aftyer i leav my truck alone for one night and return to try to start it the next morning it doesn't turn over very fast or not at all. so now im begining to wonder if there s a short or the charging system is not working.

this has happened since i started prepping the truck for a painting, but then i disconnected the strip lights and this still happens? any ideas on what to do first?

 

Check out this thread, it tells how to check for a drain on the battery.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/dcforum/electrical/902.html

Sparky

 

after just trying to fire it up today this is what happened

first turn of they key nothing. all lights and gauges came top life
second try the starter clikcs
thrist turn it slowly turned over once caught and firied up. im doughting it is the battery since the battery seems still to be strong. can it be a bad starter wire, soilinod or what?

 

> im doughting it is the battery since the battery seems
>still to be strong. can it be a bad starter wire, soilinod
>or what?

Yes
I would remove the starter and try it on the bench with jumper cables. It could be failing.
Also check the wires to the starter and the ground wires. I cant really see it being the starter relay they usually work or they dont. But if you have a spare you could always try it.
I am betting on a bad ground or a dying starter.

Sparky

 

Dp you know how to perform voltage drop testing? This will test the wiring. If you need more info let me know.
krazdndenver(No Email Addresses In Posts!)
Robert
72 F-100
86 5.0 W/AOD

 

rob i have no idea even what you said. in mot too knowlagable about the electrical system

 

Joseph.
There is the idle test and the off idle test.

At idle : You attach a Volt meter to the battery and observe the voltage (write them down) now start turning things on and observe and record the findings.
Headlights > Heater > Windshield Wipers.


Now rev to about 900 rpm
and do the same thing.

You are looking for a noticeable voltage drop with no recovery from the voltage regulator.


[font color=red]Dennis

FTE Assistant Administrator
[/font]

[link:www.ford-trucks.com/guidelines.html|Club FTE]

[link: motorhaven.autoanything.com|How YOU Can Support This Site]

http://www.clubfte.com/users/mil1ion/canada_flag_animated.gif

[link:www.clubfte.com/users/mil1ion/Mil1ion.html|My Website,"North Of The 49th"]

 

You may have a bad alt. There are three diodes in it if it is internal regulated, if not they are in the regulator. To test these you need to have truck started, with it running use a multi meter(you do have one of these,if not get a cheep one that test a/c, d/c and ohms)put meter on a/c scale and hook red wire to battery positive and black to battery negative. If you read over a volt of a/c current you have a bad diode. Another check that can be done to find the current draw is with an amp meter. Disconnect the ground from battery, connect red wire from meter to battery cable and the black wire to the negative battery post. this will show how many amps are being drawn with engine off. Should be less then one amp. If you are reading higher then that you start diconnecting things and see if the reading drops. Once the reading drops you have found you problem . Hope this helps.
Robert
72 F-100 W/86 5.0L W/AOD
krazdndenver(No Email Addresses In Posts!)
www.geocities.com/krazdndenver

 

 

painting? did you paint the block??? then you probably painted the ground connection and now have a poor ground? i once watched a guy rebuild his GTX 440 and then it wouldn't start he thought it was his multi sparc ignition modul but all it turned out to be was his ground on the engine block because of all the paint!!