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  #1   Report Post  
Ricky C
 
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Default How to neutralising car-battery acid splashed into car engine compartment.

I just bought a 1997 Nissan Primera. It has apparently had a boiling
battery at one time, causing the battery acid to spray out. Much the
of the crank case and gearbox has surface corrosion as a reult
(showing up as whitish powdery deposits all over). I don't think this
is a serious problem since it comes off when rubbed with wire wool.

More of a concern is the steel parts that have rusted as a
consequence. FOr example the acid leaked aver the automatic gearbox's
steel mounting brackets which are just behind the battery compartment
and consequently showing some rust. I'm not sure how much I should be
worried about this. The mountings appear to be made of pressed 1/8"
steel.

I was thinking of spraying everything under the bonnet with a soda
solution to neutralise any lingering acid that could cause further
corrosion, but someone has suggested to me that soda (or bicarbonate
of soda) will also corode the aluminium engine!

If that's correct. can anyone suggest anopther line of remedial action
to neutralise any remaining acid lingering in the engine compartment?

Many thanks

RickyC
  #2   Report Post  
Ian Stirling
 
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Default

Ricky C wrote:
I just bought a 1997 Nissan Primera. It has apparently had a boiling
battery at one time, causing the battery acid to spray out. Much the
of the crank case and gearbox has surface corrosion as a reult
(showing up as whitish powdery deposits all over). I don't think this
is a serious problem since it comes off when rubbed with wire wool.

snip
I was thinking of spraying everything under the bonnet with a soda
solution to neutralise any lingering acid that could cause further
corrosion, but someone has suggested to me that soda (or bicarbonate
of soda) will also corode the aluminium engine!

If that's correct. can anyone suggest anopther line of remedial action
to neutralise any remaining acid lingering in the engine compartment?


IMO, it's unlikely that anything is lingering.
But, I'd spray it with a fairly dilute solution of bicarbonate of soda,
say 100g of solid in 5l of hot spray with washing-up liquid.
Leave a couple of hours
Then take the hosepipe (on fine spray) and spray for a couple of minutes.

Bicarbonate of soda will not appreciably degrade aluminium in the short
term.
Soda (lye) is a much, much more aggressive chemical,and may.

The right way of course is to disconnect all the rusted parts, wire brush
them, and repaint.
But this may not be practical.
  #3   Report Post  
mrcheerful
 
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Default


"Ricky C" wrote in message
...
I just bought a 1997 Nissan Primera. It has apparently had a boiling
battery at one time, causing the battery acid to spray out. Much the
of the crank case and gearbox has surface corrosion as a reult
(showing up as whitish powdery deposits all over). I don't think this
is a serious problem since it comes off when rubbed with wire wool.

More of a concern is the steel parts that have rusted as a
consequence. FOr example the acid leaked aver the automatic gearbox's
steel mounting brackets which are just behind the battery compartment
and consequently showing some rust. I'm not sure how much I should be
worried about this. The mountings appear to be made of pressed 1/8"
steel.

I was thinking of spraying everything under the bonnet with a soda
solution to neutralise any lingering acid that could cause further
corrosion, but someone has suggested to me that soda (or bicarbonate
of soda) will also corode the aluminium engine!

If that's correct. can anyone suggest anopther line of remedial action
to neutralise any remaining acid lingering in the engine compartment?

Many thanks

RickyC


just pressure wash the whole lot, then if it worries you remove each rusty
bit, strip and clean it and repaint.


  #4   Report Post  
Andrew Chesters
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Ricky C wrote:
I just bought a 1997 Nissan Primera. It has apparently had a boiling
battery at one time, causing the battery acid to spray out. Much the
of the crank case and gearbox has surface corrosion as a reult
(showing up as whitish powdery deposits all over). I don't think this
is a serious problem since it comes off when rubbed with wire wool.

More of a concern is the steel parts that have rusted as a
consequence. FOr example the acid leaked aver the automatic gearbox's
steel mounting brackets which are just behind the battery compartment
and consequently showing some rust. I'm not sure how much I should be
worried about this. The mountings appear to be made of pressed 1/8"
steel.

I was thinking of spraying everything under the bonnet with a soda
solution to neutralise any lingering acid that could cause further
corrosion, but someone has suggested to me that soda (or bicarbonate
of soda) will also corode the aluminium engine!

If that's correct. can anyone suggest anopther line of remedial action
to neutralise any remaining acid lingering in the engine compartment?

Many thanks

RickyC


Flush it with water. Grease exposed bits afterwards, perhaps?
  #5   Report Post  
The Natural Philosopher
 
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Default

Ricky C wrote:
I just bought a 1997 Nissan Primera. It has apparently had a boiling
battery at one time, causing the battery acid to spray out. Much the
of the crank case and gearbox has surface corrosion as a reult
(showing up as whitish powdery deposits all over). I don't think this
is a serious problem since it comes off when rubbed with wire wool.

More of a concern is the steel parts that have rusted as a
consequence. FOr example the acid leaked aver the automatic gearbox's
steel mounting brackets which are just behind the battery compartment
and consequently showing some rust. I'm not sure how much I should be
worried about this. The mountings appear to be made of pressed 1/8"
steel.

I was thinking of spraying everything under the bonnet with a soda
solution to neutralise any lingering acid that could cause further
corrosion, but someone has suggested to me that soda (or bicarbonate
of soda) will also corode the aluminium engine!

