I wish I'd kept my '82 F-100 stepside! I never had this much trouble with it in all the years I owned it. I just recently purchased an updated truck (4.9 I6) and since the day I bought it, I've noticed "starter" problems. What I orignally thought was just a "dead" battery has turned into a full blown headache. Here's the scoop.

In the last 6 months, I've gone through 3 batteries. I've replaced the starter twice. And I replaced the relay switch. It seems like I'm eating these things. Even after I've replaced these things, the truck seems to start very sluggishly. The rpm's generated by the starter just don't seem to be enough. It seems slow. In my mind, there has to be another cause for this problem, and not just bad parts!

Today was the last straw. I went out to go somewhere and it wouldn't start. It just clicks once. I put my meter on the battery and it read 12.73, then jump started it to see if the alternator was charging correctly and it read 14.73 thinking that the battery was discharged. I took off the starter and took it back to the auto parts shop I bought it from and had them test it thinking the starter was bad. All turned out o.k. I then took it to a mechanic down the street for an electrical test, and they told me that I needed to replace both starter and battery. Duh, been there, done that! I find it hard to believe that the battery can go bad in less than a week and the starter is worthless in less than 5 months. It seems like a short or something. What am I overlooking? Should there be a "heat shield" to protect the starter from manifold heat? If so, is that a Ford part? Why am I having so much trouble in starting this truck? Thank God I've got a manual tranny!

Sorry for the lengthy post, I'm just at wit's end and thanks for any input! It is appreciated!

travis
T

 

Have you had a serious look at the battery cables ? Where are you purchasing the starters ? If its an aftermarket starter such as Autozone , then its been my experience that about every 6 months you will be changing them again . Cold temps & internal corrosion of the battery cables will signifigantly reduces the current flow to the starter .

 

I would do like Paul suggests. Check you battery cables for corrosion. Don't replace anymore batteries or starters, I know the feeling of replacing part after part and it doesn't fix the problem. After you have done this let us know and we will continue to diagnose the problem! Good luck!

 

WOW! I'm totally amazed! I want to thank Paul and paulg for their comments. They were right on target!

So I went outside today and began to examine my battery cables. Froze my butt off (33 degrees and wind chill 16) I found several loose connections and corrosion on the underneath side of the battery terminals. Just like Paul said, the cables corrode from the inside out. I replaced both with copper cables and man, it starts like a dream. In fact, it starts faster now than when I bought it back in June! ( maybe that was they were selling it??) Anyways, had the job done in about an hour. And I didn't have to replace the starter or the battery again on top of that!

Thanks!!

 

Good deal , You cant go wrong with the copper cables either . They do so much better than the aluminum ones , Glad its starting like it should & thanks for letting us know how things turned out .