Notices
1973 - 1979 F-100 & Larger F-Series Trucks Discuss the Dentsides Ford Truck
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by: Moser

What do you call this?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old May 9, 2010 | 08:31 PM
  #1  
73FordF100's Avatar
73FordF100
Thread Starter
|
Laughing Gas
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 842
Likes: 1
From: Georgia
What do you call this?


What is this? What does it do and how do you know if it's bad or not? I've had two people tell me it could be pulling on the battery and causing an overall drain. Everytime I drive it, the battery drains within a couple of minutes, after it drains I have to jump it off every time I want to drive it. I've had this problem since I got the truck and I know it isn't the alternator. The other day, I charged the battery and it seems to not drain anymore, but that's because I always unplug the battery after i'm done driving it (because i'm afraid of it draining again). Any thoughts? Thanks.
 
Reply
Old May 9, 2010 | 08:36 PM
  #2  
armstrongfordtrucks's Avatar
armstrongfordtrucks
More Turbo
20 Year Member
Photogenic
Photoriffic
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 703
Likes: 6
From: Butler Pa.
Club FTE Gold Member
horn relay
 
Reply
Old May 10, 2010 | 12:39 AM
  #3  
1977f250's Avatar
1977f250
Elder User
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 525
Likes: 1
2x on the horn relay and really don't think it would drain your battery. Sounds like you battery is junk to me. Unhook it and charge it up really good and let it sit for three or four days then hook up the cables to it and start it. If it is dead or relay low you have a dead cell. If it starts right up stop it and shut every thing off. Remove the positive cable from the battery and run a simple test light from the cable to the positive post. Does it light up?
 
Reply
Old May 10, 2010 | 10:16 AM
  #4  
73FordF100's Avatar
73FordF100
Thread Starter
|
Laughing Gas
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 842
Likes: 1
From: Georgia
Ok thanks that's what I thought, it probably wouldn't drain the battery. I bought the battery about a year ago and I charged it the other day and it seems to hold a charge fine, but I haven't really let it sit for more than one day with it unhooked. I will try to test it when I get a test light.
 
Reply
Old May 10, 2010 | 10:34 AM
  #5  
1977f250's Avatar
1977f250
Elder User
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 525
Likes: 1
Only reason I ask, I had one in my mothers car and was doing the same thing. I was a 84 month battery about one year old, I had taken it back to Checkers a few times to have them test it. Always checked out fine with there tester but a day in the car it would be dead. I looked for drain with the test light and nothing. So I had charged up the battery and left it unhooked from the car for 3 days, hooked it up and dead as a door nail. Took it back and demanded a new battery, ( I was really fed up by now ) and when he tested it guess what, dead cell. Replaced it no charge, and in 6 months after not one problem. So if they tell you it is good with the equipment they use don't mean it is good.
 
Reply
Old May 10, 2010 | 11:46 AM
  #6  
freakboy's Avatar
freakboy
Senior User
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 407
Likes: 0
Yeah probaly like they said the batterys toast.. my freind bought a 8d battery from some place put it in his loader and it was fully charged but as soon as we would try to crank the engine over(4 53 detroit i think) it would instantly die... took it back replaced it with a "new" and it did the same thing... not sure what brand battery you have but always go with a good quality battery.
 
Reply
Old May 10, 2010 | 03:30 PM
  #7  
73FordF100's Avatar
73FordF100
Thread Starter
|
Laughing Gas
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 842
Likes: 1
From: Georgia
Yea I wonder if something in the electrical system in my truck that is making my battery go bad over time. I say this because; when we bought my truck we drove it home and it fired right up everyday until like a month later the battery was always dead. We took it to get it tested and it had a bad cell so we replaced it with the battery that's in my truck now. It seems like it's doing the same thing now. It was a good battery until like a month later after we bought it, it was dead just like my other battery was. We haven't tested the second battery yet, but it seems like it's holding a charge pretty well. Maybe I will let it sit for the week unplugged and not drive it either so that I can tell if it's bad or not.
 
