hioctane

Good day,

This is my fist post here

I never seen stuff like that before, terminal almost gone

Battery was installed 8/11/2005 by Mazda (this is "upgraded" 38lbs Interstate MTP 35).
I wonder why this happen and if it can be fixed under warranty.

Thanks,

Alex

Silver_Surfer

Welcome

No Warranty. Its maintenance.






Good Day!

nycgps

iTrader: (1)

WoW, where do you live? must be very humid no ?

they give you interstate battery ? I thought Mazda gave everybody a *Mazda rebrand Battery* ? Thats what I got. I dont have a problem with corrosive + Lead

Jon316G

iTrader: (1)

If you overtightened the terminal and placed strain on the post, this could have caused a vapor leak. Overcharging it could also produce that.
I would first give it a good cleaning. Be careful and wear gloves. Best to carefully remove the battery from the car before cleaning.
You could remove the terminals and clean it with sandpaper. Baking soda and water will help neutralize it. Might want to consider buying a new post if its real bad.
Once clean, apply some dielectric grease or vasoline to the terminal posts to keep the vapors away.
OR... do it the easy way and buy a new battery

paulmasoner

iTrader: (1)

unfortunately i have seen worse a few times.... but how the HECK did you let it get that bad?? surely that cant build up in a months time?? poke around your motor, check up on things, takes 5 mins

hioctane

I have this car for about 7 months and have no idea how it was maintained before.
Paper from Mazda dealership says they installed new battery and spark plugs about two years ago.

Btw on my other cars terminals are lubricated with vaseline-like substance but it is clearly not the case with RX8.
It’s pretty dry here and I never ever seen stuff like that before.

Actually I was trying to replace battery with Optima Red Top 35 when discovered that stuff

Any ideas where to get new post?

ken-x8

You can't replace the post on a battery. It's built in. It's also lead, so corrosion will usually get the cable clamp, not the post. See how the top of the post looks clean, while the clamp is a mess?

Get a battery terminal cleaning brush. Just a few dollars. Clean post and the cable end, and go from there.

The vaseline-like substance you see on your other cars batteries would be vaseline. When you clean up that battery, coat the posts and clamps with vaseline. You can also buy anti-corrosion felt pads to put under the clamps.

Ken

Jon316G

iTrader: (1)

HAHAHA... I just read my own post. Thanks for catching that Ken-x8.
You are correct that the battery post can not be replaced. I meant to say the terminal might need to be replaced.
My bad

ken-x8

That's what web forums are for.

Alex - if that clamp does not clean up, replace the whole cable. Get one at a Mazda dealer, or at a good-quality auto parts store. You can buy just a clamp, or a shlocky cable at K-Mart or a low end parts store, but that will wind up being more trouble in the long run.

Ken

nycgps

iTrader: (1)

I clean my battery terminals every season to ensure good contact. So I can put Vaseline on my terminals ?

ken-x8

Exactly. After you polish or claybar your car, don't you apply a coat of wax?

If you put vaseline on the terminals, you wouldn't have to clean them every season.

There are different opinions as to whether you should smear vaseline over everything after the terminals are on, or whether you should put vaseline on the posts and then put the terminals on. I've done it both ways, never noticed anything dramatic either way.

Ken