I'm 200 miles away from home and my tools with my 1985 F-250 4x4 5.8l. Today, while snowing here in gettysburg, went out to start truck, and battery was stone dead. No warning, didn't leave lights on over night. Just dead. Jump started it, but connections i made on battery sparked a few times. Truck started, ran fine. Went out about an hour ago, and as i drove down the road the power started to die. Lights got dim, radio died, as i put my wipers on you could see the battery gauge go back and forth. Finally truck died while driving. Popped clutch 3 times, and died each time. Friend came by to jump me, but eventually the battery started sparking again, and almost caused a fire. My friend pushed me, and I barely got the truck home. Please guys, im in a jam and need help. Is this a battery or alternator problem? When the battery sparked, Im afraid it may have sent a charge through the solenoid and damaged it, but Im not sure. But what do you think couuld be the problem? I really need help, and ill fill you in with more details when the snow stops and sun is out. Thanks in advance guys!

 

Check your alternator and/or voltage regulator. The alternator can be tested at most auto parts stores. If you replace the alternator, then get a new voltage regulator as well thatshaould be less then $20.00.

James

 

thanks james. Silly question, but were can i find the voltage regulator? I'm not exactly the most capable mechanic, but i can swap out an alternator or a battery. Could it possibly be that its so cold out, and truck has been sitting outside for over a week, that the cold has damaged the battery? Just wondering.

 

First I'd check the connections at the battery and on the starter relay. I've seen them so bad the truck would run like crap and eventually die. Take the terminals off and clean them up good, along with all the wires coming off the starter relay.

The voltage regulator should be on the passenger inner fender if your truck has an external regulator. Ford went to an internal regulator in late 85-early 86, so if you don't find anything on the fender, that's what you have.

 

Heres an update, its cold and snowy and dark and i don't have the tools right now to work on the truck, but, i went outside to see the truck after it sat for an hour, and the truck seems to have charged a little bit. The lights come on (they weren't on before when i was driving, can you say dangerous) and the i turn the key and hear a click click click from near the battery. So im first going to check the connections and clean them tomorow before I start buying tools and parts. It's just odd, how the truck was just dead this afternoon when i went to start it. As for the sparks, i think the metal on my jumper cables were wet from the snow, and thats what caused the spark. My truck is a labeled 85 but has 84 parts (dana 60 rear, 84 heater core), so when i get some sunlight ill check the voltage regulator too. Thanks guys, this site and the people who dwell here truly are the best!

 

That sounds like a classic alternator/regulator problem. When the truck is running, if there is a short, it could actually drain your battery.

With everything off, it's possible that a little residual charge in the battery will build up.

Ever notice that if your cell phone battery, or flashlight dies, you can turn it off for a while, then get a little juice after it "rests"? That could be why you are hearing the clicking after it sits a while.

We will all hope that it's just a bad connection. It's too cold for me to be working on my truck here in Alabama, I couldn't imagine what it would be like in Pennsylvania. brrrrrrr

Good luck!!

Rick

 

heres my latest update as of 1145 pm (what the hell is wrong with me that im standing in a blizzard in the dark trying to turn this thing over, i don't think i'll be able to sleep tonight.) Anyways, put key in ignition, dome lights come on with door open. Then if i turn the headlights on, the battery gauge tips towards d and everything drains. Also, when I turn on lights, the radio goes dead. When I turn the key to start the truck, it either makes one click and stops, and then after that it will make many clicking noises and the dash lights will flicker. Now, i looked under the hood, and noticed that where the negative battery cable connects to the (solenoid i beleive it is), there is a wire on the bottom of this piece that looks like it has been burnt some. Any ideas if this could be a problem? The wire im talking about runs down past the "Coffee can", and I believe its a ground. Could this be another factor in giving me a hard time? This is really upsetting me for some reason.

 

That could be PART of the problem, fix your ground and all other connections even the ones coming of the alternator.

Your negative cable off the battery should go to the frame(some let me if I am wrong, please) not to solenoid. If you are talking about the solenoid on the passengers side of the truck in front of the voltage regulator, then that is starter solenoid and it should have the postive wire from the battery hooked up to it. That is if i am understand what you are describing.

