Author Topic: F150 charging / electrical problem (Read 1717 times)

grislyatoms · « **on:** July 30, 2006, 05:23:59 AM »

Need some advice, folks.

Yesterday morning when I got in to start my pickup, I noticed that the starter seemed to be turning just a little slowly. Watched the charging gauge, it was sitting a little over 14 volts on the way to work.

Got to work, shut it off, tried starting it again, perfectly normal.

Went out last night to come home from work, and the starter seemed kinda "draggy" again. Got home, parked, tried starting it again, perfectly normal sounds and feels.

This morning, I tried to start it and I got solenoid clicking and a very low speed starter. Wouldn't even start it. Having just a few minutes to get to work, I rolled it down the hill by my house, popped the clutch, and it started and ran all the way to work, voltmeter still just over 14 volts. Got to work, shut it off, tried it again, it started right up.

When I go out to go home tonight, I am going to give the terminals a good scrubbing and see what I get. I am really thinking though that either the battery is shorted or something internally or I have a short somewhere else (I really hope that's not the case) that is slowly draining the battery. By the way, it has been unusually humid, wet and rainy here the last couple of days.

Any advice, folks?

Stickjockey · « **Reply #1 on:** July 30, 2006, 05:34:15 AM »

How old is the battery? They do start to lose the ability to hold a charge after a while.

grislyatoms · « **Reply #2 on:** July 30, 2006, 05:43:24 AM »

I am not sure how old it is, it doesn't have those little punch outs on it. It fairly new. Only had the pickup since January.

I just went out and took off the negative cable, if it won't start when I get out tonight, I'll know it's the battery. Still gonna scrub the terminals, though.

Thanks!

Ben · « **Reply #3 on:** July 30, 2006, 05:57:39 AM »

That sounds like classic battery to me. Sometimes it doesn't even have to be old, ya just get a bum one.

280plus · « **Reply #4 on:** July 30, 2006, 06:10:32 AM »

Cleaning the terminals is good but go to some local or Auto Zone kind of place and let them test it?

grislyatoms · « **Reply #5 on:** July 30, 2006, 06:16:05 AM »

Thanks, my gut instinct is that it's the battery, and I am hoping that's what it is.

grislyatoms · « **Reply #6 on:** July 30, 2006, 07:59:11 AM »

Quote from: 280plus

Cleaning the terminals is good but go to some local or Auto Zone kind of place and let them test it?

I think all the parts shops are going to be closed by the time I leave, I'll probably end up at Wally-World. Good idea, though.

K Frame · « **Reply #7 on:** July 30, 2006, 08:22:51 AM »

Walmart used to have battery testers in their stores. I've not noticed them for awhile, though, but I've not had need to visit the battery aisle, either.

Azrael256 · « **Reply #8 on:** July 30, 2006, 11:36:43 AM »

Definitely a battery problem. The age of the battery is only relevant as it applies to any potential warranty claim. An expensive battery might last eight years. An el-cheapo walmart special might last ten. Or they both might die in two. If you live in a climate that alternates between blistering hot and icy cold, it's going to go quicker. I had a good Interstate in my car that ran for seven years. I went off to Oklahoma, and it died with the first snow. The cold, and the fact that the battery only got charged once every two weeks (I walked everywhere), ate it alive in short order.

Most places that replace batteries will install it for free with the price of the battery, and they'll test the alternator for free, too. ALWAYS do both. If the battery is old, it probably just died, but it's good to catch alternator problems quickly, while you're within pushing distance of your own house.

280plus · « **Reply #9 on:** July 30, 2006, 11:40:48 AM »

These days people are touting "Interstate" Batteries. I must admit, I have one in my E-150 for about 5 years now and it's still going strong. Has anyone heard anything else on this, It used to be "Diehards" were the ones to have but I'm hearing they are not so good anymore. Anybody got info?

Azrael256 · « **Reply #10 on:** July 30, 2006, 11:53:07 AM »

+1 for Interstate. Working in the McDonalds of auto shops doing oil, belts, batteries, lights, and other routine maintenance tasks, I saw very few Interstate batteries fail, even at rather extreme ages. Die Hard batteries are in the mid-range for batteries, and Walmart's Never-Start batteries come with a two year warranty that you'll need.

grislyatoms · « **Reply #11 on:** July 30, 2006, 12:39:19 PM »

Thanks for the advice, folks. I found a Autozone that's @ 2 miles from work that's open until 22:00. They've got the medicine to fix what ails my critter.

Az, or anyone else who would know, ever heard of "Duralast" batteries? They have them from $55 to $170 shocked

Just looked again, top o' the line runs $190 Shocked

Here's the one I am looking at:

DURALAST 65-DL 7 YR $10.00 $69.99
*** 750 COLD CRANKING AMPS (935 CRANKING AMPS) ***
-> 2 YEAR FREE REPLACEMENT <-

Look like a good choice?

Guest · « **Reply #12 on:** July 30, 2006, 02:41:05 PM »

They can check the battery for you for a bad cell. If the battery checks out ok look for a bad/loose /corroded ground strap-not just on the battery terminals, but the end that grounds to the engine, and also the engine to frame. And peel back the insulation a few inches on the cables at the battery as well, I have seen them corroded almost totally underneath with no visible damage.

cfabe · « **Reply #13 on:** July 31, 2006, 01:59:58 AM »

Duralast is autozone's store brand. Of course they don't sell anything else. When I was researching this the conclusion I came to was that any of the 3-year free replacement batteries are going to be good quality batteries. I ended up buying a Duralast gold for my old caprice, only had it for 2 years but it was a good strong battery. In a previous vehicle I bought one of the cheap batteries from a discount place here and it actually failed within the 1-year replacement period.

280plus · « **Reply #14 on:** July 31, 2006, 04:20:03 AM »

Shop around for an Interstate. I wouldn't buy an Autozone.

grislyatoms · « **Reply #15 on:** July 31, 2006, 04:23:34 AM »

Thanks, folks, it was the battery. It failed with flying colors and that was quite a relief. When I went to tighten the pos. terminal I found that the bolt had corroded, so I replaced that and the one on the neg. terminal as well.

While I am on the subject of batteries, anyone ever try to jump start a car that had a frozen battery? Not pretty.

grislyatoms · « **Reply #16 on:** July 31, 2006, 04:29:18 AM »

Quote from: 280plus

Shop around for an Interstate. I wouldn't buy an Autozone.

I didn't have much of a choice, when I got off work the only places open were Autozone (2 miles away) or Wally-World (10 miles away). Didn't want to chance making Wally-World, as it was I had to get a jump start just to get to Autozone.

Oh, well, if a get a couple years trouble free with it I'll be pleased.

280plus · « **Reply #17 on:** July 31, 2006, 05:03:21 AM »

Oh well, stuff happens.

Stickjockey · « **Reply #18 on:** July 31, 2006, 05:24:52 AM »

Glad to hear you're back on the road, Griz.

Brad Johnson · « **Reply #19 on:** July 31, 2006, 07:39:17 AM »

Do the trucks have the crappy steel strap terminals like my Vic did? My car wouldn't start one day and it turned out that one of the straps had corroded clean through.

I ended up doing this.

Not bad for a parking lot repair done in a suit and tie, eh?

Brad

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Author Topic: F150 charging / electrical problem (Read 1717 times)

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