Just a 2nd thought. I have had battery's that have like yours ots of powerr at cold starts. But after driving and they get warm up. I shut it off and they would not start. But a short boost and away I go. Bad battery plates. When the battery is cool the plate conectors are contacting each other. When they warm up the gases produced from charging push them apart and the contact is lost.
So I would try another battery.
You said it is a year old. So it should be still under warrenty. Most batteries have 2 year free replacements.
So the sooner you can get it load tested, the better.
One big name place that I got battery's from when I had that problem. Would load test and say it was my alt, or voltage reg. I change them and it still came back to the battery. They just did not want tohonor the battery warrenty. So beware of this.
Sometimes you may need to go to a independant dealer.
Or buy a battery tester. They cost about $40.00 here. You can put your own load test.

 

I have replaced the ignition module, ignition coil,dist. cap,spark plugs and wires, and stuff I can't remember, to the tune of $1300. NOTHING is free here in Fort Mac, Cdn Tire wants $159 to load test the battery, Ford dealer wants $100. cost as much for a new battery!!! No Parts Source store here. Good thought about borrowing a battery, I will check around, cheaper than testing or replacing mine. Need to get that cable off though.

 

You have no wrenches to unbolt the cable to loosen it?
If you can loosen the bolts and the cable is still stuck on. Use a screw driver (flat) and pry at the front a bitand then the back. Just little prys, not too hard you break the casing. You just keep going back and forth.
Or sometimes with a small hammer tap the battery clamp at the cable end or bolt end to get it to move on the post will loosen it. The best is to have a battery clamp puller.
Now put the sledge hammer down I said a small hammer.

 

Sledge hammer was for the neighbor who put it on way too tight, then took my 1/2in wrench with him!!!! Even tried socket, but the nut is small and too close to the clamp to fit the socket on, and can't get enough of the adjustable wrench on it to do anygood. The neighbor is away for the weekend or I'd have gotten my wrench back by now.

 

The truck not starting after running for an hour on Thurs. morning, was the firsttime it had done that. Also I had left the fan in the on postion for the heater,when I shut her off. I just have a gut feeling it's connected to the heater/fan. When it's turned on, it really draws from the battery. Iknowthat there should be a bit of a power flux when it's first engaged, but the voltage gauge should go back to it's normal setting after, and it doesn't. Then if you add more to it at the same time, ie: signal lights, it gets lower. But then again, it's wiring,and I'm no mechanic!!!! Could just as easily be a loose light bulb somewhere, lol.

 

Im telling ya Laurie, my truck is doing the exact same thing. I used to shut the heater off before I would shut the truck off, and that SEEMED to help for a little bit, but it wasnt the case. I bought a new battery too, and it sounds all to familiar, and I really doubt its teh battery, but I mean testing it would be an excellent thing to test.

Ive browsed the forums here and there are people that have had the same problems before, and it turned out it was a relay or sensor stick or turning on under the hood, after the hood was shut.

That doesnt really explain the hard to start condition after driving, which I have yet to find a solid reason why it does that either. Its like something pulls so much power from the battery while the truck is running, that the battery cant get charged (which if you think about it would take a hell of alot of power!)

My truck is a farm truck and it gets used maybe once a month to bring garbage to the dump, so everytime I start looking into it, other things get pushed in the way, and that truck gets put to the back burner.

I betcha if I found the problem with mine, it would be the same as yours, or vica versa. Its a little chilly today but if I get time Ill head out there and do a little more digging with ya/for ya.

 

Cdn Tire wants $159 to load test the battery?
Here it`s a free or a AVR tester can be bought for about $49!

 

At that price for a test, you could buy a new battery. I just bought one for my wifes car and it was only $90.00

Did you ever let the fan run for 5 to 10 minutes and feel if the motor was hot. If it is hot then it has a short in the windings. It will be warm normally.

 

The fuse should blow if the fan motor gets that hot and draws that much current, unless someone put foil around the fuse.

 

There is definitely something drawing a lot of power. I don't have any fancy access. added to the truck, just a nice radio, with the original ford factory speakers (got to get them outta there - gross), and a trailer brake. I've got to finish getting the pipe back onto the sump pump, then shovel the drive way, then I'll start on the truck again - if I'm not a popsicle by then, haha. I'll let you know how it goes.

 

Yup, as I mentioned earlier, can buy battery for that price. Haven't checked the fan motor yet, but will today. There is no tin foil on the fuse, as I have pulled that one out already.

Does anyone know where to look for a"fuseable link" ,on my truck? The book doesn't show a very good description. Sheldon, have you checked that on your truck?

 

As far as I know a fusible link is for the ignition, if it blows there will be no power to the ign and I don`t think it`ll cause this problem. That`s how it was on my Torino.......

 

Oh, ok. Was just trying to follow some of the stuff in the Haynes book, and just thought of it.

Just a bit chilly out, first good snow we 've had so far.

 

No snow is good snow........Ha, ha.

 

I totally agree, especially since I don't own a snowblower, a quad with a blade, or any other mechanical snow removing device. Just a shovel, and my own two arms, and now my aching back. And I'm only 1/4 of the way down the driveway.

All those caught laughing, will be severley punished, lol, as it will eventually move your direction - oh how I wish!!!