James

 

I'm sorry i meant to say the positive cable of the battery, that wire is going to the starter solenoid, which is where i found that wire that seems burnt that is ends up going past the "Coffee can" as i like to call it. I assume this is a ground. First thing I will do is fix that ground in the morning, jump the battery, see how it does, and try to limp it to an autoparts store or mechanic to check the V.R. and alternator. Only problem is this snow, It makes life so much more difficult. Gosh, with finals and all my other work, these truck problems on my usually reliabe work horse is really annoying and definetly not needed. I need this truck to bring me and my stuff home 200 miles in two weeks! I'd like to thank all of you guys who have been walking me through this, I really appreciate it, and at least I'm learning a little something about the electrical aspect of my truck now. Thanks guys

 

look at the battery check it to see if it froze or if it ran dry or shorted out inside

 

BlueTorpedo...Man have I been in your shoes one too many times. Many a troubles with adverse weather/away from home scenarios for me. You wanna solve this as fast as possible with the least amount of headaches so here's my 2 cents...

Right here, right now it doesn't matter how, why, or what part/scenario failed or caused this situation. We can discuss it all night and you can stay up all night worrying about it but it ain't gonna get ya out of the cold and snow and back home. Start a new thread when ya get back home, safe and warm, and we will chat all about it. Get some sleep and rest easy that in the morning if you do the following you will be on your way in no time at all and that's all that really matters.

Buy mini/basic tool kit at closest store. Cheap and a great item to have behind the seat for future use.

Take out battery and put in bed of truck for charging when you get home. If it takes a charge it's still good, you got a backup for future use.

Remove alternator, starter solenoid and voltage regulator and head to the nearest auto parts store with them. Alternator to turn in for core charge on new one, solenoid and regulator to match up for no mistakes with new ones.

Buy new alternator, starter solenoid and voltage regulator. If you can swing the cost, buy 2 solenoids and regulators and keep spare behind seat with tool kit for future use. They are cheap enough and no Ford truck should be without em'.

Buy a new battery. Battery physical size doesn't much matter on a truck, almost all will fit. But do shop for the highest CCA (cold cranking amps) you can find! This makes all the difference.

The burnt wire you speak of you have to make the call on. Is it just a little burnt and can be saved as is? Or a severe meltdown? If so buy a roll of appropiate gauge wire to repair and, yep, you guessed it, keep the rest of the roll behind the seat with the tool kit, regulator and solenoid for future use. lol. In fact, splurge on a electrical connector kit as well, to use now or throw behind the seat for future use. Can you see now how much I keep behind my seat from my bad experiences? lol. All kinds of stuff back there!

After making at least three trips around store to see if anything hits ya that you might need, - hey mechanix wear gloves would be nice in this cold weather, and they work great all year-. How about a pine tree air freshener for that 200 mile ride home? O.K. enough shopping. Return to truck and install all new parts, battery last.

Rub her dash and say come on sweet baby as you crank it up on the first try. Stow all left over parts, goodies and tools you know where and your'e on your way! Good luck to ya... ~Fred

 

Can I put 2 or 3 cents in here too? Your battery is dead. That much is known. It will need at least a jump to get it going. It may be savable though. am i reading this right that you have the square box regulator on the fender? If so then find a small jumper wire( about 3 or 4 inches long, 12 to 14 gage), get the truck started and take the jumper and put it between the I and the F terminals on the regulator. Run and look at the gage and see if it is charging. You should be able to hear it start charging when you jump it. don"t leave the jumper in any longer than you need to. What this does is " full field" the alternater to make it put out all it has. If doing this makes it charge then go buy a new regulator, If it still don't charge, go buy an alternator.

I hate to see people spend more than they have to throwing parts at something. If you change em all you"re bound to get the bad one, right?

 

and who said that you couldn't get help on the is web site?

sure hope got enough help for now, till the next time?

James

 

You guys have been great! Right now, im going through the progression of using all your steps and trouble shooting, and hopefully i'll have this bad boy going before long. you have no idea how appreciative i am at the wealth of knowledge this board has and shares. I'll keep you all updated!

 

One more thing Blue, Does that "little wire" have any color to it? I was thinking that it was the wire from the ignition, not a ground.