Anyone know what is the largest and highest power Interstate battery for our trucks, 97' and so on? I noticed on their site that what they recommend is $125.00 a piece. I'm willing to pay more for more CCA's. It will be -10F tonight. . .

 

I turned the key to start this morning with the dome light on, and it didn't dim at all. Before I pull both batteries for testing I'll hit the starter with a bfh.

 

I say replace them both, Also clean the cable termianls well. I find a 3/4 pipe cleaning brush works great for this.

This is what I used.
Advance Auto Parts: Battery, Group Size 65, 850 CCA by AutoCraft Gold - Part 65-2

Also I cleaned the end of the cable on my start. That did make a difference I think.

 

Check the starter relay on the passenger side fender well. Mine went bad, clicked but no crank.

I wrote up a check procedure, it's the larte message about 2/3 down this thread:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...k-problem.html

Since you have "click", you can rule out anything on the signal side of the relay. You're at least getting signal to the relay, or you would not hear any "click" at all.

The relay was under $30 at my local NAPA.

 

You mentioned having your starter tested, mine tested fine but it wasn't! Don't trust the 'test'!

 

How did you make out?

 

I'm with Glenn, don't trust the bench test on these starters. Seems more often than not they test ok but are junk..

 

The problem is that even when you test the starter you really don't know how it is going to react with a load on it. The test will verify that the starter spins up and that the bendix will throw out the drive gear, but the test really does nothing to put a significant load on the starter to see how it will react when it is actually cranking an engine.

That is a critical thing to know on our trucks with large displacement, high compression engines. The testers just cannot duplicate the load that our engines produce on the starter.

 

Last time I checked Ford, they had 1,000 CCA's for $105.

 

Interstate's 31-MHD's are pretty good...

 

Thanks for the heads up!

 

As that a step above what they recommend for our trucks?

 

Yes. You actual have to modify the battery trays in order to get them to fit.

 

an easy modification? I'd like to pull up to the Interstate store and switch them out on the spot. Thanks

 

Im with the rest. Replace both batteries. but it sounds like the starter. Several weeks ago I went to look at a truck. Did the SAME THING. Ended up the starter was done, and needed 2 batteries. Put the new batteries in Used EXIDE Classics 850 CCA, and the truck fired right up. Got a brand new REMY starter from advance auto using the 40% coupon.

Good luck.