Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Battery/Charging question

[Silver Bullet Ram]

I popped the hood and noticed something a little odd today. Around the negative terminal I found something wet on both batteries. Looks like it seaped out around the terminal or the covers. Both batteries are this way. So my first thought, overheating and boiling over because of over charging. Checked the voltage and I am getting a range from 13. 9-14. 12, which I believe is acceptable. I guess the million dollar question is, are the batteries going bad? The little eyes on the battery are showing green. Everything else has seem to be since the odomometer flipped 100,000. Every month something seems to busting, so I guess this is next.



Gary

 

[WestTN]

14+ volts is a little high considering the temperature is in the 90's every day. I wouldn't expect much over 13. 7 or so. i dont have my service manuals `with me now, so hopefully someone who has one can chime in with the diagnostic steps to uncover the cause of the high voltage.

 

[Silver Bullet Ram]

I compared it to my mom's Dynasty and hers was churning out the same voltage. I thought it was a little high at first until I saw hers doing the same thing. I checked the service manual and it said nothing about it, just amps.



Gary

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

I compared it to my mom's Dynasty and hers was churning out the same voltage. I thought it was a little high at first until I saw hers doing the same thing. I checked the service manual and it said nothing about it, just amps.



Gary

I've measured system voltage with the engine running at a bit over 15 volts (digital VM) on my '02 - still original batteries, no problems or unusual battery seepage...

 

[Silver Bullet Ram]

Probably the batteries are going bad, but it would surprise me if something else was lurking behind this either. Seems like when the odometer flipped 100000, it started falling apart.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

If those are the original batteries, it's time they get retired anyway - sometimes nasty things can occur when one of the batteries in a dual battery setup goes bad - I plan to swap the ones out in my '02 in the spring, no matter HOW good they might SEEM to be...

 

[Supermod56]

13. 8-14. 6 in the normal range for almost any 12 volt system. Most batteries seep from the posts when they get old, or sometimes when you tighten the terminals, they crack the case around the post. My originals lasted 75K, just went dead one day out of the blue, at home fortunately!!!



Tom

 

[kscheffler]

I use to live on a boat and lived off my batteries; so I know batteries. Never charge a battery over 14. 4 volts; batteries start off gasing beyond this voltage. This is not a big issue with lead acid batteries (fill with distilled water) but the gel/mat/sealed batteries not good at all. As the temperature rises this voltage should decrease; shoot for 14. 2 when extremely hot conditions: ambient >95f. This why good voltage regulators have temperature sensors for batteries. Your batteries are leaking around the posts replace them. It is a good idea to hook up an accurate volt meter and run a high way speed RPM and monitor your voltage. Continous high voltage eats batteries.