Battery leak question - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

chef-beavis · 01-09-2011, 11:08 PM

Sorry if this has been addressed or is a repost, but I have a question/concern with the battery in the trunk of my Camaro.

My previous "toy" was a street machine I built and kept for 16 years. One spring, I went to get the car out of the corner only to discover that the top of the battery was covered with the familiar residue of a slight leak that had developed. Sadly, it has cause hundreds, if not thousands of dollars damage under the hood of the car. The acid in the confines of the underhood air corroded everything that did not have a very stout finish. It wrecked the carb, spark plugs, relays, brake lines, etc. Everything cad plated was destroyed.:( Needless to say, it was the final year I stored it with the battery in.

So now I buy the car of my dreams and it has the battery in the trunk. Is anyone else concerned or have experience with finding their stock battery doing this inside the trunk pan? I have fixed old muscle cars and cringe at the thought of looking in the trunk in a few years to find out the rust demon was locked up in there festering away for years. Once it starts I know it never sleeps.

Has anyone else checked theirs? How much of a pain is the battery to get at? Would the concern be abolished with an Optima?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

OUR72GTO · 01-09-2011, 11:39 PM

These are sealed.

chef-beavis · 01-10-2011, 08:19 AM

Are you saying there's nothing on the top like caps? They completely sealed? I thought they all had to be able to vent. I'm certainly no expert, though, or I wouldn't have asked.

I guess I'll have to go exploring in my trunk this spring.

Thanks.

pennor · 01-10-2011, 10:17 AM

Yea, I've had concerns about this.

Yes, the factory battery is a sealed unit. I haven't shopped for a replacement battery and it will probably be 5 years before any of us really need to replace one. When I had to find a replacement for the battery in my Chevy Colorado I shopped every battery dealer in town to find one that would fit. Chevrolet seems to love to ignore standard size batteries in favor of odd ones that nobody carries. I ended up setteling for a non-sealed one because even the dealer didn't have the "stock" delco battery for a replacement.

Will this be an issue as our Camaro's age? I suspect it will. We'll end up with some after market battery that may or may not be sealed, and from then on I can see proglems developing with corrosion in the trunk floor pan.

MMC · 01-10-2011, 10:38 AM

The battery is a special battery designed for mounting in the trunk, They are used in some other brands of cars as well. They are not sealed they have a vent hose that runs out of the trunk under the car. They are very easy to get to, just like gaining access to a spare. They have the trunk pad and then the hard spare cover with a large nut to spin off. Mine is an SS so I'm not sure about the other models when you order a spare.
Replacement AC Delco batteries are around $200.

rtcat600man · 01-10-2011, 10:47 AM

Battery in the trunk, you can see the vent tube.

chef-beavis · 01-10-2011, 03:38 PM

That is what I feared. Those caps on the top are what "weeped" on my street machine. I guess I'll have to look once in awhile.

Would a gel battery eliminate the problem?

Stingr69 · 01-10-2011, 07:17 PM

They sell a pad that you can put under the battery that will absorb any acid leaks. Maybe put one of those under the battery if it helps you sleep at night. I have one on my '69 because it happened to me once. Cheap insurance.

-Mark.

clg_98ta · 01-11-2011, 06:15 AM

Its pretty rare for a modern battery to start leaking. You'd probably have to have a overvoltage problem in your charging system that 'cooks' the electrolyte. I'd just inspect it occasionally and otherwise not worry about it.

Camaro68 · 01-11-2011, 06:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stingr69

They sell a pad that you can put under the battery that will absorb any acid leaks. Maybe put one of those under the battery if it helps you sleep at night. I have one on my '69 because it happened to me once. Cheap insurance.

-Mark.

You sir are right about that, had to do the same with my 68.

chef-beavis · 01-11-2011, 06:43 AM

AND when I put it away each year, I guess. The pad would help but in the case of my Cutlass it was the acid air/environment created underhood that did the deed, not any actual contact with the acid.

Thanks for all the replies!

Texhawk · 01-11-2011, 09:24 PM

I would be concerned if GM was still using side terminal batteries with the terminal below the acid level, but I have not had any problems with top post batteries leaking.

RedRaven · 11-18-2019, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rtcat600man

Battery in the trunk, you can see the vent tube.

My trunk at 7 1/2 years, 127800mi. Orig battery. Checking because it's been weak this week in the AM in the 40s (Florida). Topped off cell 1 &2 with distilled water. Still need to do my rear brakes in a couple of weeks, so when I do, I'll remove the battery and wet clean/neutralize, & see what I can do about the small rust bubbles.

G8One2 · 11-19-2019, 09:29 AM

It should have an agm battery that's sealed.

