I'm getting tired of my truck (2003 Ford Excursion Limited, 157,207 miles). Left it sitting for a day in a half, I get in this morning (temps about 45), 4 cranks and the damn battery is dead AGAIN. I didn't plug it in because I didn't know when or if I was going to go anywhere until Monday. I don't know if its the plugs or the battery. How do I check my glow plugs without pay Ford 40 bucks? I'm seriously thinking about getting ride of this thing for another one with less miles on it.

P.S.
Sorry for the explicatives, I'm a little pissed off right now.

Jay

 

45 degrees and it didn't start?

Next time you go to start, don't wait for the glow plugs just start; if it starts, then it's your batts. The glow plugs will seriously drain the batteries if they're low. If you skip the glow plugs, then you might have enough power to start and make it somewhere. Just don't turn the truck off.

Once you get it running and get it to autozone. They'll tell you right then and there whether it's the batteries or not.

Second thing, if it belches out some white smoke, your glow plugs may be to blame. If it's blueish-white smoke, your injectors are headed south.

 

So after 3 hours and my wife's hair dryer up the intake, she finally started. It didn't start until I put the hair dryer up the pipe (LOL). I used a volt meter (13 volts on both and falling about .100 a sec) Then I tested the top of the batteries (.001 on the driver's side and 4.45 on the passenger side. WTF!!! So I think I'm having 2 issues; weak glow plugs and a battery issue. How do I clean the batteries safely?

 

jUST MY .02, PLEASE GO IN AND SEE IF YOU CAN MOVE YOUR TERMIONAL POST, IF YOU CAN, START THERE, IT IS MOSTLIKELY A LOUSY CONNECTION..sorry about the caps

 

Come to think of it, that happened to me. Tightened things up and never got a weak start after that.

 

Thats the first thing I tried.

 

If your batteries are more than 2 years old and non-original, they're probably bad.

If they were bought at wal-mart and are more than 1 year old, they're probably bad.

If they were bought as "low-price specials" at your local auto parts store, they're probably bad.

If you let your truck sit regularly for periods of time longer than a week, they're probably bad.

If you replaced only one battery at a time, they're probably both bad; -- the old one killed the new one.

(getting the hint here?)

As expensive as it may be, replace them both at the same time with a mid-priced or better battery. That is, wherever you buy your batteries, look at the price range of the batteries sold; pick a grade that's at least in the middle, if not the top, of the offered price range. El-cheapo Walmart batteries may work well in an old beater, but the PSD requires GOOD batteries; glow plugs plus 18:1(?) compression are NOT friends of battery life.

If price is the major concern, you MAY be able to get away with WalMart batteries, but ONLY if you replace them every year, as a maintenance item. Additionally, you may be able to do a little research in the Yellow Pages around Havelock. It's been a while since I was there, but there may be an independent battery dealer around the area (likely with all the military presence) that can get you a good price on a MUCH better battery.

-blaine

 

Let me just add, The 2 batteries in my 1989 Ford 7.3 IDI are 2 year old Wallmart buys. The truck prior to last Thurs. was not started since the end of Oct. It fired over in 1 sec. I think the 7.3 might have more cranking effort then my 6.0

 

Hopefully it's just routine care that needs to be done...

 

Surprisingly enough, the walmart batteries have one of the best consumer reports for batteries. I still dont use them, but just thought Id throw that out there.

 

It isn't a diesel but the mustang in sig. has had a Walmart battery in it for 6 years now and it is still working fine.

 

I just thought of something.....

Back in May of 2007, my batteries were dying again as they do every two years since 2001. The dealer charged me to replaced the one battery that was bad telling me the other was good. Ok.....

So I go out with some friends for dinner that night and I notice my HUD is getting darker and darker. I checked the switch and it was up all the way, I looked down at my voltmeter and it said 10 volts and dropping!

From there it's a race (litterally a race) back to my buddies place before the batteries are dead, we're stranded, and have to call AAA. We manage to get back home doing 100+ (yeah, you read that right SCT tuner with no speed limiter) on the freeway and it dies right as we get in the driveway. We all came to conclusion that the alternator is obviously bad and a trip to the dealer was in order.

Next day, I have my truck towed up to the dealership where they get an earfull from me, I tell them UP FRONT that the alternator is bad and they need to replaced my batteries no charge for misdiagnosing this whole situation. They give me the "deer in the headlights" look and then want to argue with me and tell me I don't know what I'm talking about; even though it's obvious to someone with no technical knowledge about cars. It was a shouting match and almost ended up as a fist fight (yes, a fist fight) between myself and the service writer.

Well, they go through their tests, protocols, and whatever else they do; and call to tell me that my alternator is bad! No **** really?!? Why they didn't bother to check this when they had my truck the first time? It's beyond me.

Long and short of it, they end up having to give me two new batteries with a warranty and they offered to replace my alternator for about $600. I laughed, got my truck, and replaced it myself.

The story was to show you exactly what happens when your alternator is bad and your local dealer is too dumb to check it the first time.

Have your alternator checked, if it's bad, you're still under the 3yr/36K warranty, so they won't mind replacing it. If not, you're still well under the 5yr/100K warranty, they'll replace it minus the $100 deductable.

 

Alternator is good, checked it myself. It charges the batteries fine, the batteries are either not holding a charge or are being drained by something.

 

You never stated how old the batteries are or I missed it. Start with 2 new batteries and go from there. If your alt. is good as you stated then the batteries are subject. Do you have any aftermarket equip. such as amps that would create a drain. Go for the batteries 1st. As the old saying goes, "Keep it simple stupid". And I'm not directing that at anyone in particular.

 

I agree, the simplest answer is more often than not the correct one....