Workman MD/MDXPage 6 -- 26Electrical System
Battery Inspection and Maintenance
WARNING
POTENTIAL HAZARD:
Battery electrolyte contains sulfuric acid which
is a deadly poison and it causes severe
burns.
WHAT CAN HAPPEN:
If you carelessly drink electrolyte you could die
or if it gets onto your skin you will be burned.
HOW TO AVOID THE HAZARD:
Do not drink electrolyte and avoid contact with
skin, eyes or clothing. Wear safety glasses to
shield your eyes and rubber gloves to protect
your hands.
Fill the battery where clean water is always
available for flushing the skin. Always RE-
CONNECT the positive (red) battery cable be-
fore reconnecting the negative (black) cable.
Follow all instructions and comply with all safe-
ty messages on the electrolyte container.
1. Check for cracks caused by overly tight or loose hold
down rod. Replace battery if cracked and leaking.
2. Check battery terminal posts forcorrosion. Use ater-
minal brush or steel wool to clean corrosion from the bat-
tery terminal posts.
IMPORTANT: B efore cleaning the battery, tape or
block the vent holes to the filler caps and make sure
the caps are on tightly.
3. Check for signs of wetness or leakage on the top of
the battery which might indicate a loose or missing filler
cap, overcharging, loose terminal post or overfilling.
Also, check the battery case for dirt and oil. Clean the
battery with a solution of baking soda and water, then
rinse it with clean water.
4. Check that the cover seal is not broken away. Re-
place the battery if the seal is broken or leaking.
5. Check the electrolyte level in each cell. If the level is
below the tops of the plates in any cell, fill all cells with
distilled water to the bottom of the cap tubes (or fill line).
Charge at 15 to 25 amps for 15 minutes to allow suffi-
cient mixing of the electrolyte.
Figure 31
COVER SEAL
FILLER CAPS
CORRECT
WA TER
LEVEL
CAP TUBES
Battery Installation (Fig. 30)
IMPORTANT: To prevent possible electrical prob-
lems, install only a fully charged battery.
1. Make sure the ignition switch and all accessories are
off.
2. Make sure the battery tray is clean and repainted if
necessary.
3. Make sure battery cables, battery connections and
the battery hold down components are in good condi-
tion.
4. Set battery on the battery base with its posts toward
the right side of the vehicle.
5. Secure positive cable (red) to positive battery post
with flange screw and flange nut.
6. Secure battery with hold down rod and wing nuts.
7. Connect a digital multimeter (set to amps) between
the negative battery post and the negative cable (black)
connector. The reading should be less than 0.1 amp. If
the reading is 0.1 amp or more, the unit’s electrical sys-
tem should be tested and repaired.
8. Secure negative cable (black) to negative battery
post with flange screw and flange nut.
9. Apply battery terminal protector (Toro part number
107--0392) on battery posts and cable connectors to re-
duce corrosion after connections are made.