Battery Leaking Acid

[G.I.Ceo]

So as the title says I have gone through three batteries this year alone. I have a issue with the battery leaking acid and bowing on the sides of it. Also the battery will only stay charged for a matter of a few days and I cannot figure out for the life of me what is causing this. My voltage gauge reads steady at 13.6-14.1 at all times too.

[AZFire316]

Have you checked all the connections? Possible ground fault?

[Redog]

It's overcharging somewhere, or cheap batteries

[G.I.Ceo]

Have you checked all the connections? Possible ground fault?

I did cut the ground from the body to the battery and replaced it with a heavier gauge. The reason I had done that is because I was having a issue before and it didn't seem to help. Does anyone have a better place to ground the battery then battery to body? The battery I am using is a Exide from Belle Tire and they have been nice enough to replace them under warranty each time.

[Redog]

I would think an engine ground is better, but a soild ground to the frame (or frame rail in a unibody) would be just as good

Maybe it's those batteries, IDK

[AZFire316]

could also check the charging system, I see you say its showing 14.1V which is right around where it should be but I wouldnt rule it out entirely.

[a.graham52]

what do you have for aftermarket equipment hooked to the battery (such as an amp) that might becausing a short to ground. also... your saying you never got the original ground to work properly and just replaced with with a bigger cable? taht only be hiding your issue.

[G.I.Ceo]

I would think an engine ground is better, but a soild ground to the frame (or frame rail in a unibody) would be just as good

Maybe it's those batteries, IDK

What part of the engine would be a good place to put the ground?

could also check the charging system, I see you say its showing 14.1V which is right around where it should be but I wouldnt rule it out entirely.
Yeah I am also wondering if it is the alternator putting out false readings and causing the battery to overcharge.
what do you have for aftermarket equipment hooked to the battery (such as an amp) that might becausing a short to ground. also... your saying you never got the original ground to work properly and just replaced with with a bigger cable? taht only be hiding your issue.
I have nothing attached to the battery as far as after market stuff goes.

[a.graham52]

why not go to advance and have them test your charging system?

[G.I.Ceo]

^ I didn't think to do that.

[pawzbear]

At first I agreed with "Cheap Battery" as ken said.. however I believe exide makes a decent battery. Def have the alt checked and see what its putting out.

There are more tests to do, of course, though they would require a GM Tech II scan tool and those morons at advance would not have one of those: they wouldn't be able to work it, anyways.

[a.graham52]

how would you use a techII to diag a charging system? iv never had to use one. unless it was a no charge issue so im curious.

[Redog]

It depends on the block.

If it's all alluinum block you'll have to go to the frame or frame rail, but a iron block gives a great ground.

On the 3400, it would be anyplace on the bottom end

[pawzbear]

how would you use a techII to diag a charging system? iv never had to use one. unless it was a no charge issue so im curious.

I have never used one either! But we have one. I use the bitty, cheapo scanner. The tech II and other make-specific scanners dig out a huge amount of info from the cars; practically has a graph and testing modes for everything. It was an educated guess that it would help - at least with some stored, vehicle specific fault codes, perhaps. It was an educated guess :)
Our guys had to go through training to use it and our Ford, Chrysler, and vag com scanners and they still find new features every day!