Yeah, i checked the large one yesterday. Its tight.. Ill check it again.. Im inside right now warming up.. Its like 10 in my garage.....


I'm sitting here prepairing myself for buying a starter, no big deal; just really passing the time getting warm.. I was thinking what could cause this situation; looking back at what I was doing in the last few days before I left. I think the last thing I did before I parked the truck outside prior to moving it into the garage is WASH it... I gave it a real soaking, over, under, sideways, everything... Wondering if the starter took some water.... After I check out the connections under the truck I think I'll bench test it and maybe bring it inside... Like I said in my first post the truck started up perfectly normal after it was warm and after that initial issue before I left. Hhhhhmmm...

 

Remember to get the super duty starter.

I had a bad fuel leak that saturated the foam insert underneath the hood. Lol dude at the NAPA suggested I soak the hell out of it. I was installing an IDM 2 weeks after that.

 

Oohh, good to know...
I got it!! Slightly bad connection at the starter, not sure it it was the big lug hot leed or the smaller 1/2" nut.. I got a little outta both.. Fired right up..
Now I not gunna raise any hell because I dont play like that but just between me you guys and the fence post; you suppose that "battery testing machine" at napa could be wrong? I needed batteries anyway but I coulda put if off a little, know what i mean......

 

The tests are only as good as the people and equipment running them... So its possible they were still ok...but if they said amp draw was dead flat...I would probably believe that...

 

^^^^^^ This is why it's good to have your own testing equipment. Good to hear it's resolved, anyway; always sounds sweeter when it barks and fires after a lot of

 

Glad to hear! Hell yeah it could be wrong. Go get your batteries back :-)

When you get new ones get Motorcrafts! We used to have batteries toast after 2 to 2.5 years and they were the NAPA golds or the Oreillys SuperStart premiums($160+), ever since we put motorcrafts (148$)in the truck they have been issue free for almost 6 years now.... I'm sure the optima deep cycle blue or gel cell batteries are much better, but I have been fairly impressed with the motorcrafts. Pulled one out of my buddies ranger that was 9 years old....

I used to take in the Superstart batteries to get tested. They would test "good", and then I would walk the guy out to the truck and have him watch me put them in, hit the glow plugs and get maybe three slow turns out of the crank and then dead...They would haggle consistently over the free replacement warranty within 3 years.(Non made it past 3 years) I actually started leaving the headlights on till they were toast, pull them and then would take them in to bypass the argument. Got really sick of haggling with them and hearing they test good, so we can't swap them out, even though they witnessed them failing to even start the truck.

That being said I'm sure it could go the other way.

 

Did you watch them load test the batteries or did they take them in the back and come back and tell you they were junk

I find it hard to believe they were junk just on the fact they started the truck but you had that loose connection that gave you the intermittent problem

Edit how old were they

 

Glad to hear you found the problem Corey.

 

I'm glad to hear you're up and running. Not a great time for crawling around under the truck.

 

Weeeeelllllll, not so fast... The saga continues.... Ill update when i can type more but as a hint it involves pushing the truck......

 

uh oh........

 

When I load test I will test first at a store where I did NOT purchase the batteries from. They will pass or fail, this way when your go to the store where they are warranted at you know. I just have a feeling AutoZone load testers know a durlast battery, and will have a better chance if passing. So they dont have to give you warranty. I know im crazy

 

Yuuuupppp, ohhh boy...
I went and picked up my brother-in-law to go and check a seasonal (insulated and heated tho) house he built years ago that's got some real bad ice dams. Ice dams are UNREAL in Maine this winter, even on structured that you wouldn't think are susceptible... I was headed down the center of town and had just turned off onto a busy secondary when I had to stop short for some dip chit; I was all aggravated when I went to take off and pulled a low gear stall... When I attempted to restart it and "it" happened again.. Hazards on in the middle of the street messing with the three leeds on the starter, nothing just clicking.. We pushed it into a parking lot that was relatively close, not having any tools with me besides a 13mm 12 point socket there wasn't much I could do besides wiggle things, still nothing..
I called my buddy to bring me a 15mm and 12mm combo and when he showed up I pulled both the hot and the ground, cleaned them inspected what I could and refastened them to the lugs.. It fired right up....but....
My brother-in-law who was in "vacation mode" was sitting in the drivers seat had his foot on the break and clutch, I asked him if it was in neutral and he said yes then he took his foot off the clutch and it stalled
When he tried to restart it.......click.....wtf.... back down under the truck...
Nothing this time... I suspected the ground strap from the body of the starter to the negative lug because it felt real flexable, kinda like when the wire is totally broken down inside the shielding. So, at this point where we parked was on a slope, I hopped in and bump started the truck and we took it back to his house, went to check out the ice dam, then we came back and I pulled the starter. The ground strap appears to be ok, I'm thinking of having the starter tested in the am but you know my "previous" luck with testing things... Maybe its the solenoid.. Whats the best way for me to bench test this? I have a jump box or a battery charger and test button.. Hot to hot lug, ground to ground lug and test button between small wire lug and hot?? Man.....

 

Decent videos of testing starters with your battery and jumper cables, are on youtube

 

I took the starter to my buddy's shop this am and we tested it, it appeared the solenoid was bad, the motor spun fine. I took it to napa and had them test it and the came up with the same diagnosis; so I bought a starter and it works like a new truck.. I'm actually amazed how much faster it cranks with a new starter and batteries; literally night and day difference. Thanks to all who contributed, you guys are really helpful!