Went to start her up a little bit ago and acts like bad/low batts.

Turns over a couple of times and then nothing. Never had a problem, EVER.
She has sat 6 days, and usually does. I drive her 1-2 times a week and usually sits 5-6 days in between. Temp is in the 50's and not cold at night.

Tried jump starting (on passenger side), no luck. Got a couple turns and nothing. Left jumper cables hooked up to my work truck 15 minutes, tried again, 1 crank is all. Acts like low batts.

Batteries brand new 18 months ago, matching set 850cca from Les Schwab.


Checked voltage- 12.4 and 12.4 VDC

Turned key all the way on without turning over (like warming glow plugs), all accesories off- rechecked- 11.6 and 11.6 VDC

These #'s seem pretty good, I think? I guess I don't know.

It's dark and rainy, so gonna play with it tomorrow. I do not have a charger (probably time).

I have a VOM and a set of jumper cables along with some time tomorrow morning. Any ideas or help would be appreciated. Thanks

 

I had pretty much the same thing happen, ended up the passenger side battery was bad, only had a little over 2 years, Samsclub swapped it out under the 36 month free exchange.

 

Turns over slow and then nothing, or you get a bunch of clicking as the relays chatter?

Have you taken off and cleaned your battery connections and grounds to make sure nothing is worn or corroded? Those cheap connectors on the 02 and up will just about rot in half over time.

 

Couldn't handle it so put rain gear on and dinked around.

Oil on the low end of the dipstick (Within the marks) added 1/2 a quart and started fine after about 5-6 tries. Let it run 10 minutes. Shut off restarted several times perfectly.

I back up my driveway and park on a fairly steep hill. Could it being near low and on a hill cause it to act like a bad batt? If this is it (hope it is) I guess I will know to not let the oil get under 1/2 on the dipstick.

I'm feeling like an idiot....

 

All clean and look good. Turned over.

 

Low oil won't cause the engine to stop turning over. You've still got a voltage issue that you'll need to find. Sorry.

 

Ugh. Maybe a run to Les Schwab to have them check the batts in the morning?

 

Sounds like a battery with a shorted out cell. It will drag the other battery down. You need to load test them both NOT hooked up together. Low oil has nothing to do with what you have said about the way it turns over. if it did, you would have a more serious problem to worry about. the short may have broke connection after you tried to jump it but it will return if it's a bad battery

 

My first diesel and heard they don't like low oil, didn't know the symptoms.

Yeah, definitely seems battery related. Can I load test them myself? or just have the guys do it at the place I bought them? I know they have some battery tester machine and will do it for free.

 

Most any auto parts store will have a load tester and they'll do it for free. That way they can sell you replacements on the spot. Good for biz.

 

Take it to where you purchased the batteries and have them check the batteries individual. Do not tell them you purchased the batteries there until they give you the results of the load test on each battery. When they load test they really want you to have a bad battery to sell you the next one. You will at least get a pro rated battery if bad. It is not a good practice in these trucks to replace batteries one at a time. Always replace in pairs.
You need at least 10.5 volts while cranking to keep the PCM powered up and sending the signal to the Injector Driver Module to fire the injectors.
Low oil will starve the HPOP and therefore not allow enough pressure to push the fuel into the cylinders.
Get those batteries tested and ensure all connections clean. If all connections are clean and you have new batteries and still an issue then you have a starter problem. Good luck. Those starters are a pretty penny. Hell. Everything for this truck is a pretty penny lol.

 

I tried telling Samsclub they should be replaced in pairs, they said fine as long as I was going to pay for one, that they would not replace both under warranty, so I opted to not replace both- they both have 3 year free replacement, 8 year prorated, the worst that happens is another replacement near term (if the older affects the new one, that is warranted for 3/8 as well).

Edit: They also tested both without disconnecting anything, one showed full charge at 12.6, the other was bad, not sure how that tested works, but logic tells me they show have read the same, being in parallel.

 

When mine went bad, everyone who I asked about them,said to check them individually after disconnecting cables.