Battery is sizzling and about to explode

Battery is sizzling and about to explode - 07/17/13 02:27 AM

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?

Posted By: Adam71Charger

Re: Battery is sizzling and about to explode - 07/17/13 02:36 AM

Posted By: AARCONV

Re: Battery is sizzling and about to explode - 07/17/13 02:40 AM

voltage regulator problem..it happened to me..

Posted By: poboyengineering

Re: Battery is sizzling and about to explode - 07/17/13 02:40 AM

put a voltmeter on it..im betting the alternator is charging at 14.5+ volts.

Posted By: 58pwrwgn

Re: Battery is sizzling and about to explode - 07/17/13 02:51 AM

I just had. an overcharged problem. The regulator wasn't ground well. I cleaned up the all the parts and screwed it back on

Posted By: RapidRobert

Re: Battery is sizzling and about to explode - 07/17/13 03:01 AM

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

Posted By: RangerDan440

Re: Battery is sizzling and about to explode - 07/17/13 03:04 AM

sounds like a classic bad voltage regulator

Posted By: Adam71Charger

Re: Battery is sizzling and about to explode - 07/17/13 03:16 AM

where is the voltage regulator and what does it look like?

Posted By: Adam71Charger

Re: Battery is sizzling and about to explode - 07/17/13 03:19 AM

ok I just looked at a picture, Ill track it down

Posted By: Adam71Charger

Re: Battery is sizzling and about to explode - 07/17/13 03:36 AM

Posted By: ademon

Re: Battery is sizzling and about to explode - 07/17/13 03:37 AM

Might be the battery, if the volts are under 14.6v warm at say 2500 rpm the charging system is fine.

Posted By: IMGTX

Re: Battery is sizzling and about to explode - 07/17/13 06:11 AM

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.

Posted By: hooziewhatsit

Re: Battery is sizzling and about to explode - 07/17/13 07:16 AM

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

Posted By: 70Cuda383

Re: Battery is sizzling and about to explode - 07/17/13 10:25 AM

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?!

Posted By: zrxkawboy

Re: Battery is sizzling and about to explode - 07/17/13 12:12 PM

As others have said, test your voltage at higher RPM. It's possible a bad battery could cause your ammeter to read "charge".

Posted By: roadhazard

Re: Battery is sizzling and about to explode - 07/17/13 02:21 PM

Just to throw one more thing into the mix

Some time ago I put a new alternator on my Charger and the lead wire stud rotated in the alternator causing a direct internal ground

Had the exact same symptoms as you describe so if the voltage regulator does not cure your problem or you have messed with the alternator recently it's another place to look. You can test it with an ohm meter from the lead wire stud to the case.

Posted By: Adam71Charger

Re: Battery is sizzling and about to explode - 07/18/13 02:22 AM

Ok so began by replacing the voltage regulator, and making sure the the ground was metal to metal on both sides. Using my FSM engine wiring diagram I went over all the associated wires and made sure they were hooked up right, and replaced/repaired all bad connections, it was a mess in there hidden by electrical tape. About to start it up, but I noticed my choke wire isnt hooked up. It needs 12V when the engine is on, should I hook it to the power side of the ballast resistor?

Posted By: cjskotni

Re: Battery is sizzling and about to explode - 07/18/13 02:28 AM

Yes that will work. The factory used the blue field wire (same circuit anyway) going to the alternator/from VR but both should get battery voltage when the key is in the 'run' position.

Posted By: Nukechargerboy

Re: Battery is sizzling and about to explode - 07/18/13 02:31 AM

I would go and get a new engine harness, if the funds are available. It looks like the factory wrap was replaced with scotch 33 after some 'investigating'. There seems to be poor connections and radio shack crimps to try and get by, but I'd recommend a new harness after looking at your pictures.

Posted By: Rick_Ehrenberg

Re: Battery is sizzling and about to explode - 07/18/13 04:37 AM

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

Posted By: RapidRobert
Re: Battery is sizzling and about to explode - 07/18/13 05:08 AM

Quote:

About to start it up,

Please hurry

Posted By: Adam71Charger
Re: Battery is sizzling and about to explode - 07/18/13 05:47 AM

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.

Posted By: Adam71Charger
Re: Battery is sizzling and about to explode - 07/18/13 05:52 AM

I need to go through the wiring in this car anyways and get more familiar with it. Is it normal that this is fun to me?

Posted By: Adam71Charger
Re: Battery is sizzling and about to explode - 07/18/13 05:54 AM

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?

Posted By: hooziewhatsit
Re: Battery is sizzling and about to explode - 07/18/13 05:56 AM

I would definitely still check the voltage at the battery at idle and higher RPMs.

Posted By: zrxkawboy
Re: Battery is sizzling and about to explode - 07/18/13 12:52 PM

Yes, most parts stores will check your charging system for free. Also ask them to test your battery separately.

Posted By: RapidRobert
Re: Battery is sizzling and about to explode - 07/18/13 02:09 PM

Quote:

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.

Is it a good idea to replace the battery even if it still operates fine?

I'd say you're done/got it fixed & that one or more of the changes/repairs you did fixed the problem area. Yes do get a meter (they're cheap). An advantage of fixing just one area at a time then checking it is that it lets you know exactly which area was bad. I'd just run the batt & see how it performs. Most people have a very low tolerance for frustration which shows when thing start to go wrong especially repeatedly in a row. but you may be one of those individuals who are blessed with the ability to not let emotions take over when there's repeated setbacks which is a very good trait to have in the mechanic world because Mr Murphy will raise his head from time to time sometimes severely. To answer your Q if you are on Moparts you ain't normal

Posted By: 70HemiGTX
Re: Battery is sizzling and about to explode - 07/18/13 09:32 PM

I had the same problem in my 71 Challenger R/T. I would actually blow the caps off the battery. Hunted high and low. Couldn't find the problem. Cleaned the voltage regulator, grounds, new battery, etc. Finally found a burned connection in the main hot (red) wire on the steering column connection to the dash harness. I cut the wire and by-passed the connection. That cured my over-charging problem.

Posted By: IMGTX
Re: Battery is sizzling and about to explode - 07/18/13 10:12 PM

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

Posted By: Adam71Charger
Re: Battery is sizzling and about to explode - 08/11/13 11:24 PM

I took my intake off to replace the gasket. When i got everything back together, My overcharging problem sudddenly reappeared. Im going through my wires now to see if I bumped, smashed, or ripped any of them when I did the intake. I also hooked my carb electric choke up to the ignition key side of my ballast resistor ( the side that has 2 wires going out, one to the ignition and the other to the positive side of the ign coile.) If all my wires check out, my next step is checking the vr. Can a bad ballast resistor damage the vr? Can a cheap autozone vr break in under 30 days of use?

Posted By: copperSwinger
Re: Battery is sizzling and about to explode - 08/12/13 12:30 AM

I had my left signal indicator stuck on before. It was a bad headlight ground behind the grille

Posted By: RapidRobert
Re: Battery is sizzling and about to explode - 08/12/13 01:31 PM

Quote:

If all my wires check out, my next step is checking the vr. Can a bad ballast resistor damage the vr? Can a cheap autozone vr break in under 30 days of use?

(1) no (2) possible but not too likely unless something elsewhere got dead shorted or possibly from an open as electronics (of any kind) do not like an open in their circuit.