Battery terminal cleaning question

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Jul 28, 2014 | 07:50 AM

nnero

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From: NY (not the city!!)

Battery terminal cleaning question

I noticed some corrosion on my battery terminals this weekend. Is there anything I need to know before I disconnect the battery to clean the terminals and battery posts? Will I have to pair my phone with Sync again? Thanks

Jul 28, 2014 | 11:27 AM

royb

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no you will be fine

Jul 30, 2014 | 09:40 AM

Truckpilot1329

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I've seen shops attach 12 V cables to battery cables before they're removed, so
power is still being applied to them while they're off.

Should be easy to do, using jumper cables attached to another vehicle.

Aug 2, 2014 | 11:10 PM

Papa Tiger

Fleet Owner

Joined: Mar 2012

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From: Near Cal. Avenue

U can get one inexpensively that plugs into the cig lighter to keep things saved while you disconnect the battery.

Aug 3, 2014 | 10:53 AM

gDMJoe

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Joined: Dec 2010

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From: Timbuk3, MI

Once you've got them cleaned ...

add anti-corrosion battery post washers
then ... spray the posts with silicone at (say) each oil change interval.

Both are inexpensive prevention measures

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Aug 3, 2014 | 01:45 PM

Tedster9

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From: Waterloo, Iowa

Another thing to look at - while you're at it - have you thought about where the negative cable actually goes? You should - it's connected to the engine block, as the main ground point for everything, and subject to all the corrosion and current-robbing effects that the battery end of the cable is as well.

It pays to disconnect, clean down to bright bare metal and then treat with a corrosion preventive compound like NO-OX-ID "special", a conductive grease long used for telephone switch gear, buss bars &c in difficult environments. If the cables are more than say, 15 or 20 years old it's best to replace them especially if the equipment or truck was stored outside.

Sent from my iPhone using IB AutoGroup

Aug 4, 2014 | 08:49 AM

nnero

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From: NY (not the city!!)

Thanks. The corrosion was worse on the positve cable. I got a kit at NAPA that included brush, cleaner, protective spray, and the washers. I will check the ground at the engine as well.