Have you tried replacing the starter? it also could be the fuel regulator
Dirty battery connections created a spark when cranking the starter on a possibly overcharged/overheated battery causing an explosion.
The battery only handles the starting part, after that it is up to the ecm. You could have a problem with fuel delivery, air intake, or ignition. You will need to eliminate them one by one until you find what is causing it to die.
Leaking from where on the battery, the caps? If so the charging system may be over charging the battery and causing the acid to boil out. Could be a voltage regulator problem.
usual symptons are dead battery or under-charged battery causing starting problems
typically a clicking noise indicated that you don't have enough power from the battery to turn the starting motor. try cleaning the battery terminals with baking soda and water, then charging the battery. dirty terminals or a dirty battery top will drain the battery causing starting problems.
replace the distibuter
All that would be left would be a short in the wiring to the alternator.
You have a short - it's hard to be more exact than that, but if you disconnect the battery and charge it outside of the car and it stays charged, you have a short. If it does not stay charged, you need a new battery.
Yes, alternators are designed to maintain the battery, or recharge a battery that has been slightly discharged from starting the car. When the alternator is used to recharge a dead battery, it causes the alternator work harder and longer than it is designed for, causing it to overheat, thus causing damage to the alternator. A battery charger should be used instead. They are designed for charging dead batteries. After the battery is charged, let the alternator maintain the charge.
the heater core will need to be replaced with a new one. go buy a book and plan on spending a complete saterday on it.
An auto battery could be leaking for a couple of reasons. The alternator could be overcharging the battery causing the leakage. Or the battery itself could have a short or other internal problem causing it to leak when charging.
I had the same issue with my Pontiac Montana. One of the spark plug wires had cracked and water was causing the issues. I replaced the plug wires and the problem was solved.