[dbiscayne]

After I drive the car, short or long trip, if I open the hood I can hear the battery hissing/venting. There seems to be more corrosion than normal, greenish yellow crust around the battery tray and various places below the battery. It's letting off a slight sulfur smell too.
I clean the area off so nothing bad happens to the metal, and I've put a voltmeter across the battery while it's running and it was around 14 volts. It's got a 65 amp alternator on it and possibly the original 1968 external voltage regulator.
The corrosion build up seems like a problem to me, any ideas why this is happening?

 

[perrina]

Bad voltage regulator over-charging battery. Did you test the voltage across the battery when it was at idle? See what voltage output you get around 2000RPM or higher.

 

[FEandGoingBroke]

Yes.

The voltage regulator might be sticking on the charge cycle... Your battery is the non-servicable type right?

If it is, then it should only get warm when re-charging from being drawn down severly low, and there should be suffieient room for the acid to expand without overflowing.

Change your regulator and ensure that the battery fluid levels are safe.

That's the best answer I can give you.

FE

 

[1 Bad 88 GT]

If you keep driving it without curing the overcharging situation you'll either boil the batt dry and kill it or it will explode and possibly take you with it.

 

[1 Bad 88 GT]

BTW after you fix the problem, remove the battery and rinse off the batt tray, inner fender and anything else the batt acid touched with a baking soda and water solution and then rinse with clean water, let dry and paint any bare spots.