If that's correct. can anyone suggest anopther line of remedial action
to neutralise any remaining acid lingering in the engine compartment?


Use a very mild alkali like diluted bleach to get vestigial acid off,
then flush with lots of water, then look at treating the rust.

The phosphoric acid stuff like jenolite us not bad, if painted afterwards

Many thanks

RickyC



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P.R.Brady
 
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Default

The Natural Philosopher wrote:
Ricky C wrote:

I just bought a 1997 Nissan Primera. It has apparently had a boiling
battery at one time, causing the battery acid to spray out. Much the
of the crank case and gearbox has surface corrosion as a reult
(showing up as whitish powdery deposits all over). I don't think this
is a serious problem since it comes off when rubbed with wire wool.

More of a concern is the steel parts that have rusted as a
consequence. FOr example the acid leaked aver the automatic gearbox's
steel mounting brackets which are just behind the battery compartment
and consequently showing some rust. I'm not sure how much I should be
worried about this. The mountings appear to be made of pressed 1/8"
steel.
I was thinking of spraying everything under the bonnet with a soda
solution to neutralise any lingering acid that could cause further
corrosion, but someone has suggested to me that soda (or bicarbonate
of soda) will also corode the aluminium engine!

If that's correct. can anyone suggest anopther line of remedial action
to neutralise any remaining acid lingering in the engine compartment?


Use a very mild alkali like diluted bleach to get vestigial acid off,
then flush with lots of water, then look at treating the rust.

The phosphoric acid stuff like jenolite us not bad, if painted afterwards

Many thanks

RickyC



I'd say bleach is pretty corrosive!
Phil

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The Natural Philosopher
 
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Default

P.R.Brady wrote:

The Natural Philosopher wrote:

Ricky C wrote:

I just bought a 1997 Nissan Primera. It has apparently had a boiling
battery at one time, causing the battery acid to spray out. Much the
of the crank case and gearbox has surface corrosion as a reult
(showing up as whitish powdery deposits all over). I don't think this
is a serious problem since it comes off when rubbed with wire wool.

More of a concern is the steel parts that have rusted as a
consequence. FOr example the acid leaked aver the automatic gearbox's
steel mounting brackets which are just behind the battery compartment
and consequently showing some rust. I'm not sure how much I should be
worried about this. The mountings appear to be made of pressed 1/8"
steel.
I was thinking of spraying everything under the bonnet with a soda
solution to neutralise any lingering acid that could cause further
corrosion, but someone has suggested to me that soda (or bicarbonate
of soda) will also corode the aluminium engine!

If that's correct. can anyone suggest anopther line of remedial action
to neutralise any remaining acid lingering in the engine compartment?


Use a very mild alkali like diluted bleach to get vestigial acid off,
then flush with lots of water, then look at treating the rust.

The phosphoric acid stuff like jenolite us not bad, if painted afterwards

Many thanks

RickyC




I'd say bleach is pretty corrosive!


Not the hypochlorite stuff. Not dliuted and on steel.

Its not as bad as e.g.plain salt is when bimetallic contacts are in
existence.


Phil

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Ricky C
 
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On Sun, 13 Feb 2005 21:01:07 GMT, "mrcheerful
.." wrote:


just pressure wash the whole lot, then if it worries you remove each rusty
bit, strip and clean it and repaint.


Thanks to you and Ian.
pressure washing: I have one of those DIY patio cleaner pressure
washers, I could use but am concerned about water getting into
electrical components such as the alternator, wiring, etc. Should I
be?

Thanks..

RickyC
  #9   Report Post  
The Natural Philosopher
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Ricky C wrote:

On Sun, 13 Feb 2005 21:01:07 GMT, "mrcheerful
." wrote:



just pressure wash the whole lot, then if it worries you remove each rusty
bit, strip and clean it and repaint.



Thanks to you and Ian.
pressure washing: I have one of those DIY patio cleaner pressure
washers, I could use but am concerned about water getting into
electrical components such as the alternator, wiring, etc. Should I
be?

Thanks..

RickyC


Get the engine hot, then spray it but not too hard.

The underbonnet areas of cars are expected to get a lot of water up from
the road - things are pretty protected. The hot engine will dry off fast.


  #10   Report Post  
Ian Stirling
 
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Default

Ricky C wrote:
On Sun, 13 Feb 2005 21:01:07 GMT, "mrcheerful
." wrote:


just pressure wash the whole lot, then if it worries you remove each rusty
bit, strip and clean it and repaint.


Thanks to you and Ian.
pressure washing: I have one of those DIY patio cleaner pressure
washers, I could use but am concerned about water getting into
electrical components such as the alternator, wiring, etc. Should I
be?


I'd personally worry about using an actual pressure washer.
The pressures generated are quite high enough to force water through seals.
I'd rather use a hose on spray.
You want lots of water everywhere, not really at extremely high pressures.


  #11   Report Post  
Dave Liquorice
 
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Default

On Tue, 15 Feb 2005 01:31:31 +0000, The Natural Philosopher wrote:

The underbonnet areas of cars are expected to get a lot of water up
from the road - things are pretty protected. The hot engine will dry
off fast.


But not at 100 bar and I think you'd be surprised how dry most engine
compartments remain even in the most abismal conditions. If it was me
I'd used a solution of bicarbonate of soda left for an hour or so and
a good gentle wash down with lots of free flowing water.

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail



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