15 replies to this topic

[my_mate_mini]

Hi,
I bough a new battery today and it has leaked a bit, not when standing still and upright but it tipped over in the back of my boyfriends car briefly and something that is definately not water dribbled out.
Is this ok or should i take it back??

Help much appreciated as desperate to get min up and running tommorow x

[Big_Adam]

Acid isn't it. Or something like that. New battires are normally sealed. So if it started dribbling stuff I'd go back and ask.

Thats me tho.

[Bungle]

its acid watch out for carpets and clothing

[my_mate_mini]

its acid watch out for carpets and clothing

can i use it though? as long as im careful putting it in will it be ok in the car? what would you do?

[Silicon Skum]

its acid watch out for carpets and clothing

can i use it though? as long as im careful putting it in will it be ok in the car? what would you do?

Be VERY carefull with car batteries, they contain Lead (Pb) and Sulfuric Acid (H2SO4) BOTH of which are harmfull ! Also Sulfuric acid can cause a fire or heat damage if it dries out then mixes with water again (chemical reaction).

Yeah You should still be able to use the battery, but it depends on how much of the acid leaked out. You will need to open the vent caps on the top of the cells and look down (protect your eyes against splashes when opening caps and looking in) into the cells to check how much electrolyte (acid) is left. The watery clear looking acid should be covering ALL of the metal plates inside the battery (while standing battery upright on a level surface). If they are a LITTE bit low, ie just below the top of the plates, just top the cells up with de-ionised water (very cheap, available at mot petrol stations, halfords etc.). Just add enough to cover the cell plates by about 1 - 2cm or so, don't overfill.

If a LOT ( more than an inch or so of fluid level in the cell) of the acid has drained out, then the battery will have to be swaped or refilled with acid (don't attept to refill with sulfuric acid yourself - very dangerous and needs to mixed with water to the correct strength).

I would mix a table spoon of Sodium Bicarbonate (baking soda) with a small anount of water to make a wattery thin, runny paste and rub it into the area where the acid spilled in the car, otherwise your carpets and possibly the floor pan of the car could be damaged if a lot was spilled. leave for a couple of hours then wash / vacuum out. This will neutralise the acid. Also a good idea to wash over the battery where tha acid spilled and around the terminals, watch out for your clothes - acid will eat right through them!

SS

Edited by Silicon Skum, 23 March 2007 - 08:03 PM.

[my_mate_mini]

right quick update.
Took the battery back this morning and got a new one, replaced it in the car and now starts.
However we have taken it for a spin (the first since i have owned it, had it about 3 weeks already had the man from the garage i bought if out already and he drove it and it was fine)
I just returned from hols so it has been in the garage for 9 days we took it down the road and it started jumping, saw it was petrol running low so we went and got some more came back put it in the car and took it out again.
Started jumping again although not straight away so assumed it was the petrol thing and carried on but it kept jumping intermittently and conked out a few times.
Spoke to the man from the garage (almost in tears by this point) and he said to take the distributor cap off and check for damp as it has been sitting still this may be the case. Havent done so yet as wanted to see what you guys thought.

thank you
distressed
lana

[Barnett]

maybe its been sitting around to long!! take it out on a motorway and open it up...nebver expeirenced that on my mini i use it everyday...

ACID!!! the good old days...lasers, lights, and tracers!! and Prodigy.

[Silicon Skum]

when it cuts out or "jumps", does it misfire or what some call a "backfire" (loud pop from the exhaust)?

Sound to me like it might just need a good run, but could be that the distributor cap is damp or needs changing. when you pop the dizzy cap off, look inside the cap at the 4 metal pins inside the top of the cap. These should be smooth and even, any wear will show on the side of the pins facing into the centre of the cap.

If the pins look quite worn down, the cap prolly needs to be changed, just pop round to your nearest motor factors (or even halfords) and pick up a new one, they are quite cheap. When you change the cap, be sure to line it up in the same way as the original cap (so they are both in the same orientation) and swap the plug leads over one at a time, to the corresponding hole on the new dizzy cap. This should keep the plug leads in the correct order.

If the pins are fine, then it might just be a little damp in there, just squirt a SMALL ammount of WD40 inside the cap and over the workings of the distributor body. This should drive off any moisture, then take the car for a good 15 - 20 min run to get it all warmed up and drive out the dampness.

Post back here if it's still having problems.

SS

[Jordie]

if its the 1st time you have drove it, did u use the choke?

[Tomf]

by the way going back to the battery acid thing have you checked your boyfriends car? Because when i was carrying my old battery some of the acid leaked out onto my jeans and the next day everywhere that the acid had spilt on them there were holes.

[my_mate_mini]

by the way going back to the battery acid thing have you checked your boyfriends car? Because when i was carrying my old battery some of the acid leaked out onto my jeans and the next day everywhere that the acid had spilt on them there were holes.

yeah his boot and golf clubs etc seem to be fine but my clothes all had holes in them. Weird

[my_mate_mini]

if its the 1st time you have drove it, did u use the choke?

yep, didnt make a lot of difference how much choke you used. having a 'i hate my mini' moment.

[my_mate_mini]

when it cuts out or "jumps", does it misfire or what some call a "backfire" (loud pop from the exhaust)?

Sound to me like it might just need a good run, but could be that the distributor cap is damp or needs changing. when you pop the dizzy cap off, look inside the cap at the 4 metal pins inside the top of the cap. These should be smooth and even, any wear will show on the side of the pins facing into the centre of the cap.

If the pins look quite worn down, the cap prolly needs to be changed, just pop round to your nearest motor factors (or even halfords) and pick up a new one, they are quite cheap. When you change the cap, be sure to line it up in the same way as the original cap (so they are both in the same orientation) and swap the plug leads over one at a time, to the corresponding hole on the new dizzy cap. This should keep the plug leads in the correct order.

If the pins are fine, then it might just be a little damp in there, just squirt a SMALL ammount of WD40 inside the cap and over the workings of the distributor body. This should drive off any moisture, then take the car for a good 15 - 20 min run to get it all warmed up and drive out the dampness.

Post back here if it's still having problems.

SS

hi,
it doesnt backfire its almost like its kangaroo jumping, doesnt make any popping noises. Will go and have a look at the distributor then, thanks will let you know how i go

[smudger]

could be points, carb needs tuning, loose coil connector or leads.

Just go thru all the connectors and make sure they all on and tight.

Check whilst their that oil is in carb.

But "jumping" is what my GFs mini did, changed the plugs and its fine now, well apart from the blowing exhaust and needing a RR session that is.

[Silicon Skum]

could be points, carb needs tuning, loose coil connector or leads.

Just go thru all the connectors and make sure they all on and tight.

Check whilst their that oil is in carb.

Agreed, could be any of the above. check over each plug lead (and plugs if you or the B/F know what to do) and check all connectection are tight.

By "oil in the carb" he means to check the dashpot oil, on top of the carb (the silver metal dome) is a little plastic screw cap, unscrew this and slowly pull it out (there is a metal plunger on the end). Look down the narrow tube in the centre of the dash pot (where the metal plunger sits inside) and see if there is oil filling it just below the top of the tube. If not then just add a little engine oil (or 3 in1 at a pinch) and top it off about 5mm below the top of the tube.

Don't worry if it overflows a little, this will burn off in the engine (and will make the car a little smokey for a while, but no problems).

SS