Boiling Battery

Aug 22, 2005 3 Replies

OK, hears one that has me stumped



91 Plymouth Laser 1.8l SOHC Constant clear liquid around the battery, especially around the top vents, very corrosive. No, the battery does not have a leak. Battery was three years old, exchanged with another three year old battery, same thing, clear liquid around battery. Constantly adding water to the battery. Removed regulator from the car (It's inside the alternator), set it up on the test bench, regulator turns on (alternator) at 13.8 volts and turns off (the alternator field winding) at 14.2 volts (at about 70 degrees F). Battery voltage measured at the alternator/regulator, is the same as the voltage measured at the battery. This vehicle uses a separate sense wire to measure the battery voltage for the regulator, tests OK (same voltage at either end of the wire). With the car running, the measured output voltage of the alternator is 14.2 volts. Manual says voltage should be between 13.9 and 14.9 volts Question is, why am I boiling the batteries. Car runs fine, starts OK, no other problems. Can it be I have two bad batteries.


Voltage sensing wire is fubar. What is output at 4,000 rpm?

Voltage sense wire measured the same voltage at both ends, both with the car running and not running, but I guess it could the connector at the alternator that's flakey. Only tested the alternator output at idle. Will have to retest it at 4000 when the kid brings the car over next.

Why would I tie into the ECU power feed, instead of right at the battery?

Thanks

Either or...I actually meant the connector for the data cable, not at the ECU itself. It's right there on the number one pin at the logger connector.

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