Battery Issue?

[eleven14]

I'm on my second battery from Costco, the first failed in less than 90 days and the replacement has some strange condensation/moisture forming on the top after about 18 months.

Is this normal? I'm having zero issues but noticed it while doing some other maintenance.

 

[Seymore Butts]

That's battery acid seeping from the battery. You can verify this by making a thin paste of baking soda and water, applying it to the wet spot, and watching for bubbling action. This is a common warranty claim condition.

Verify your charging voltage. If it exceeds FSM spec of 14.2, then there's a problem with your charging system. If not, then these are just crappy batteries from Costco.

 

[Buckaroo]

I also think it likely you are overcharging....issue likely alternator/voltage regulator.

 

[ads2539]

It took me three tries to get a good battery from Costco (pre-covid, when I was driving more often).

I used to buy my Interstate batteries from an Interstate battery store, and never had a problem.

 

[eleven14]

That's battery acid seeping from the battery. You can verify this by making a thin paste of baking soda and water, applying it to the wet spot, and watching for bubbling action. This is a common warranty claim condition.

Verify your charging voltage. If it exceeds FSM spec of 14.2, then there's a problem with your charging system. If not, then these are just crappy batteries from Costco.

Took a few days before I could get by HF to pick up a cheap digital voltmeter.

Battery (engine not running): 12.85
Battery w Alternator (engine running, A/C on): 13.78

I cleaned to the top of the battery and will monitor, but I'm going to chock it up as possibly another bad battery from Costco.

On a possibly related note, my passenger side valve cover gasket is seeping onto the alternator itself, likely shortening it's potential lifespan (and possibly causing the original issue, but I'm not sure how). Will swap the gasket and clean up the alternator when I do plugs in the next 30 days and continue to monitor.

Thanks y'all