tian

the manual says i can wash it with soda water. but won't water short the battery? i mean the water might connect positive and negative post.

and can i wash the battery but don't dismantle it? is it ok that water spill all over other parts in the engine compartment? just like washing the exterior of the car?

last question, i dropped a screw into the shift lever console. very hard to find and get it out. is it ok just to leave it there? mine is auto trans.

Spectre

iTrader: (1)

First question: Water won't short the batter. No worries.

Second question: I suppose you can but to really clean around the terminals I suggest just take it out. All a couple minutes and your done.

kcryan

iTrader: (1)

third question ...shouldnt hurt anything but if somthing goes wrong u know where to look

willis

iTrader: (2)

wash away.. it would be more effective to take off the terminals and really scrub them with some steel wool type stuff and baking soda / water to clean them better...

and the screw won't break anything down there. You might hear it rattling around, which will get annoying quick, but it shouldn't damage much.

jvairin

You should be able to find a battery post / terminal cleaner brush at an auto parts store for about $3. They look like a tube that fits in the palm of your hand with a wider base. The base has an opening that accepts the battery post, and in it are steel bristles. You twist it on the post and around a few times, and the bristles clean all the corrosion and buildup. The tube part has a bottle-type brush inside -- the cap (tube) comes off and you use that to clean the hole in the terminals.