It's around 35 outside here on the east coast and I went out to do what I thought was gonna be so Christmas shopping. I hopped in the truck, turned the key and it would turn over but would not crank. I thought I'm the past that it was possibly a starter issue. The batteries were almost like they dieing when I tried to crank it. Then I noticed when the shop changed the batteries that he installed 650 Cca batteries . I figured he would have installed what was in it! Would thus be causing my problem of not starting @ a 35 degree temp. I called ford and they said 750 is supposed to be in it.

 

There could be several things affecting your no start issue. The first would be the low CCA of the batteries. They should be at least 750cca. Do you plug the block heater in at night? This helps keep the engine a bit warmer for cold morning starts. How about the glow plugs and glow plug relay? You may have one or several glow plugs not working correctly. How old is your starter? Your starter could be at fault. The last thing is battery cables? Any corrosion in the cables or terminal posts?
All the items listed could lead to a no start problem. Start with the basics and work toward the more difficult. Jan 12 I changed out both batteries after 8 years of service, the battery cables after 12 years and installed a gear reduction starter. Hope this helps provide you a direction in solving your no start. Good luck.
Jeff

 

I just had the batteries replaced about 6 months ago. I have no corrosion. When it started gettin cool out is when I first noticed a battery drain. At first I thought it maybe the starter but it starts fine after the initial start up. Only issue is on the first start up. I have never plugged my truck in because it has never needed it before

 

Sure sounds like the Glow Plug Relay (GPR) or some of the glow plugs might be bad. How long are you waiting for the GPR/glow plug system to do its thing? At 35 degrees and a dead cold engine, I would guess the GPR should operate at least a minute, maybe two. Don't pay any attention to the Wait to Start (WTS) light...it is an idiot light which tells you nothing about the GPR/glow plugs. Try this, locate the GPR (go to the sticky just above the top thread) and find the thread in the sticky which talks about hard starts cold.



After you locate the GPR, turn the key on and with a screwdriver or something metallic, jump the two large posts on the GPR and hold it there for a minute or two. Then try starting the truck. If it starts, then you know the GPR has failed and must be replaced. If it doesn't start, it is time to pull out a test lamp (or multi-meter).

The batteries are of too small a capacity (I run 850CCA rated), but I seriously doubt at 35 degrees that they are your problem seeing that they are new. You could/should install an led to the cold side of the GPR and mount the led inside the cab. Then when you turn the key on, you wait for the led to go out BEFORE you try to start the truck. This minimizes the total load put on the batteries due to the GPR/GP's AND the starter running simultaneously when you don't know if the GPR/GP's are still on.

 

I bought my truck used. Two days after bringing her home she wouldn't start. The seller had put two regular car batteries in it. DOH! Ignorance is not bliss.

Took out the battery from my minivan, a single 850, and the truck cranked over.

It very well could be your batteries. Have you tried jump starting it?

 

I had to jump start it to crank it this morning. I have a GPCM not a relay or I would try that. Just left the shop and my passenger side battery was not charging like it should. I had some corrosion under the battery cable and it was cleaned and then tested like it should. The guy told me that if it did not work that we would change the batteries.

 

I would get the batteries changed to the correct size while you can....even if they are doing ok now. You are looking at issues down the road as those batteries will not last as long as the proper ones will.

 

I will go ahead and try to do that

 

Duralast Golds is what I bought. Under $300 for both from Autozone I believe it was.


This is what the truck came with, car batteries. They're half the size of what was supposed to be in there. I don't mean CCA, I mean actual physical size.


Change your batteries and your problem will be solved, I'd have to think.

 

I too run the duralast gold's from autozone. Installed Jan 12. They come with a 3 year free replacement and 5 year pro rate. That 8 years of coverage. Corrosion is a big deal in battery cables. Especially if the corrosion has gone down into the cable not just the ends. A voltage drop test will measure the resistance. The negative cables aren't that expensive but the positive cable that runs from battery to battery to starter is. I think the replacement cable from Ford is very expensive. Find a local battery company who could build you one for less.