My 96 F-150 has recently been acting weird.
I go to start it and it acts like the starter is hung up, but all electrical is dead. I'll wait a few seconds with the key on & it'll beep twice then starts right up.
Doesn't act like this everytime. It even resets the clock on my radio.

Someone told me it may be one of the tank fuel pumps. But how would that reset my radio clock? If it is a fuel pump, I only use the rear tank as the front tank has a hole on the bottom.

Any help is appreciated.

Cheers

 

How old is the battery? Check and/or replace, also same for cables, connections, grounds.

 

Does your truck have anti theft device?

 

I have no idea?
Where should I look for this?

Probably doesn't if I have to ask, right?

 

Tedster9 is on to it. Clean up your batt connections and all grounds and
check out the battery. I think when you first hit the starter it looses
connection. Than the little heat it makes with the key on lets it make contact.
This is the beeps as the system resets as though you just hooked up a
battery. Than it makes a good enough connection from there to start.
How green and nasty are the battery connections? But just as important
is clean grounds. Don't be afraid to install some more grounds as it can
benifit from all you can get on it. Really, clean your battery posts up
first and let us know.

 

Bingo!
You guys are right on the Money.


I've cleaned these post every year for the last four years.
Placed the Red & Green Anti-corrosion felt pieces along with dielectric grease on the terminals.
What else should I do to stop this?
Looks like I'm going to need new terminals as one doesn't even have a hex shaped nut!


Cheers

 

You should just replace both cables with molded terminals, those look pretty bad. The auto parts stores actually sell a spray you coat the terminals with. I can't remember the name brand but I bought some at Advance auto parts down in Florida and sprayed my parents car down with it. I rechecked a year later and they still looked brand new.
Here it is:
CRC Battery Terminal Protect, 7.5 oz. 05046: Advance Auto Parts

 

Should I purchase new standard cables or buy Ford OEM Cables? These look more complex than the standard replacement cables.

 

Nevermind. Napa took all of the guess work. They have exact replacements.


Thanks

 

I just use grease (dielectric, chassis, wheel bearing, whatever) on them. I tried some of that anti-corrosion spray and the corrosion laughed at it. Maybe I didn't use enough.

 

I've had good luck with the anti corrosion spray in the past. My 2014 even came from the factory with it on the terminals already. You've got to put a pretty thick coat on for it to last though.