Battery Acid all over; strange electrical problem
 

OK, so not long after I bought my used 92 Civic DX (106k miles), I noticed that the dash lights and the headlights would dim and get bright. This also coincided with a slight, almost imperceptible change in RPMs. It seemed that power surges were running through the car. In connection with this I believe, is while driving across the state a strong sulfurous smell started coming from the battery. It never seemed that big of a deal until recently when the battery seemed to blast out a bunch of acid. A simple alternator replacement or a ECU replacement, bad battery? I am at a loss.

Please... any insight before I take it to the shop would be helpful... Thanks in advance.

RE: Battery Acid all over; strange electrical problem
 

I think you should get your charging system checked out first. Sounds like it's either overcharging or a faulty battery.

RE: Battery Acid all over; strange electrical problem
 

swap the battery..........get a good one....get an optima yellow top........then see if the problem persists.

RE: Battery Acid all over; strange electrical problem
 

I think I'd still get the charging system checked first. (Only because I don't have cash to throw away. What happens if it's the charging system overcharging, and you go out and pay $140 for that nice yellow-top battery and then the charging system ruins it? Oops, time for another battery again!)

[sm=oopssign.gif]

RE: Battery Acid all over; strange electrical problem
 

Sounds like overcharging. You should be able to get an inexpensive charging system check if not a free one. Most places like AutoJoke (zone) have a pretty good digital capacitive electrical system tester.


...and when you are standing in front of the NEverStart batteries at WalMart looking for a Group 51R remember, only wealthy people can afford cheap batteries

RE: Battery Acid all over; strange electrical problem
 

get a new battery --you cant properly check a charging system with a bad battery---once u install it --check the charging --should be between 13- 14.5 volts---

RE: Battery Acid all over; strange electrical problem
 

Seems like so many people have tons of cash to throw away! Well, GIVE IT TO ME!

What a concept for troubleshooting! Just keep replacing parts until you finally find the problem, or empty your wallet. Yep, if that engine doesn't run properly, no problem, just SWAP IT OUT! Problem solved.
If you get a charging system checked and the battery is faulty, then they will tell you to get it replaced. I was taught to troubleshoot and narrow down the problem (if possible) first, then replace that faulty part.

RE: Battery Acid all over; strange electrical problem
 

LOL!

Test by substitution!

And you wonder why auto parts stores are such hard@$$es when you go to return an electrical item. Because they've already eaten on every other fool that has a dead short and insists on replacing an electrical part 20X because he keeps getting "bad" ones

RE: Battery Acid all over; strange electrical problem
 

I wonder if sporange did the charging voltage test with multi-meter.

RE: Battery Acid all over; strange electrical problem
 

If battery acid was gushing out of the battery, wouldn't the battery be shot anyway.