what damage can be done it a wrong battery is put in a car?

Question

the car is an 1982 modal chevy impala. The battery has side mount terminals on the battery. The car is a V8.

Answer 1

If the battery is the right voltage nothing will be damaged provided it is connect to the right terminals ie earth to earth positive to positive.
The battery should also be strong enough to service you V8 engine .One other watch out for is if the terminals are on the edge of the side check that the battery leads cannot in anyway touch metal and cause a short.

Answer 2

If it's a 12-volt battery, nothing bad will happen to the car. If the battery is too small for the car, the battery may fail prematurely because of the cold-cranking amperage capacity. If the battery is too big for the car, your alternator will have to work harder to keep it charged, but if the voltage regulator is working, that should not be a problem. Change your cable connectors. Most auto parts stores have battery terminal adapters that you can install for under $10.00.

Answer 3

if the battery is to small(power output not size) it will crank slow and if its not at a full charge possibly wont crank at all. if its too big for the battery tray it can bounce around and snap wires and possibly hit the fan or belts, destroying whatever it hits and maybe even splitting the case of the battery to cause an electrolyte spill. the acid will melt plastic, burn cloth, irritate skin, damage eyes and lungs.


but if it fits in the tray and produces more than the minimum cranking amps there is no problem, it can be three times more powerful than stock without issue.

Answer 4

hard to damage the car unless the battery cables aren't hooked up right, ie positive to positive and ground to the engine block. i recommend using whatever style of battery connection it came with from the factory, either side or top posts, side terminals suck i will admit especially when trying to jump a battery, but walmart sells batteries with both side and top posts for a universal installment, and makes it easier to jump a buddy. don't let the the positive terminals touch any thing going to ground. wrap electrical tape or a rubber cap around the positive connections anything non metallic and non flammable to shield it from touching other conductors

Answer 5

as Long as its a 12 volt battery thear is nothing that can go wrong unless it is a square peg in a round hole then you are going to have to bend some metal. but don't get me wrong the do make 16 volt battery's. but if you can hock up your side mount cables you will be fine.

Answer 6

You won't do any damage as long as the voltage is correct and you have at least enough cranking amps to start the car easily. Almost everything made in the last 40 years is 12V negative ground (black wire).. USA.

Answer 7

you'll damage nothing as long as it's 12 volt, fits in the tray and you connect pos to pos and neg to neg.