I've been planning on having my batteries checked because of increasingly difficult starts when the engine is cold, but haven't been able to squeeze in the chance to do it yet. I saw something different happen this morning, and am wondering if anyone may know if what I observed narrows down the list of my potential issues. And yes, I am using the WTS delay when it gets below about 40°F, and am having virtually no trouble with warm/hot starts.

Before this morning, when trying to start cold, the start is far from peppy and I hear this faint clicking sound behind the dash to the left of the instrument panel. This morning, same thing, but when the engine started, the gauge cluster did some wierd things... particularly the tach. I saw the tach needle peg the gauge to the right hand limit and hold for about 3 seconds, then drop to zero and hold for about 2-3 seconds, then resume its normal idle position.

A few moments later, while driving out of the neghborhood, I noticed that my odometer/tripmeter was displaying the total odometer miles instead of the "trip" miles. No one else used the truck last night after I parked it whenI got home, and I NEVER leave the odometer on, and ALWAYS... ALWAYS run by watching the trip meter reading (I'm **** about tracking mileage at every fillup, and have not filled up in a week). The cold starts are always accompanied with clicking behind the dash on the left sid eof the instrument panel, and occassionally, I will hear a faint clicking on warm starts.

OK... so here's what I'm wondering... I've never before noticed the tach going through this kind of startup routine, and am thinking that I had low enough voltage to where it was essentially resetting itself once the engine was running and it started receiving a full charge from the ALT.

Would this phenomenon then point more to the batteries being the problem?

Additional context.... AFIK, the batteries, ALT, Starter, GP's, and GPR are all original. I am getting some "newsed" tires on the truck on Friday (Bridestone 285 Revos from my Excursion - yes, finally got the title and am selling the V10 Ex), and can probably get the shop to load test the batteries at the same time.

 

Sounds like batteries to me, but it's strange it would go ahead and start if the voltage is that low.

Have you checked/cleaned your terminals lately?

I'd say clean the terminals, have the batteries load tested, and if they are ok, have the alternator tested.

 

I know when a starter starts to go bad.....it can start to drag, regardless of warm/cold weather. Maybe check it out Pete.....the excessive current draw from it might be causing other related electrical issues. Possibly batteries too. One thing that alot of people never check is their battery CABLES.....if corroded, they will limit the amount of current that can flow thru them even if the batteries are brand spankin new....hope that gives you some ideas to check!

 

I am with Clux. I had something similar happen with NEW batteries.

 

With the clicking noise I would second cleaning the terminals, but usually that would cause a non starting condition..
Clean, Test batteries.. Alternator sounds good.
A starter may be in your future

 

Thanks, guys. I did remove and clean the cables on all four posts back last fall, and sprayed them down to reduce corrosion potential as well. I'll certainly check them again, though, because I've had some minor grounding issues from time to time, and the recent cold weather may be making things worse. What I have noticed, too, is that the "hard starting" issue has been slowing getting worse all winter long, which is what makes me think more along the lines of a piece of failing equipment (batteries or starter).

Like I said, I'll clean up/retighten the post connectors tonight, and get the batteries load tested at the tire shop tomorrow. The guys there have done a few small jobs for me, and seem to be trustworthy and reliable - it's not a major tire chain, but a long-term local family-owned shop

Thanks again... I'll let you all know how it turns out..


EDIT: I forgot about this until now... once or twice, after starting up cold, I get some white smoke for the first few minutes. That's why I listed the GP's/GPR as one of the potential issues, too. It hasn't been everytime that I get the smoke... just a couple of times within the past two weeks.

 

The GPR you could test with a multi-meter one morning to see if your getting power across it. But I would check the battery connections first. Don't forget those battery cables have two ends. Check the grounds, solenoid relay connection & starter connection too.

 

This sounds like what happened to me. I checked and rechecked the cables, then ended up replacing one of the batteries only because I had one it my race car that wasn't being used and now have no problems.

 

Drivers side battery was what it was when mine did same exact thing , gauges went crazy, 95000 miles, other battery is still ok.

 

You know, Pete, I had an issue last fall after I sprayed my terminals down with that red corrosion protection stuff. It actually caused some connection issues and I had to wire brush the stuff off. Just a thought.

 

Thanks, Lisa... I've been wondering about that all day myself, ever since I posted that comment this morning. I'll probably just clean it all back off again this evening, re-tighten every connection point, and see how she does in the morning.

I haven't seen any evidence of a corrosion problem on either the cable ends or the terminal connections the whole time I've owned the truck, which has sort of surprised me a bit. I'm thinking, too, that when I relocate my batteries I'll try that marine grade wire that has every strand tinned separately to minimize corrosion problems within the cable itself.

Have any of you ever used this type of wire (or known anyone who has)?

Here's a link where I first found out about it. http://gencable.com/index.shtml?cables/marine_battery_cable.htm

And pics....

 

You might try welding cable as well. Thats what I use for my race car, no problems.

 

I can't get the picture to blow up enough for my eyes, but it appears that to be a stranded rope cable where only each rope, not individual strands, are tinned. Since there not listing a percentage of the compound used, I'm guessing it's an electro-plated type process designed to protect the outer surfaces of the ropes from corrosion, not internal corrosion inside the individual ropes. If you haven't noticed significant corrosion on the cable ends, I'd say you're wasting your money on the tinned battery cables.

 

I agree , but it would be cool to say "I've got marine grade tinned battery cables to start this beast!"

 

Pete, sorry I didnt see this thread earlier today, or I would have called you. Iam betting on the batteries. If you dont want to shell out the big bucks, go by your local Interstate battery WAREHOUSE and buy a set of Blems. Brand new batts, but may have a scratch or no handle. $35 each.