Reply
Old May 10, 2010 | 08:39 PM
  #8  
freakboy's Avatar
freakboy
Senior User
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 407
Likes: 0
just buy the life time warentys on the batterys so they get replaced free. hahaha
 
Reply
FTE Stories

Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts

story-0

Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer

 Joe Kucinski
story-1

2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)

 Brett Foote
story-2

Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies

 Joe Kucinski
story-3

AEV FXL Super Duty - the Super Duty Raptor Ford Doesn't Make

 Brett Foote
story-4

Lobo Vs Lobo: Proof the F-150 Lobo Should Be Even Lower!

 Michael S. Palmer
story-5

Ford's 2001 Explorer Sportsman Concept Looks For a New Home

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

10 Best Ford Truck Engines We Miss the Most!

 Joe Kucinski
story-7

2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road: Better Than a Raptor R?

 Brett Foote
story-8

2027 Super Duty Carhartt Package First Look: 12 Things You NEED to Know!

 Michael S. Palmer
story-9

10 Most Surprising 2026 Ford Truck Features!

 Joe Kucinski
Old May 11, 2010 | 09:28 PM
  #9  
4bysnduallies's Avatar
4bysnduallies
Freshman User
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 45
Likes: 0
From: chana,il
if you take the battery to get tested don't take it to where you bought it first. take it some where else get it tested if it's bad take it to where you bought it and have them test it and see what they say.
 
Reply
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
96DRW
1999 - 2016 Super Duty
15
Nov 27, 2012 11:02 PM
tseekins
General NON-Automotive Conversation
6
Nov 28, 2011 11:49 PM
jpoesq1
1961 - 1966 F-100 & Larger F-Series Trucks
12
Nov 17, 2008 05:56 AM
tweaked250r
1987 - 1996 F150 & Larger F-Series Trucks
4
Mar 25, 2008 05:01 AM
jevfro
Electrical Systems/Wiring
3
Oct 15, 2003 05:53 PM




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 01:36 PM.

story-0
Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer

Slideshow: 10 most expensive Ford trucks ever sold on Bring a Trailer.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-27 16:24:34


VIEW MORE
story-1
2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)

Here's everything that has changed for the latest model year.

By Brett Foote | 2026-05-27 16:17:28


VIEW MORE
story-2
Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies

Slideshow: Top 10 Ford truck tragedies.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-18 19:34:33


VIEW MORE
story-3
AEV FXL Super Duty - the Super Duty Raptor Ford Doesn't Make

And it might be even better than that.

By Brett Foote | 2026-05-18 19:26:42


VIEW MORE
story-4
Lobo Vs Lobo: Proof the F-150 Lobo Should Be Even Lower!

Slideshow: Does lowering an F-150 Lobo RUIN the ride quality?

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-05-18 19:20:37


VIEW MORE
story-5
Ford's 2001 Explorer Sportsman Concept Looks For a New Home

Slideshow: Ford's bizarre fishing-themed Explorer concept has resurfaced after spending decades largely forgotten.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-12 18:07:46


VIEW MORE
story-6
10 Best Ford Truck Engines We Miss the Most!

Slideshow: The 10 best Ford truck engines we miss the most.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-12 13:09:47


VIEW MORE
story-7
2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road: Better Than a Raptor R?

Slideshow: first look at the 810 hp 2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road!

By Brett Foote | 2026-05-12 12:50:07


VIEW MORE
story-8
2027 Super Duty Carhartt Package First Look: 12 Things You NEED to Know!

Slideshow: Everything You Need to Know about the 2027 Super Duty Carhartt Package!

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-05-07 17:51:06


VIEW MORE
story-9
10 Most Surprising 2026 Ford Truck Features!

Slideshow: 10 most surprising Ford truck options/features in 2026.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-05 11:17:22


VIEW MORE