Batteries / Cold Start
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Senior User
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Batteries / Cold Start
My 2000 F350 has been having a hard time starting in the morning the last few days. The over nite lows have been around mid 30's once she is running she will start all day long, so I had the batteries load tested and both came in a 9 volts.
MY questions is I know I need new batteries is there any thing else I should look that might be aiding in the cold starts?.
Rich
MY questions is I know I need new batteries is there any thing else I should look that might be aiding in the cold starts?.
Rich
Playing in the Dirt
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 2,302
Likes: 1
From: Southwest Georgia
Take your starter to NAPA or other auto parts and have it tested. Had slow start with my 95, pulled both & starter, batteries tested good, starter tested bad. New starter and now it spins up fine. We have starter probelms on tractors all the time.
plowhand
plowhand
Senior User
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 261
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From: North Carolina
I read somewhere that these trucks wouldn't start with less than 10 volts at the batteries, so I'm surprised yours starts with 9 volts.
After you replace the batteries (it's recommended to replace them both at the same time), try a couple of things. When the WTS, "wait to start", light goes out, don't crank it right away, leave it for a bit more with the key on and then crank it. The glow plugs stay on for something like 2 minutes, so they're on even after the WTS light goes out, still warming the cyclinder. Or try the "double start" method - turn the key on until the WTS light goes out and then turn it off and then back on again. Again waiting until the WTS light goes out the second time before cranking the engine. This gives you 2 cycles of the glow plug warming the cyclinder.
Of course there's always lighter weight engine oil. I've also read that synthetic engine oils make starting easier in cold weather.
After you replace the batteries (it's recommended to replace them both at the same time), try a couple of things. When the WTS, "wait to start", light goes out, don't crank it right away, leave it for a bit more with the key on and then crank it. The glow plugs stay on for something like 2 minutes, so they're on even after the WTS light goes out, still warming the cyclinder. Or try the "double start" method - turn the key on until the WTS light goes out and then turn it off and then back on again. Again waiting until the WTS light goes out the second time before cranking the engine. This gives you 2 cycles of the glow plug warming the cyclinder.
Of course there's always lighter weight engine oil. I've also read that synthetic engine oils make starting easier in cold weather.
