Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,521
Tacoma, Washington USA
Adam71Charger
OP
pro stock
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OP
pro stock
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,521
Tacoma, Washington USA
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Quote:
Replace the Voltage regulator as a start.
Do not drive it with the charging pegged to the C. The wiring in these old cars won't handle high current and when the alternator is putting out the max it has the same effect as a shorted wire. Too much current flow is too much current flow. I had to rewire my Satellite because of a bad VR that I ignored for too long. 
What circuits/sytems were affected by your bad VR? was it just wiring in the engine bay or did it damage anything in the dash, instrument panels, and lighting circuits?
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Re: Battery is sizzling and about to explode
[Re: hooziewhatsit]
#1469072
07/18/13 08:52 AM
07/18/13 08:52 AM
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 905
SD
zrxkawboy
super stock
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super stock
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 905
SD
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Yes, most parts stores will check your charging system for free. Also ask them to test your battery separately.
It's Swifty! Swifty, you toad sucker!
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Re: Battery is sizzling and about to explode
[Re: Adam71Charger]
#1469075
07/18/13 06:12 PM
07/18/13 06:12 PM
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Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 12,229
Looking for a way out of Middl...
IMGTX
I Live Here
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I Live Here
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 12,229
Looking for a way out of Middl...
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Quote:
Quote:
Replace the Voltage regulator as a start.
Do not drive it with the charging pegged to the C. The wiring in these old cars won't handle high current and when the alternator is putting out the max it has the same effect as a shorted wire. Too much current flow is too much current flow. I had to rewire my Satellite because of a bad VR that I ignored for too long.
What circuits/sytems were affected by your bad VR? was it just wiring in the engine bay or did it damage anything in the dash, instrument panels, and lighting circuits?
My most notable symptom was that my running lights stayed on and I could dim them with the dash light dimmer switch. I also had weird things happen when I turned on the wipers. Most of my damage was under the dash but I didn't like the look of the the main alternator output wire inside the engine harness so I replaced it also.
What happened was the main power wire started melting under the dash and when it did it shorted out other wires.
I have rewired them in the car by pulling the cluster but it is really a lot easier to remove the whole dash and do it on a bench.
1. Disconnect the wiring at the bulkhead, heater core, both kick panels and the headlight dimmer switch.
2. Disconnect the cables to the heater controls & hood release. There is Vacuume hose on the heater controls and the speedometer cable also.
3. Remove the wiring on the steering column and remove the steering coupler from the steering box and column from the dash. Some people let the column hang without removing the coupler but if anything is going to damage that 30 year old flex joint the 73 and newer columns have, it would be letting it bend harshly from hanging.
4. Remove the dash speaker panel and the 4 screws holding the dash to the windshield base.
5. Loosen the two screws at the ends of the dash under kick panels and roll the dash into your lap.
Once on the bench unwrap the wiring paying close attention to the thick read and black wires and everything they touch. I suggest you go ahead and use a bolt in bulkhead connector for those wires to bypass the weak link of the spade bulkhead connector or what I do is to run straight wires through a hole in the firewall and have no connectors at all.
Hope it helps 
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