Can you use wd40 on car battery terminals

It’s important to perform maintenance on battery poles and terminals to make sure you’re never stranded by your car. The battery is the nerve centre of the car, as it provides the energy for starting and running the car’s electrical services. It must always be able to produce 12 V voltage in the required amperage which, especially when starting the vehicle, is very high. Modern batteries are sealed so that they don’t need to be topped up with distilled water as in the past, and the car owner’s task is limited to the external maintenance of the terminals and constant maintenance of the battery charge.

Depending on the type of battery, the poles, and therefore the terminals, can be structured differently. The connection systems can be:

• Truncated cone-shaped poles and collar terminals, to be tightened with a bolt.
• Truncated cone-shaped poles with a threaded central hole and cup terminals to be fixed with a screw.
• Platelet poles and flat terminals that connect with a bolt and nut.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

• Swab for battery poles and terminals
• Screwdriver
• Sandpaper
• WD-40 Specialist Rapid-Drying Contact Cleaner
• WD-40 Multi-Use
• Insulating grease
• Battery charger

BATTERY POLE CARE

If the battery poles have whitish dust (especially on the positive side), it means that oxidation is underway: the terminals must be loosened and removed. The poles must be cleaned with a cloth and ground with very fine sandpaper. Then clean them with a brass brush (which does not scratch them) and with the special swab for poles and terminals. The terminals should also be thoroughly cleaned with the brass brush. Use a swab to clean inside the terminals, repeating this step several times.

CLEAN THE POLES AND TERMINALS

With WD-40 Specialist Rapid-Drying Contact Cleaner applied to the poles and terminals, you can effectively eliminate oil, grease and sludge deposits. The product quickly penetrates into the most difficult to reach areas, drying quickly and without leaving residues. It optimally restores electrical conductivity by eliminating low contact areas. Its rapid evaporation formula leaves no residue.

PROTECTION AGAINST RUST

If there are signs of oxidation, we suggest spraying some WD-40 Multi-Use which protects the metal from rust and corrosion, as it cleans the parts in contact, eliminating and protecting surfaces from moisture. It also removes grease and tar stains from any surface. The terminals can also be treated with the same product.

TIGHTENING THE TERMINALS

The battery terminals must be securely tightened to ensure the best contact with the poles, as any unsafe contacts cause current to disperse, starting the car becomes difficult and the battery drains quickly. The “classic” collar terminals must be tightened by acting on the bolt with nut, other types of terminals can have screws or bolts inserted on shaped plates: these must also be tightened thoroughly. Before replacing the protective caps, apply the special insulating grease that is sold in a tube at auto accessory shops. The grease prevents the formation of further oxidation.

CHARGING

A standard battery has a life ranging from 3 to 6 years. The most influential factor for a shorter battery life is when a car is used only occasionally and for short distances. In fact, batteries slowly discharge when they are not constantly used and recharged by the alternator.

Its charge decreases and, if left in such conditions, it can remain a victim of the “sulphation” of the internal elements that irreparably damages its functionality. Therefore, the first rule is to periodically recharge the battery, especially if your car use is limited, using a good electronic charger that doses the charging current according to the need of the battery itself.

Some chargers are also able to act on the sulphation, if it is not too advanced. If the battery is not able to start the engine, it must be recharged with a good electronic charger (slow charging) that provides the battery with a fairly low current (about 1/10 of the maximum battery capacity) so that charging is slower but without the danger of plate damage. In addition, this type of charger automatically stops charging when the battery no longer needs it. It is not necessary to remove the battery from the car: simply disconnect the terminals and connect the “crocodile” clamps of the charger to the poles.

EMERGENCY STARTS

If the battery suddenly breaks down, in order to restart you’ll have to draw power from a battery in another car or use a starter.

• Use of a second battery: the connection is made with cables with an appropriate cross-section, equipped with clamps at the ends. One cable connects the two positive poles and the other connects the two negative poles of the two batteries. Keeping the rescue car running, the broken down car starts. Then the cables can be removed. Be careful not to touch the bodywork with the clamps during the connection operations, as they can cause dangerous sparks.
• Using a starter: in practice, this is a particular battery equipped with cables with clamps, able to provide a strong boost to the discharged battery. The connection is made as described above. Once the car is running, the starter can be disconnected. In both cases the use of WD-40 Rapid-Drying Contact Cleaner can be useful, as it cleans the terminals and poles, favouring the best electrical contact.

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