SHELLLB Posted October 16, 2011 Report Share Posted October 16, 2011 I changed my oil yesterday and noticed it look like battery acid had trailed down and got on the passenger side suspension and caused some rust. Today I took the battery out and there was no visible acid on the battery but you can tell it has leaked in the past and cause the tray to rust at the bolt hold downs. I removed the tray and the acid has started to corrod the battery ledge and where it has trialed down near back ledge of the fire wall. Looks like ive got a mess to clean up. Any suggestions and has anyone else had this issue? Body shop ? Might try just to sand down the dammaged painted areas and paint them with tin can. Cant see it once the battery tray is on place. Deff. getting a new battery and tray with new holders and screw tabs. Also looks like i will have to take the pass side inner fender well out and check for any dammaged paint. Looks like a long weekend project is coming up soon, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6-Speed Posted October 16, 2011 Report Share Posted October 16, 2011 Sorry to hear about your troubles ... where was the acid leaking from, the terminals or the caps? I replaced my battery last year because the negative terminal started corroding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aonebadbone Posted October 17, 2011 Report Share Posted October 17, 2011 You need to rinse the area with a backing soda and water solution to naturalize the acid before you paint. Use primer as a base coat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SHELLLB Posted October 17, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2011 Sorry to hear about your troubles ... where was the acid leaking from, the terminals or the caps? I replaced my battery last year because the negative terminal started corroding. thats the strange thing, i pulled the batt out and cant find where it is leaking from. Nothing is wet on the batt or the tray. Its like it leaked out ahwile back and im wondering if some one left the batt charger on it and boiled the fluid out at one time. Im still going to replace the batt after I fix the paint and replace the batt tray. Started sanding tonite and might get my local body shop to finish it. all the areas affected are hidden by the batt tray but still want it to look factory. I will say on Fords side the batt tray is a poor design. the tray should catch the acid and have a drain point with a rubber tube taking it to the ground incase it does leak and not let the acid leak onto the painted parts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SHELLLB Posted October 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2011 took the Shelby to the body shop today, there going to sand all the paint off that was compromised by the acid down to bare metal and then acid treat . prime and paint. My body shop guy says there are several steps to take care of this so there is no long term affects and there work is garanteed for lifetime of the car. I will be able to sleep at nite. / cant wait to get it back and start driving it again. lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sudguy4 Posted October 20, 2011 Report Share Posted October 20, 2011 took the Shelby to the body shop today, there going to sand all the paint off that was compromised by the acid down to bare metal and then acid treat . prime and paint. My body shop guy says there are several steps to take care of this so there is no long term affects and there work is garanteed for lifetime of the car. I will be able to sleep at nite. / cant wait to get it back and start driving it again. lol The exact same thing happened to mine roughly two years ago. I noticed the battery not holding charge very well, but figured it was due to sitting up most of the time. Then, one day I decided to clean the engine, and literally sprayed all the corrosion out of the tray, and followed suit in the same manner you did to discover quite a mess. Thankfully, my local Ford dealer covered the entire mess under warranty...their body shop repainted the area above and below the tray, and put everything back perfectly. Much like you, I still have no idea where it started, because the car was kept in a dry, climate-controlled garage that is also dehumidified. All I can attribute it to was a bad battery from the factory. I guess we will see what happens when this battery needs replacing... Word to the wise...disconnect your batteries at least once a year and look UNDER them for any corrosion....I never saw any until I sprayed water in the area! Sudguy4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SHELLLB Posted October 21, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 21, 2011 I got the Shelby back from the body shop and they did a great job. painted the areas damaged below the batt and anyware it ran. they also removed the inner fender and repainted there also. the acid had traveld accross the drain ledge where the water goes from the cowl drain. I still have to repaint the lower control arm but no big deal. lucky the only thing dammaged was the paint and the acid did not eat into the metal. I agree everyone needs to check under the batt and tray to make sure it has not happended to your Shelby. Always charge your battery with a trickle charger that is smart enough to cut off when it reaches full charge. Also someone needs to invent a batt tray with a catch tube and hose that leads to the ground. Id buy one. sorry no pics but i still cant loand pics to this site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LuckySnake Posted October 22, 2011 Report Share Posted October 22, 2011 thats the strange thing, i pulled the batt out and cant find where it is leaking from. Nothing is wet on the batt or the tray. Its like it leaked out ahwile back and im wondering if some one left the batt charger on it and boiled the fluid out at one time. Im still going to replace the batt after I fix the paint and replace the batt tray. Started sanding tonite and might get my local body shop to finish it. all the areas affected are hidden by the batt tray but still want it to look factory. I will say on Fords side the batt tray is a poor design. the tray should catch the acid and have a drain point with a rubber tube taking it to the ground incase it does leak and not let the acid leak onto the painted parts. Some pix would be great to see. I checked mine last night and without taking the battery out of the tray, it looks as if the plastic tray is designed to catch a spill. Mine is an early 07 so I'm not sure if Ford changed to a different style tray in later production GT500s or mustangs? I have always used a trickle charger to keep the battery topped off when the car is sitting in storage, no evidence of leaking around or below the battery tray. I appreciate you bringing this topic up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SHELLLB Posted October 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 22, 2011 Some pix would be great to see. I checked mine last night and without taking the battery out of the tray, it looks as if the plastic tray is designed to catch a spill. Mine is an early 07 so I'm not sure if Ford changed to a different style tray in later production GT500s or mustangs? I have always used a trickle charger to keep the battery topped off when the car is sitting in storage, no evidence of leaking around or below the battery tray. I appreciate you bringing this topic up. if you take the batt out you can see it will catch some but at the very bottom near the engine there is a cut out to let it flow onto the paint. that is where the drain tube should have been desighned to drain with a tube to the ground. glad yours is ok and it is a great idea to check under neath the batt and batt tray from time to time. i wonder if anyone at Shelby or Ford reads this stuff? maybe it will set off a light bulb idea for them. lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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