P38A Corrosion on battery terminals

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Montyjohn

Well-Known Member
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241
Location
UK
So my positive battery terminal has been a constant source of corrosion. Where talking mounds of blue and white powered. I'd clean it off from time to time, but otherwise failed to do anything about it.

Anyway, I now need to do somehting about it, as the car failed to start. Cleaning up the terminal got it going, but the bolt snapped on the clamp.
The other bit that's really corroded is the steel becket that holds the battery in place. Again, lots of white powder.

The battery however still works fine. It always has a residue on top, always looks wet, but works fine.

I'm going to fit new terminals (lead military style) and maybe replace the cables (depending on how they clean up).

Question is, is it an issue with the battery, and therefore is it likely to do it again?
Do I just need to replace the battery?
Could it be a charging/discharge issue (too late to check now, cables all removed)?

Another odd thing, the old clamps are made of brass and are soldered in. Would it come this way form the factory? I thought lead was the norm and mechanical crimp only?

Also, why or why was the battery box held in with four different bolt sizes? One 10mm, one 12mm, one 3/8" and one 11/32"? Why? Why would you do that? It wasn't funny. I didn't have any imperial sockets so it took me three days to remove it (thanks eBay).
 
So my positive battery terminal has been a constant source of corrosion. Where talking mounds of blue and white powered. I'd clean it off from time to time, but otherwise failed to do anything about it.

Anyway, I now need to do somehting about it, as the car failed to start. Cleaning up the terminal got it going, but the bolt snapped on the clamp.
The other bit that's really corroded is the steel becket that holds the battery in place. Again, lots of white powder.

The battery however still works fine. It always has a residue on top, always looks wet, but works fine.

I'm going to fit new terminals (lead military style) and maybe replace the cables (depending on how they clean up).

Question is, is it an issue with the battery, and therefore is it likely to do it again?
Do I just need to replace the battery?
Could it be a charging/discharge issue (too late to check now, cables all removed)?

Another odd thing, the old clamps are made of brass and are soldered in. Would it come this way form the factory? I thought lead was the norm and mechanical crimp only?

Also, why or why was the battery box held in with four different bolt sizes? One 10mm, one 12mm, one 3/8" and one 11/32"? Why? Why would you do that? It wasn't funny. I didn't have any imperial sockets so it took me three days to remove it (thanks eBay).
If the battery is wet on the top, it could be over filled, faulty or over charging. I take it the shipping bungs were removed when the battery was fitted and a breather pipe fitted?
Vaseline on the terminals usually stops corrosion.
I think the battery terminals are soldered on mine but I'd have to check that.
 
Corrosion like that and the battery being 'wet' indicates it's gassing without having a proper vent - assuming it's not the original battery, is there a vent on the end that has a red or black plug in it? usually these should be removed and a vent tube connected.
Lead battery terminals haven't been fitted since probably the early 1970's.
no idea on the correct A/F bolt sizes but at a guess, they should all be metric or imperial, most likely the age of the vehicle has allowed som bastardisation to creep in.
 
This pic shows one M8, but no idea what size the others should be. AFAIK Generally on a P38, only the engine has imperial nuts & bolts. Rest of the car is all metric.

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