Car News Articles 
 Alternative Fuel Vehicles
 Automotive Articles
 Car Buying Tips
 Car Insurance Articles
 Car Maintenance (517)
  Fall-Winter (77)
  Spring-Summer (43)
 Car News
 Car Racing
 Car Repair
 Car Safety
 
 Driving Economically
 Environmental Issues
 Exterior Car Care
 Garage Know How
 
 How Car Stuff Works
 Motorcycle Articles
 Road Trips
 Traveling with Kids
 Younger - Older Drivers
 
 Amsoil Synthetic Oil
 Article Archives




spacer
spacer
Car Maintenance

Battery Maintenance

It has happened to almost everyone. You have to get somewhere important and the car won’t start. You may be trying to get to work, pick up your child, or the all encompassing drive to (add your favorite fast food restaurant here). Whatever it is, the car won’t even try to turn over.

In most cases, the culprit is the battery. Paying attention and knowing how to maintain this critical component of your car will help ensure you don't run into this problem.

The best way to start a battery maintenance routine is to check the open cell voltage. Handy tools for this test are either a voltmeter or a dedicated battery tester. A fully charged reading is usually between 12.5 and 12.6. A low reading that will still turn the engine over is about a 12.0 volt.

Now that you know what voltage the battery has, for the sake of argument we’ll say the charge was low. If the battery won’t take a charge additional steps need to be taken.

Use a hydrometer to check the levels of water and sulfuric acid in the electrolyte. This is where the exact battery charge is determined. If water levels are low add distilled water to fill the compartment. An important thing to remember when dealing with car batteries is safety. Electrolyte is extremely acidic and will burn a car’s paint. It will also burn holes in clothes. A good safety precaution to take when performing battery maintenance is to wear protective eye coverings like safety goggles.

If after all of these diagnostic tests, the car battery still won’t hold a charge it may be time to consider purchasing a new battery. However if the battery passed all of your hard fact hunting tests, and the car still isn’t starting on a reliable basis, the problem may be the battery connection.

In this situation the first thing to tackle is cleaning the clamps and cables. Taking a look at the clamps, use a mild solution of cold water and baking soda to clean with. A soft, non-abrasive toothbrush would be the best choice to use for scrubbing. Scrub gently to remove any gunk build up. Be sure to rinse the area thoroughly with clean water.

Next take the clamps off. If they are difficult to remove, don’t try to force them. It may be time to invest a special tool for this purpose, the battery clamp removal tool. Use the same method of water and baking soda to clean the clamps. Be sure to clean the top of the battery top, posts, and clamps adequately. It is important to keep a battery dry and clean to get the most life from it.

Maintaining a car battery may involve some time and effort on your part, but the pay off can be huge. Making battery maintenance part of your car care routine can prolong the life of the battery and save some frustration when you have to be somewhere immediately.







Related Articles:
Keep your cool: Don't Get Stuck On The Road This Summer
Five Fast Fixes And Tips For A Summer Ready Car
Everything Gets Old, Even Your Shocks
Wash Away The Effects Of Rough Weather
Three Easy Steps To Improved Performance
Seven Steps To Getting Your Car Ready For Winter
Tips On Caring For High-Tech Engines
Winter Driving And Tire Tips
Tips On Caring For Your Battery This Winter
Give Your Car A Brake
The Real Truth About Synthetics
Car Winterization Secrets From A Celebrity Auto Rebuilder
The Smart Consumer Knows When Premium Pays
Practice Preventive Vehicle Maintenance
Avoid a Roadside Mayday This Summer

spacer
sdg
make image
model image
zip code


Stay Updated!


Car Maintenance
Related Articles
Check your Tire Pressure and
See If You Are Tire
Helping Your Car Keep Cool
Save Time And Money With
Car Noises And What They
Keep your cool: Don't Get
Five Fast Fixes And Tips
Everything Gets Old, Even Your
Wash Away The Effects Of
Three Easy Steps To Improved
Seven Steps To Getting Your
Tips On Caring For High-Tech
Winter Driving And Tire Tips
Tips On Caring For Your
Give Your Car A Brake
The Real Truth About Synthetics
Car Winterization Secrets From A
The Smart Consumer Knows When
Practice Preventive Vehicle Maintenance
Avoid a Roadside Mayday This
spacer

Feed Button



Car Insurance Info | Newsletter | Car Classifieds | Online Car Rentals
Auto Pictures | Link To Carjunky.com



Complete List of Article RSS News Feeds


Copyright © 1999 - 2024. CarJunky® All Rights Reserved.