My repair. Before:

 

Cleaned. Primed. Rust Neutralized. Coated with 3M Seam Sealer:

 

After (repray, adjust tab on driver's side to account for the fact that the battery tray surface is a little "higher" than it was before). Here's hoping it lasts another 11 years.

 

man that hole looks like something from a horror movie. Like someone here said, im afraid to remove my battery now. What caused that hole?

 

Battery acid, a plugged drain and time.

Rust never sleeps.

 

i better remove my battery to check for a hole tonight.

 

Also, there are drain tubes for these batteries that can be connected to get the acid outside of the tray area, past the exhaust manifold, and to the ground.

I also think people damage the battery tray surface when the battery is installed (by dropping in the battery) because it is a tight fit.

I tried fitting a battery acid mat underneath, and there is not really enough clearance because of how the battery is held down.

 

last time I took my battery out, I covered the battery box in the rubberized undercoating that I had leftover from when I re-did my rocker pannels. it looks nice and it's functional too.

 

Are you guys leaving your drains open when you repair the holder? Some of these repairs it doesn't look like it, and that's asking for trouble.

 

Oh..... my...... God....

 

I sealed the side hole, but left the front hole open.

I have not noticed any pooling of water in the battery tray, under normal (rain) or artificial (filling the tray with a hose) conditions.

The only instance where that side hole would drain water that the front hole could not would be where the passenger's side wheels sit lower than the driver's side wheels.

 

Thank goodness. When I saw the post I thought it was gonna' be another of those Paris Hilton things.....

 

I always keep track of mine.. .
I look on all my (small cracks and crevs) to make sure there is no rust... I am about to pull off stock exaust and repaint and seal it if I do not replace (it has alittle rust on it starting on the welds)

 

The side drains are only on the 85.5 or newer.

Just narrow slots. Must clog up fast with dead leaves.

 

:-(