I have also read that you need to replace both batteries, even if only one is really bad. It is expensive, but then you know they are good. I had some similar trouble and cleaned the terminals really well and that helped quite a bit. If you have someone crank, you can use a multimeter to check voltage drop across the batteries. Voltage should not drop below 10.5v or the PCM will not let the truck start.

 

Well I finally got back to my 99 non starter. unhooked the batteries that have never given me any trouble for 3 years and tested them at 10.6 volts.

Checked the water in each cell and the outside cells on each battery are marginal. Specific gravity reading 1.2 to 1.25. These batteries are going to town with me to be replaced with new probably from walmart as the 3 year waranty might come in handy and I think there is a 50% chance Walmart will still be in business in 2012.

On a whim I tested the batteries that I took out of the 93 just to see where they were at. 12 volts and all cells checked out high on the specific gravity test. I put them in the 99 and the truck fired like usual.

So this helps me diagnos the trouble in the 93 as that is what started my problems to begin with. Things are looking better and I haven't spent any money yet. That is what I call a win win situation.

Thanks for the good ideas and I am off to the older diesel section to start chasing down the problems with my 93.

 

Let us know what happens.

 

Well, the 99 is running fine even with a set of older batteries in it that I will replace.

I tore into the battery cable on the 93 and of course the cable end inside the lead connector was shot. It took a real engineer to take a great idea like connecting those cables together inside a huge lead splice and screwing it up by butt splicing the cables and not stripping the jacket back a little bit.

So now I am going to get new ends for an otherwise good cable and hopefully that helps the 93 start better.

My 16 year old took the 99 to a buddies house and did the muffler delete yesterday. He tried to figure out how to weld a 6 inch chrome semi stack to the end of the exhaust pipe for a homemade tip. Some one once said "to bad youth is wasted on the young."

He gets his license in a few weeks and the 99 will be his to drive. He has worked for me as a tender for 2 summers and a lot of saturdays and this is his payment. I think I got off cheap, but if he piles it up I am going to be ticked cause even at 255,000 the truck runs and looks great.

I think its cool he wants to mod the truck, he is already talking about tunes and stuff, I told him his wallet wasn't big enough. I also told him that he has to register on FTE and get 50 posts before he can spend any money on the truck. I am confident you guys will keep him from doing something stupid.

 

Great news, good idea on for trying to keep his head in the right place (or at least makin sense).