<p>The boat wouldn’t crank on Sunday, so I took out the battery and took it back to Wal-Mart to have it tested. It tested OK, so I guess the problem was with my starter. But on the way back, the battery fell over on its side and some acid spilled out in the trunk of the van. Fortunately, I had an old mat under the battery, so I was able to solve that problem by simply discarding the mat. But if an ounce or two of acid has spilled out of the battery, should I try to use it? Should I take it to Wal-Mart again and have them retest it?</p>
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<p>You should be okay - just fill the cells (i.e. covering the top of the metal plates - don’t fill to the brim) with distilled water and charge it for a bit on a charger. After a few hours on a charger you should see the charge rate, i.e. the current drawn, decrease to near zero. After you take it off the charger measure the voltage of the battery - it should be above 12v - probably above 13v. </p>
<p>Make sure you wipe up any acid residue and don’t get it on your clothes - it eats right through cotton (you can guess how I know this).</p>
<p>What do you mean by ‘wouldn’t crank’? The problem, especially in something like a boat that doesn’t see a lot of use and sees a harsh environment, is often the battery cables. Clean the terminals of the battery and battery cables with a wire brush and make sure the cables are securely clamped to the battery posts. Seldom is the starter the actual fault.</p>
<p>Thanks folks. The engine wouldn’t turn over, though the auxiliaries - horn, tilt / trim, lights, etc. - were working. There was no corrosion on the terminals - I’d think that re-tightening the cables would be worth a try before looking to the starter.</p>