Thanks Acky. Thanks to your suggestions I did get the old part back in. I'm going to go buy jumper cables and a volt meter. I topped of the water in the battery. After I go get the supplies I will jump the car and measure the volts as you and others prescribed. Where should I connect the volt meter needles to measure the volts?

spree17, hopefully you didn't overfill the battery cells. Typically there are U-shaped plastic pieces above the battery plates and you add enough water so the level is at the bottom of the U-shape. If you added water until it was just under the cap it's too full and may spill out when cornering hard.

I may have over filled then. Should I take some out. Crazy as it sounds my step moms car I was using went out today. It was a crack battery mount. I just finished that and will first get to my car in around 30 minutes. :)

OK guys some quick updates.

I went to go get battery cables in a borrowed acura...dont laugh the acura died. So I check the battery cables. One was way loose and I notice the copper mount had cracked. I spent an hour with borrowed tools at autozone taking the old cable out. Since Autozone and Oreilys next door did not have an exact match cable I used wire cutters to breeak off the old cracked mount. I replaced it with a much tougher steel universal mount ($2.37) and she started right up. Then I got battery cables and came home. I had cleaned up the old voltage regulator and filled up the water levels that were bone dry on my battery. I probably filled them too high but I did not see a mark on where to fill them I will look again. I then jumped my car. My car started up fairly fast. I shut it down and started it again. I used the lights and the windshield wipers. I drove it up and down the block. So far so good. I dont trust it yet so I will go buy a volt meter to measure the voltage from the battery with the car started and not started. I know the readings but the volt meters come with 2 needles. Where should I touch the needles for the best readings? Thanks so much to all you guys. You have been lifesavers. I may even order a new voltage regulator online just in case and throw it in my glove compartment. If the readings come out as you guys say they should would it be ok to drive it without fear?

If the battery was bone dry,you are probably on borrowed time with it, so I would set aside the voltage regulator money for a new one. (My water was only about 8-oz depleted, but I would not be surprised if I have to get a new battery soon.)

I'd like to test the voltage like other people said but I need somebody to tell me exactly how to do it.

The battery may be on borrowed times as you said. :)

Touch the positive (red) wire on the meter to the positive (red) terminal of the battery, and the negative (black) wire to the negative terminal of the battery to read the voltage. Do this with engine off to read just battery voltage, then with engine on to read alternator voltage.

There are also additional ways to do this, as I am sure other people will point out.

spree17, I would leave the battery water level as-is, but check the battery periodically to confirm that it's not leaking water/electrolyte. Batteries require routine maintenance, that is checking/maintaining the water level every few months to keep them functioning properly. Just because the plates were exposed doesn't necessarily mean the battery will need replacing soon. You might want to inspect the cable connections at the battery to make sure the battery posts and the inside of the cable clamps are clean, and the connections tight. A slight amount of corrosion can cause problems. Optima batteries, on the otherhand, are sealed and require no maintenance.

That is what I figured but I wanted to ask around to make sure. It seemed too simple. :)

I never knew todays batterys needed their water checked. Thanks a bunch. I had not checked water level on batteries since the early 80's. :)

That's good to know.

Not hijacking the thread: Although my water/electrolyte level was lowered, the cells were wet up to the caps, so I will assume the plates were wet as well. I had no idea I even had a conventional battery -- I thought it was sealed -- and the water/electrolyte level has steadily dropped over the past year. I added about a cupful of water to top off.

In very warm, humid weather, it was not holding a charge as strongly as it should and I was preparing to buy a new one when I discovered the well-hidden, flush-mounted covers over the refill holes (it's an Autocraft Titanium).

Today I will go buy the volt meter and test the battery. Yesterday at 1pm I had 2 cars not running but by 5pm I had both running so I feel a lot better now. :)

Buy the best meter you can afford. If you can, get one with a duty cycle function as it can help you with future trouble shooting. If you are really strapped for cash, one of the $3.99 digital meters from Harbor Freight will allow you to measure voltage and get you through your current situation.

I got a digital one for around $18. Any advice on what setting I should use?

OK I check the 2 batteries with the volt meter.

My Mercedes was 11.80-12.02 before starting. It may not be fully charged yet
My Mercedes was 13.77-13.80 after starting

My dads Acura was 12.4 before starting (new battery that I drove this morning)
My dads Acura was 14.4 after starting.

Do you think I'm safe? Could it just have been dry water cells or a dirty regulator? Should I bring the battery in for more checking? Should I buy a voltage regulator just in case?

Thanks so much for everybody's input and advice. I'm finally starting to see an end to a tough few days. :)