Battery *still* smells...

[Bo]

(yes, I've done exstensive searches in the archives, but not really found the solution to my problem..)

I Shot my old battery due to low water level and boiling.
Installed a new battery last week. Water-level is confirmed ok, I'm getting a charge of between 13.2 - 13.9V and the battery *still* smells when I take long drives (say, from 45 min and up).
It doesn't get hot however (just luke-warm).

Here's what might be the trick - the battery is just a 60Ah and I know this is too "small" really, could this be the problem?

[Tim L]

You voltage regulator is going bad. It probably jumps up to 16+ volts occasionally cooking your battery. You might see some symptoms like your headlights going bright for a few seconds or your seatbelt buzzer coming on for no reason.

Tim

[Don Wohlfarth]

Don't know if 60Ah battery is too small, but your voltage regulator is the reason for boiling the water out of old battery and will boil it out of the new one as well.

[jmohn]

Bad VR, just like Tim and Don said.

Jerry M
'78 SC

[Bo]

Hmm...
I *was* actually wondering about the seatbelt buzzer, since it does indeed come on occationaly - I assumed that it was doing this because of a bad connection or something, up until now....

Silly question - where's the voltage regulator located and is that an expensive piece to replace?

[trj911]

I agree with Don and Tim. I had the same problem, old battery died, replaced with new, went for 3+ hour drive and cooked the new battery because the voltage regulator was overcharging the system.

[jmohn]

Originally posted by Bo
Hmm...
I *was* actually wondering about the seatbelt buzzer, since it does indeed come on occationaly - I assumed that it was doing this because of a bad connection or something, up until now....

Silly question - where's the voltage regulator located and is that an expensive piece to replace?

The VR on your model is "inside" the alternator (behind the cover plate at the electrical connectors). I don't know the cost in Sweden (I think it's under $100 USD over here). My suggestion is, unless the alternator has been recently replaced, and since you have to remove the alternator anyway, get the alternator rebuilt and have a new VR installed. Total cost here (USA) should be less than $200 USD.

Jerry M
'78 SC

[masraum]

I replaced the VR in my '88 for $30 US a couple of months ago.