Tuesday, October 4, 2016

How to Service a Ford F150 Truck Battery Terminals - Part 1 of 2 - Terminals Cleaning

Fig.1 Ford F150 Truck
By Gary Boutin

 Tools and Supplies:
Acid or Chemical gloves 
Anti-corrosion discs (red and black)
Chip brush 
Measurement spoon (1 teaspoon - 5 grams)  
Open-End Wrench 5/16  (8 millimeters)
Plastic drink container or glass container 
Pliers (help pull out) 
Post cleaner
Safety glasses 
Sand paper grit-30
Stater Bros™ Baking Soda (removes)

Mrs. H home is located in Hollywood, California. Today, She called about working on her stranded Ford F150 truck. This is a simple job of cleaning up the battery and getting her truck back home. This post can be used on any battery. Most car batteries are maintenance free. But that does not mean there no maintenance to the battery. This post can be applied to any battery in a truck or an automobile.

 This post shows the seventeen steps to cleaning the trucks battery.

 Step 1: We arrived and the truck was safely parked. Fig.1 above right, shows the Ford F150 Pickup truck emblem.
Tip: Turn the engine key off before opening the truck hood.

 Step 2: When the key was placed in the ignition, the only sound was a click, click and click.
Step 3: Fig.2 shows the hood release is located on the left side of the steering wheel. Now pull the lever toward you.
Fig.2 
Hood 
Release
Step 4: In order to find the problem for this truck, the engine hood needs to be open. Slide your finger in the middle of the truck hood and push the hood catch toward the window. This will release the hood catch, and open the hood.
Step 5: Now, push the hood upwards and use the metal support rod to keep the hood open while working on the battery.
Tip: If it help use a automobile light to see the battery area better.

 Step 6:  The assumption is that the battery was dead. The battery terminals had a an excess of oxidation on both positive (+) and negative (-) terminals.


Tip: When hydrogen gas produced by the battery comes into contact with dirt and sediment on the surface of the battery it leave behind around the battery post this white oxidation.

 Step 7: Fig.3 shows to use 5/16 (8 millimeters) open end wrench to loosen both terminal nuts. Wriggle the taped electrical terminal from the post to help remove it from the battery. Remove each battery terminal and remove the positive (+) first and then take the negative (-) terminal .
Fig.3 Open-end 
wrench 5/16 (8 mm)
Step 8: Fig.4 shows Stater Bros™ Baking Soda that will be used with water to clean the two terminals and the both battery post. (One teaspoon = 5-grams)
Fig.4 Stater Bros™
Baking Soda
Tip: The Baking Soda used here is our local Stater Bros™ Grocery store. Any Baking Soda product will work for this job. If sensitive to acid use chemical gloves and safety glasses to protect your hands and eyes. 

 Step 9: Fig.5 shows the positive lead still on the battery with green corrosion. Near the battery is the plastic cup, with water, baking soda, and chip brush to clean the battery.
Fig.5 Baking soda
Step 10: Fig.6 shows the negative terminal that needs to be cleaned. This is the first terminal to be removed from the battery.
Fig.6 Positive terminal
Step 11: When the solution of baking soda and water is placed on the white oxidation, it will start to foam for a few minutes. Now rinse the solution off with tap water. This needs to be repeated until all the white if gone. Fig.7 shows a plastic cup with baking soda and water and a brush.
Fig.7 Soda and water
Tip: The solution is a mixture of 1-tablespoon (5 grams) of baking soda with 1-cup (250 ml) of water.

Step 12: If the baking soda is not removing the oxidation use a terminal cleaner.
Step 13: Optional: A terminal cleaner are two brushes in one metal or plastic handle. One cleans the removable terminal with a stiff metal brush. The other is a circular brush inside the handle, place the handle on the battery post and turn clockwise to clean the battery post. Do this for both positive and  negative post. There are several types of metal battery brushes all work well to do this mob.

 Tip: If an auto parts store is not convenient, and you have sand paper grit-30 then use it to sand the battery posts. This is a good alternative to a terminal cleaner. Sand the posts until they are shinny clean.

 Step 14: Fig.8 shows the negative terminal all cleaned up from the baking soda.
Fig.8 All Clean
Step 15: Fig.9 shows a plastic drink container with baking soda and a chip brush to clean the lead post on the battery. Fig.10 show the cleaning of the lead battery post.
Fig.9 Clean terminals
Fig.10 Battery 
Lead Terminal
Step 16: Fig.11 shows the next step is to dry the entire battery and both lead post.
Fig.11 Drying the battery
Step 17: Use a large amount and coat both battery terminals & terminal cable ends with petroleum jelly (Vaseline). If you do not have petroleum jelly use heavy grease. This help prevent oxidation. If the vehicle works in a wet area, battery cover one red (positive) and one black (negative) will be very useful and prevent oxidation of the battery.


 How to Service a Ford F150 Truck Battery Terminals:
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Note: The DIY Advisor assumes no liability for omissions, errors or the outcome of any jobs. The reader must always exercise reasonable caution, follow current codes and regulations that may apply, and is urged to consult with a licensed contractor if in doubt about any steps on these posts. All names were changed to protect client's privacy. DIY Advisor. Reproduction of site content including photos without permission prohibited. All rights reserved. © Copyright 2011-

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