[stomachmonkey]

06' Mazda3.

My DD that I've only been driving once a week or so lately.

Last week go to take it on an errand and the battery is real weak, not dead but not enough juice to start it. Toss a charger on it and take the truck.

Realize later that the rear dome light is on so assmed one of the kids was messing with it and that's what drained the battery.

Couple of days later drive it a good amount but I notice a drop in rpms that seems to coincide with electrical activity, radio, fan blowers, hitting the brakes.

Yesterday I go out and start it and it turns over slow but does start.

Pop the battery cover and there's a crapload of green buildup on the + terminal.

Disconnect/clean/wire brush everything.

Go to run some errands and pull up at a stop light, car starts to stutter and stall.

Mash the go peddle so the revs stay up and take it home. Sitting in the driveway it's behaving fine but it just occurred to me I was holding it with the e-brake and not the peddle so no load on the electrical system.

Back in the day you could pull a battery from a running car and it would continue to run but modern cars do need the battery in the circuit.

I hate to replace stuff if I don't have to.

Any thoughts short of pulling the alternator and getting a bench test?

Thx