01-09-2011, 11:08 PM	#1
chef-beavis Drives: IOM 2013 2SS/RS, Greenie, 06 FXSTBi Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Turd Town, WI Posts: 1,584	Battery leak question Sorry if this has been addressed or is a repost, but I have a question/concern with the battery in the trunk of my Camaro. My previous "toy" was a street machine I built and kept for 16 years. One spring, I went to get the car out of the corner only to discover that the top of the battery was covered with the familiar residue of a slight leak that had developed. Sadly, it has cause hundreds, if not thousands of dollars damage under the hood of the car. The acid in the confines of the underhood air corroded everything that did not have a very stout finish. It wrecked the carb, spark plugs, relays, brake lines, etc. Everything cad plated was destroyed.:( Needless to say, it was the final year I stored it with the battery in. So now I buy the car of my dreams and it has the battery in the trunk. Is anyone else concerned or have experience with finding their stock battery doing this inside the trunk pan? I have fixed old muscle cars and cringe at the thought of looking in the trunk in a few years to find out the rust demon was locked up in there festering away for years. Once it starts I know it never sleeps. Has anyone else checked theirs? How much of a pain is the battery to get at? Would the concern be abolished with an Optima? Any help is greatly appreciated.

01-09-2011, 11:39 PM	#2
OUR72GTO 2010 SIM Beige RS 6M Drives: SIM RS 6M 66 Corvair Silverado LTZ Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Kamloops,British Columbia Posts: 4,677	These are sealed. __________________ CAMARO.. 2010 The Heart Beat is back in CHEVROLET Now let's put it back in America

01-10-2011, 08:19 AM	#3
chef-beavis Drives: IOM 2013 2SS/RS, Greenie, 06 FXSTBi Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Turd Town, WI Posts: 1,584	Aren't they all? Are you saying there's nothing on the top like caps? They completely sealed? I thought they all had to be able to vent. I'm certainly no expert, though, or I wouldn't have asked. I guess I'll have to go exploring in my trunk this spring. Thanks.

01-10-2011, 10:38 AM	#5
MMC Drives: CGM 2SS/RS, 1987 & 2014 Silverado Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Spencerport, NY Posts: 1,012	The battery is a special battery designed for mounting in the trunk, They are used in some other brands of cars as well. They are not sealed they have a vent hose that runs out of the trunk under the car. They are very easy to get to, just like gaining access to a spare. They have the trunk pad and then the hard spare cover with a large nut to spin off. Mine is an SS so I'm not sure about the other models when you order a spare. Replacement AC Delco batteries are around $200. __________________

01-10-2011, 10:47 AM	#6
rtcat600man having FUN now 13.66@101 Drives: 2010 2LT IOM Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Clarkston, Michigan Posts: 9,230 View My Garage	Battery in the trunk, you can see the vent tube. Attached Images __________________ MY BUILD

01-10-2011, 10:17 AM	#4
pennor Drives: 2011 2LT - 73 Corvette 454 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Salem, OR Posts: 240	Yea, I've had concerns about this. Yes, the factory battery is a sealed unit. I haven't shopped for a replacement battery and it will probably be 5 years before any of us really need to replace one. When I had to find a replacement for the battery in my Chevy Colorado I shopped every battery dealer in town to find one that would fit. Chevrolet seems to love to ignore standard size batteries in favor of odd ones that nobody carries. I ended up setteling for a non-sealed one because even the dealer didn't have the "stock" delco battery for a replacement. Will this be an issue as our Camaro's age? I suspect it will. We'll end up with some after market battery that may or may not be sealed, and from then on I can see proglems developing with corrosion in the trunk floor pan.

01-10-2011, 03:38 PM	#7
chef-beavis Drives: IOM 2013 2SS/RS, Greenie, 06 FXSTBi Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Turd Town, WI Posts: 1,584	CRAP That is what I feared. Those caps on the top are what "weeped" on my street machine. I guess I'll have to look once in awhile. Would a gel battery eliminate the problem?

01-10-2011, 07:17 PM	#8
Stingr69 '69 Owned Since '79 Drives: '69 Z/28 LeMans Blue w/White Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: LR AR Posts: 1,847 View My Garage	They sell a pad that you can put under the battery that will absorb any acid leaks. Maybe put one of those under the battery if it helps you sleep at night. I have one on my '69 because it happened to me once. Cheap insurance. -Mark.

01-11-2011, 06:15 AM	#9
clg_98ta Drives: 2010 Camaro 2SS Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 2,698 View My Garage	Its pretty rare for a modern battery to start leaking. You'd probably have to have a overvoltage problem in your charging system that 'cooks' the electrolyte. I'd just inspect it occasionally and otherwise not worry about it. __________________ Black 2SS ordered 1/4/2010, received 2/19/2010

01-11-2011, 06:43 AM	#11
chef-beavis Drives: IOM 2013 2SS/RS, Greenie, 06 FXSTBi Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Turd Town, WI Posts: 1,584	I'll check it when I get the car out AND when I put it away each year, I guess. The pad would help but in the case of my Cutlass it was the acid air/environment created underhood that did the deed, not any actual contact with the acid. Thanks for all the replies!

01-11-2011, 09:24 PM	#12
Texhawk Drives: 69Camaro,87IROC,96 SS,Z06&Stingray Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Longview, Tx Posts: 275	I would be concerned if GM was still using side terminal batteries with the terminal below the acid level, but I have not had any problems with top post batteries leaking.

11-19-2019, 09:29 AM	#14
G8One2 Drives: 2014 Camaro 2SS Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Metro Detroit Posts: 492	It should have an agm battery that's sealed.

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