Check you bolts also Smokin when I replaced my batts I had to get new bolts. the Corrosion was hidden inside the bolt shafts of the connectors and had darn near ate through the bolts with out any outside visible corrosion.

 

Yes I did notice the bolts were a little soft. I do need to replace those bolts and my dad and I are going to try the anti-corrosion stuff this weekend. He seems to have a similar issue with his Cummins. I suppose that will hold me over for now until I have the cash to run out and buy two new batteries.

 

Well I put in two new batteries yesterday and all of my cold starting issues have been solved. I was even surprised at how quickly the starter turns now as opposed to when it was on the old batteries. I still have yet to replace those old chewy bolts but I have to run by a hardware store that have the right kind, those square-headed suckers.


So as I was removing the old batteries, I realized that these very worn in Motorcraft batteries are original factory batteries! This is judging by the labels on the battery, that and the very **** original owner left no record of any battery purchases in the history of the truck in the service records he left me. My truck is an early '99, which means these batteries are at least 8 years old! Dang! I guess that means I don't have any electrical issues, else those batteries wouldn't have lasted that long.

Edit: By the way these are Interstate batteries.

 

Eight years is a long time for batteries to last. You definately got your money's worth!

 

No kidding I thought 5 yrs was good on my batteries, and you live in a pretty cold climate that really is getting your monies worth.

 

I also cleaned the battery terminals last weekend and I have no start issues now. I was kinda amazed cuz i didnt clean the terminals thinking that was the problem they just looked dirty. I did find a bit of white crust on the one terminal but i figure ill replace the batterys when the little green ball goes away.

 

Kwik, Monster, no kidding. I was pretty happy to see that. Maybe I'll get 8 more years out of these Interstates. I still have the old batteries and I think one of them is still good. I limped the truck along for a few days while I was waiting for my new batteries to be ordered in, plugging her in wherever I went and she always started, and one battery was completely dead, dead dead dornail dead. So the remaining battery was still working like a champ. Do these things hold any kind of value as a core charge?

Bronc 69 its amazing where that corrosion can hide, even if it doesnt look bad. Sunday I took the opportunity to scrub the crap out of my cables and connections, with plenty of water and baking soda and a handy terminal cleaner. I still found corrosion even though I thought I got it all when I went through all my battery troubles a few weeks ago. Wait until it gets cold and see if your truck starts. With one bad battery, mine would start every time unless it was below 30 or so degrees and the fuel started to gel. The truck couldn't cycle the glow plugs and start the motor at the same time, thus no start. You might do some checking before you get stranded somewhere on a cold night.

 

The place you bought the batteries should have had a core charge when you bought them if there was gong to be one on them.
I went to Interstate batteries on my truck and in fact run them almost exclusively and they have always been good batteries for me.

 

I always spray the battery connections with Silicone Spray. It seems to work pretty good.

 

Well I kinda cheated and bought them for a deep discount through my bro, who works as a mech. He never asked me for the old batts and I didn't pay any kind of core charge.

I guess i'll just hang onto them for future emergencies.