790 Battery Corrosion Help

[Flywheel]

Hi Fellas - I searched the forums and found all kinds of stuff on the battery corrosion problem - but I still have a couple of questions.....

I went out tonight to clean things up a bit - since i've got a little tractor downtime - and sure enough - the bottom of the battery tray is wet and the paint is peeling up and a while buch of corrision - looks like the JD battery is leaking out the top - not the screw vents but the top.

Anyway - going to contact the dealer tomorrow tractor is 1.5 months out of warranty - but with all these problems, I really expect to get something done.

Does anybody have a TSB specifically for this problem on the 790?

If the dealer does not do anything, what step can I take to clean everything up?

Finally, the D51R battery that everyone recommends (Optima) is no longer available, I believe.... So what is the recommended upgrade for this problem.

I am ticked at this issue and the fact I did not check it when I brought it to the dealer in the rain a couple months ago...

Anyway - any help is surely appreciated.

Regards

 

[Willl]

Just went through this myself.

Thought about getting the dealer to take care of it, and I'm sure he would. It's just over a year.
But, the job probably wouldn't have been done as well as I would do it myself.
That and you end up with another NEW leaky battery. No thanks.

Love my JD and my blood pumps green but good grief guys, get with the program.

So I did it myself.

Battery tray comes out pretty easy. Neutralized/cleaned/sanded/primered & painted. Looks brand new.
Neutralized and cleaned everything within a 3' radius of the old battery.
The standard yellow top Optima will fit with no mods. But just barely.

 

[Flywheel]

Yeah - I know what you say - be nice to get it all done right - well - i doubt my place would do the sheetmetal - and it would take them 2 weeks.

Can you tell me more about the optima - did you get it locally - any part number, etc? I was looking at the red top for about $100 - I think it was a 34series....

Anyway, it's kind of a shame -170 hours and no problems - I figures at leat the first thing to go would be hydralic or a part wear out before all this corrsion.

The other reason I wanted the dealer involve is some guys had radiator corrosion - but I guess I can just wash that out.

Did you just neutralize with baking soda?

Thanks again.

 

[stuart]

Forget about warranty. THIS is a manufacturing DEFECT that has plagued their tractors for years. Complain loudly. Make them change out the battery and repair any damages.

 

[Tact]

I also just went through this with my 4520. Luckily the corrosion didn't get too much into the oil cooler. My dealer picked my tractor up , neutralized and repainted the affected area, and replaced the battery. The only problem that I had was I had to pay $40 for pick up and redelivery. Dealers????????

 

[papafoxtrot]

Folks,

I've got another question. My 3520 sits for long periods (1-2 months) at times between visits to the "farm." I keep the battery connected to the tractor and attach a Battery Tender. Are there any cons to doing this? Might it accelerate this problem (tractor is LT 1 yr old). I know it's good for the battery - keeps it from sulphating, but I sure don't want to screw up the tractor $$$$$ either. Haven't noticed any corrosion issues yet however.

 

[Flywheel]

Well,

I spoke to the dealer today and told him that it is obvious that this problem has been going on for a couple of months, and had I checked it everyday, I would have found it in the warranty period. I told him that I understand this is an ongoing problem with thes and the 4000 series. He said that I would need all new parts and it would be as good as new. i told - well, I may be 30 days out of warranty, he said they would take a look at it and let me know - if it got rejected by JD, then I would have to pay. I said - if I have to pay, I'll do it myself!!!

Anyway, he says to bring it by. I bring it by, sure enough, warranty expired July 1st. I show him the corrosion and how it has likely been like that for a while - but I just got around to checking it. He says, well - JD will not cover it anyway because a battery is an item that wears out (or something like that) and that they could prolly do it in about 3 hours just by repainting, but no new battery.

I was so disgusted I left.

I called another dealer and told him the story, he said if I had bought it from them, they would prolly take care of me and call JD for extended ceverage, etc. he said to talk to JD customer Service - but the other JD dealer should handle it since they made the money off me.

Ok.

I call JD support - she says - yeah, out of warranty, no recalls, TSBs - but let me put you on hold.

She says, take the tractor back and it'll get escalated for extended warranty coverage - but now i don't wanna take it back to JD dealer #1 - so I say I'll take it to JD #2. I call #2, he says -no way, JD will stick him with half the bill - take it to JD#1 (where I bought it).

This is rediculous!

I have already trucked the **** thing around town, lost a bunch of time while the guy was out on break, and now I don't even want thier guy to strip and pint my parts and throw even another unsealed battery in there.

I'll spend $150 bucks on the optima and fix the thing myself.

My day messing with this has been as painful as you reading it.

Oh yeah, the original dealer that changed his story all up and sent me packing says "Give me a call if you need anything else."

Sometimes I wonder, I'm a pretty smart guy - what is wrong with everybody else??? At least JD corporate was making a good effort.

 

[Willl]

Oops, my bad. It's the RED top I stuck in there.

Part# 75-25
Mod# 7586DT
CA 910
CCA 720
RC 90

Optima redtop specs

Yup, baking soda.
Yup, locally.
Yup, yup, 100 bucks.

 

[Flywheel]

Thanks, Will.

 

[Flywheel]

Well, as Will recommended, I pulled the front end apart - real easy - almost silly.

Removed the battery and then 6 bolts, removed the intake tube from the air filter housing and the whole nose comes off with the tray.

Flushed everything and used some baking soda to flush further and then gave a good rinse, then let it all dry during the day yesterday.

Last night, wire wheeled everything and painted with a rust converter. Going to prime and paint tonight, one more day to assemble and new battery - should be good to go.

The optima 35 or the 75-25 will fit and same price. The 75-25 has the GM posts as well as the top posts. They got it for $128 at Autozone right now. Seems like a lot - but I lifted up the $50 "sealed" battery from Batteries plus, and I could squeeze it and hear the venting - I'm done with that....

BTW - the supports on the tray are 10 inches apart - so it could maybe take a 10" long battery without modification.

Anyway - thank will and just thought I'd pass along the update - don't know why JD does not have any info on this - I guess everybody just fixes themselves...