Replacement battery cap, 2006 Impreza

[Dan]

So I went to check the oil in my wife's 2006 Impreza wagon, glance over &
see one of the battery caps is missing. I figure I must have left it off
the last time I added water to the battery, though of course I don't
remember doing so. Looked around the general area of the battery, pulled
the battery & tray, even got underneath & removed some of the shrouding, no
cap to be found. Called the dealer, as I expected, no, they don't
carry/can't order replacement battery caps. Before I plunk down 90 some
bucks on a replacement battery, I'm wondering if anyone has any ideas on a
cheaper solution. Of course, the caps are vented to allow gas to escape, so
simply pounding in a cork won't do ;-) Car is a non-turbo, automatic,
battery is a Panasonic.

Thanks in advance

 

[04 Forrester]

If you have exhausted all other avenues for the proper battery cap (garage
floors, motorcyle shops, battery rebuilders, fork-truck service shops, etc)
and know someone who works in an industry around pneumatic and/or hydraulic
cylinders, they will have a cap to fit. It won't be precise or screw into
position, but it is tapered and will fit snugly and will save you from
buying a new battery until you absolutely have to. All new cylinders come
with these caps installed and are thrown away once the lines are connected.
They come in all sizes. Check out any supplier or rebuilder of cylinders or
ask an industrial mechanic. They should have thousands.

 

[Jack Countryman]

Try a battery rebuilding place if there is one close to you? Or an auto
wrecking/parts yard? Maybe even the local service station or whoever sells
batteries locally...they could pull one from a battery that is going in for
recycling?

 

[Carl 1 Lucky Texan]

Try a battery rebuilding place if there is one close to you? Or an auto
wrecking/parts yard? Maybe even the local service station or whoever sells
batteries locally...they could pull one from a battery that is going in for
recycling?

Good idea.
I actually had to do this EXACT thing once decades ago. I worked at a
place that recieved a lot of specialty machined tubing-type parts. These
would often come in with a type of thread protector on the male threads
that was a mesh/net-like plastic sleeve. I cut one up and rolled it into
a tight roll and 'screwed/jammed' it into the battery. i figure it
prevented splashing but could still 'breathe' . I was careful to check
it VERY often but, as i recall, it didn't seem to lose electrolyte any
faster than the other cells.

Carl

 

[M.J.]

Of course, the caps are vented to allow gas to escape, so simply pounding
in a cork won't do ;-)

If you make a tiny hole through the cork, why not?
It may be good enough, or at least good temporarily
until you find a replacement cap.

M.J.

 

[nobody >]

So I went to check the oil in my wife's 2006 Impreza wagon, glance over &
see one of the battery caps is missing. I figure I must have left it off
the last time I added water to the battery, though of course I don't
remember doing so. Looked around the general area of the battery, pulled
the battery & tray, even got underneath & removed some of the shrouding, no
cap to be found. Called the dealer, as I expected, no, they don't
carry/can't order replacement battery caps. Before I plunk down 90 some
bucks on a replacement battery, I'm wondering if anyone has any ideas on a
cheaper solution. Of course, the caps are vented to allow gas to escape, so
simply pounding in a cork won't do ;-) Car is a non-turbo, automatic,
battery is a Panasonic.

Thanks in advance

Check with a shop that specializes in batteries, ask if you can browse
thru their used batteries going to recycle. You have a good chance that
you might even get the exact cap or at least one that fits but looks
different.