Every 16,000 km or 12 months.
Warning: Be careful when checking and servicing the battery. The electrolyte contains sulfuric acid, which is extremely harmful to skin, eyes and clothing. Be careful when filling and carrying the battery. Hydrogen gas, which may be released from the battery, is explosive. Do not use open flames or create sparks near the battery. When connecting or disconnecting the battery, always disconnect the negative cable first and connect it last.
General information
1. Regular maintenance of the battery is the only way to ensure fast and reliable engine starting. General information on battery maintenance is given in the Weekly Checks section at the beginning of this Manual. It also contains rules for starting the engine from an external battery. More information on battery removal and installation is given in Chapter 5A.
Electrolyte level
2. If the electrolyte level in a battery that requires periodic maintenance has dropped, it must be restored. Check the level in each of the six cells.
3. The level should be 10 mm above the upper edges of the plates. The body may have marks for the maximum and minimum levels.
4. If the level has dropped, use a screwdriver or coin to unscrew the filler plug and add distilled water (Fig. 4.4, a, b). To access the middle plugs, remove the battery pressure bar.
5. Screw in and tighten the plug securely and wipe off the absorbed water.
Warning: Do not overfill the cells as electrolyte may leak out during charging and cause corrosion or damage to the battery.
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Warning: When charging a battery, hydrogen gas is produced, which is highly flammable and highly explosive. Avoid open flames and do not smoke near a charging or charged battery. Protect your eyes when near a charging battery. Before disconnecting the battery from the charger, turn off the charger itself.
6. It is best to charge a discharged battery gradually. If you make short trips, it is advisable to have the battery fully charged. Maintaining the battery charge is very important in winter when starting the engine is difficult.
7. It is best to use a charger with a rating of 1 or 2 A. It is the safest and does not force the battery when charging. At the same time, it is relatively inexpensive.
8. For fast charging, you can use a charger with a high charging current. In this case, the charging current should not exceed 1/10 of the nominal battery capacity (in ampere-hours) - usually no more than 5 A. Forced charging can damage the battery. This charging method should only be used in emergency situations.
9. The average battery charging time is specified in the charger instructions. It is usually 12-16 hours.