Help Needed and some crying.
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5th Wheeling
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 47
Likes: 0
From: Montrose
Help Needed and some crying.
Im 19 and I just bought my second truck. It just happens to be a very hard truck to find for sale. (F-250 7.3, 6 on the floor, 4 door 8 foot bed) but shes got some problems. First off it has a short somewhere. Unless you disconnect the negative cables it will drain the batteries flat dead almost overnight. I just want to know the best way to find the short in this truck without tearing it all apart. (Its a managery of wires and little vac hoses down there and i don't really want to dive headstrong in there and start pulling fuses and wires and stuff). Second my truck seems to make a hissing noise from the turbo area at certain RPMs (between 1500 and 2000) and stays constant if i hold it there. The hissing goes away below and above it and totally gone once engine warms all up. I was wondering if it was a turbo pipe leak or something else. Now time for me to cry a little. It makes me mad that in my generation the standard transmission is rapidly becoming replaced by automatics. I was just wondering if anybody else agrees with me? Thanks Everybody who responds to this!
Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 13,011
Likes: 742
From: Here in No. Calif
may sound crazy but I have heard of brake pedal depressing on its own overnite and subsequently the light being on drains battery. Go out and check after it sits for a bit. Probably not but stranger things have happened. Post any findings and I`m sure someone else will post who knows a ton more than me
Laughing Gas
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,098
Likes: 6
From: Ventura co.
take the ground terminal off the batterys. disconnect the wires from the alternator.. tape the ends of the wires so they don't touch anything and short out while you try this . reconnect the battery and see if it still sparks. the alternator may have a short itself..
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 138
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From: Columbia, MO
How old are the batteries in the truck? This is where I would start. Have the batteries tested to make sure. They need to be disconnected from one another to perform a proper load test. Alternators are also common to go out in the years of diesels, my guess is from the nature of the diesel. Is there an aftermarket stereo or subs in the truck? IF so, that is where I'd start looking for a drain.
A lot of guys seem to prefer autos in Gassers, Manuals in the diesels. While autos are becoming more popular, there will always be manual transmissions in the heavy duty work and towing industry.
A lot of guys seem to prefer autos in Gassers, Manuals in the diesels. While autos are becoming more popular, there will always be manual transmissions in the heavy duty work and towing industry.
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5th Wheeling
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 47
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From: Montrose
Everything is stock on truck. No after market anything except for trailer electric break system. Batteries are good and alternator is putting out 14.3 so its working at where it should. People have told me its the starter drawing and it still could be the alternator drawing when trucks turned off. I will test it like sand said. No idea how old batteries are because I bought the truck a month ago and they went stamped. It had little corrosion around terminals and I cleaned it all up. They hold their charge right nice. Oh no custom radio or subs. All original equip like I said earlier.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 6,096
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From: Mesa AZ
Three quick things you can check. On a cold engine, feel the alternator and see if it's hot. If so, then you probably found your problem.
Also check the power cable at the starter. If that nut comes loose the cable can rotate and ground itself.
Also, check the switched side of your glow plug and AIH solenoids (assuming 99.5 model or later and you don't have the GPCM). If either solenoid sticks, it will drain your batteries quickly.
Also check the power cable at the starter. If that nut comes loose the cable can rotate and ground itself.
Also, check the switched side of your glow plug and AIH solenoids (assuming 99.5 model or later and you don't have the GPCM). If either solenoid sticks, it will drain your batteries quickly.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,181
Likes: 3
From: Eastern CT.
We had a short in in 89' Bronco,,,this is how I was told to find it,,,Remove the main negative battery terminal,,,use a 12 volt test light,,hook it to the terminal,,and have a helper poke the tester point to the negative battery terminal,,,if you have the short the light will be on because of draw to the battery,,,Now start unpluging one fuse at a time,,,,until the light goes out,,(putting each fuse back in if light stays on) ,we did all the fuse's on the Bronco,,,,light still on,,,,,then started with the relays,,,,,Bingo,,,light went out,,,was the fuel pump relay, as I recall!,,,Good Luck,,,this should point you in the right direction !!
More Turbo
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 579
Likes: 18
In California stick shifts are all but gone. I'd love to have a stick in my diesel but there just aren't any out here. And as for there always being manuals; Ford no longer offers one, its too bad.
