HELP, please hurry I am losing money fast

DynaMow · #1 (**permalink**) 02-10-2008, 10:25 PM

Thanks in advance!!

96 F350. 5.4L But really probably general question.

Got in truck tonight (very cold out) and when I was yanking somebody out of the ditch in front of the house (good old snow) and my red battery light came on, which I assume means no charging?

So I get him out (of course its a Ford) and go to back in driveway and attempt to put up snow plow (drainage) lights go real dim, truck quits.
Now plenty of lights, but nothing at key start. No drag, no click, nothing. Now I am dead in the middle of the snow covered street. A guy with a Chevy pulls me (still not sure how it was able to do it) into driveway.

Now 30 minutes later I get drag on startup, but not enough to start. I am going to try it again in 30 minutes.

Alternator?

Reason I am losing money.
Its finally snowing, and my plow machine is now down.

Please give me opinion. I know there are experts here. thank you.

DPorter · #2 (**permalink**) 02-10-2008, 10:31 PM

check all your connections. Battery cables, alternator, starter, anything to do with charging and starting, also your plow wiring. You most likely had something come loose or unplugged.

Could a battery have shifted when you were pulling and grounded a post or cable?

DynaMow · #3 (**permalink**) 02-10-2008, 10:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DPorter

check all your connections. Battery cables, alternator, starter, anything to do with charging and starting, also your plow wiring. You most likely had something come loose or unplugged.
That is a great suggestion, I will do that once i get her started and moved to garage.

Could a battery have shifted when you were pulling and grounded a post or cable?
That should be all good, but I will check that.

thank you DP, I will let you know, what if all is tight? Where would you go then?
What is the exact definition of that red battery light?
Thank you

DynaMow · #4 (**permalink**) 02-10-2008, 10:45 PM

Why would there be nothing at original shutoff, and the after setting 30 minutes it has some juice?

DPorter · #5 (**permalink**) 02-10-2008, 10:55 PM

A drawn down battery will recover a bit after cooling off and sitting awhile. but not to full recharge.

BroncoChris88 · #6 (**permalink**) 02-11-2008, 12:38 AM

Prob alternator and a fuse in the dash

BroncoChris88 · #7 (**permalink**) 02-11-2008, 12:39 AM

when alternator goes there is a fuse that blows feeding to the Instrament cluster

DPorter · #8 (**permalink**) 02-13-2008, 07:42 PM

Well did you get it fixed yet?

99f350sd · #9 (**permalink**) 02-15-2008, 11:05 PM

There wasn't a 5.4 in a 96 was there?

Vladimir Hyde · #10 (**permalink**) 02-16-2008, 01:32 AM

i had my battery light go on too, took the alternator out, had it tested and it was a fail. but the battery still wouldnt hold charge, then i got a new battery(which i could use anyway cause the old one was from 2002) and it still runs electric solely off the battery while the truck is running with no charge up and that battery light is still on. i didnt know a fuse blows when the alt burns up, could that be why my charging system is still failed after $150? please help!!

99f350sd · #11 (**permalink**) 02-16-2008, 10:39 AM

If your alt isn't putting out 14-14.5 volts its not working. It may be the wires going to it. Check the fuseable links and 12volts to the alt with key on.

Dick

Vladimir Hyde · #12 (**permalink**) 02-16-2008, 11:12 AM

false alarm, the old alt was bad which is why i was so confused when the new one wasnt working either, turns out i didnt re-install one of the harnesses tight enough. stupid mistake. ALWAYS CHECK WIRE CONNECTIVITY EVERYONE!!!