Date:         Tue, 9 Mar 1999 20:25:59 EST
Reply-To:     KENWILFY@AOL.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         KENWILFY@AOL.COM
Subject:      Another hazard -- battery acid (battery box treatment)
Comments: To: lahorgue@ix.netcom.com
Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII

Something that I had to do to my '85 Vanagon when I first got it was to treat
the battery box and I thought I would share this with the list.  As you know
battery boxes or trays are a sore spot on VWs and many a Beetle or Bus has
something stuck under the battery to hold it in the car because the floor
ain't there no more.  Battery acid or even the fumes from a gassing battery
can be highly corrosive and eat the paint off of the inside of your battery
box which leaves it open to corrsion attacks.  If you want to prevent your
battery from scraping the ground while you are driving down the road here is
what to do.
1.  Remove the Battery and clean the terminals (scotchbrite)
2.  Treat Battery box with water and baking soda (it will fizz when it
contacts acid)
Warning!! Do NOT get any of this solution on the battery as it will neutralize
the acid in the battery if it leaks down inside and kill your battery.
3.  Rinse area with water and dry with a clean rag
4.  Clean up any loose paint with the scotch brite or some sand paper.
5.  Now mask off the area around your box and primer the area with some Krylon
primer (if you want to be fancy try the self-etching stuff).
6.  Wait for the primer to dry and then paint the inside of the battery box
your favorite color of left over spray paint (no body looks in there so color
doesn't matter).
I know this sounds really remedial but with all of those rusted out battery
trays out there, I just wanted to help prevent some of our Vanagons going down
the same path.
Ken Wilford
Van-Again
John 3:16