Hi all-

I am having a problem with my 96 f250 starting. It acts like the batteries are bad. I turn the key and all I hear is the click of the starter trying to engage. When I hook up jumper cables to another vehicle it starts just fine.

This has happened twice now. Both times were right after driving for 30 minutes. I don't know if that matters or not. Most of the time it starts just fine. In fact, I started and stopped it about 10 times today while doing the days chores.

I had both batteries tested at Autozone and both tested out fine. The cables are clean and so are the battery terminals. I put a volt meter on it while running and everything seemed ok there too.

The service guy at AutoZone suggested that it could be the starter. He thinks maybe the solenoid is bad and hooking jumper cables to another vehicle provided enough power to engage the starter.

What do you think?

Thanks,
Jason

 

If your batteries are good then hooking jumper cables to assist would do little to nothing in assist. Load tests (at dealers) never seem to be accurate for some reason on these diesels. Since you can jump start it my vote is batteries, IMO, but then I'm not spending your money. If the batteries are old that is a good place to start.

 

Also.....Clean all terminals and battery posts until they shine.

Rog

 

If the batteries are more than 5 years old I'd toss em, how olds the starter? Also the cables even though they look good could be bad, mine rotted out from the inside out. Cables are gonna run you around a $100, New DB starter is about $125 and batteries ain't cheap either.... Lotta variables but you gotta narrow it down.......

 

Thanks for the replies!

The secondary battery looks like it's been there a while. There was no install date on it and the guy I bought it from said he never replaced the batteries. The primary appears to have been installed sometime in Feb of 09.

I'll try replacing the one battery.

Any other thoughts?

 

Have both batteries load tested, then you will know. If you can afford it replace both of them at the same time. These PSD's require a good starter system to spin them up.

Rog

 

I agree with Rog, replace both batteries with two of the same new ones. If that doesn't do it then its probably the battery.

 

I agree on replacing both batteries also. If you only replace one there will be more strain put on the new battery and you will end up with both of them going bad even faster. Always best to replace both.

I also think you should check all wiring connections to see if they are loose and for cleanliness. Including the alternator wire.

 

Well I had the batteries checked again at a different place and again they said they were good. So I asked them to check the alternator while it was running. The tech's little hand held machine said the alternator was only producing 10 volts. He told me to pull it and he could check it on some tester in the store that would give a 100% indication. So tonight I am going to pull the alternator and have them check it.

we'll see.

-Jason

 

well the alternator is good. Guess it's new batteries.

-jason

 

What I meant to say above, if its not the battery's then it might be the 'starter'. Mine tested good but I bought a new one anyway and I couldn't believe how much faster it turned over with the new starter.

 

Having same problem with mine right now. All electrical works as it should, just sometimes when I turn the key to start it, all I get is the clicking from the starter solenoid. Can try it 4 or 5 times and then it starts like normal. Doesn't happen all the time either. Have my scangauge hooked up and I've got good voltage from the batteries and the alternator is keeping them charged properly when going down the road. Only thing it can be is the starter.

When it does it again and if you have someone with you, have them get under the truck and tap on the starter solenoid with a hammer when you're trying to start it. That's how I found out it was my starter on my old psd when I was experiencing the same symptoms as you are. Batteries and alt checked out good on that one too.

Have the battery cables been replaced at some point? Just got to thinking, I had a truck last year that I had issues with getting it started. Batteries and alt were fine. Come to find out, the pos lead that goes from the batteries to the starter relay on the pass fender was corroded inside of the red insulated cover. I happened to knick it with a screwdriver when removing the terminal from the post. The insulation cracked open and it was full of green crud. The wire inside was completely rotted thru.

 

You really should do a Voltage drop test on the battery cables. You might have 10.5 V at the batteries while starting, but what ends up at the starter post?? 9.5...8v...Do your battery cables feel warm after or during starting? I've working on a friends truck after the shop put 3 starters and 2 sets of batterys on it, even one new terminal on the positive cable for the battery, still the Cable was corroded inside and junk...he only had 7.9V at the starter when cranking.

 

I took a close look at the batteries. They are two different batteries, from two different years. One has 850 CCA and the other had only 460 CCA. I gonna replace them both as soon as the truck slush fund fills back up Maybe that wont fix the problem, but it needs to happen.

-Jason

 

Get 2 good 1000 CCA batteries if it gets nice and cold where you are.