My 95 F250HD has been doing something strange lately. It started about 2 months ago. My wife and I had been out walking with our dogs on a little nature trail system, and when we came back to the truck It wouldn't start. The radio was dead, the dinger sounded pathetic, and it seemed like the battery was completely drained. I thought it was weird because the gauge showed good charge before I shut it off. I tried turning the key on and off several times, with the same results each time. We found someone to jump us, and as soon as I hooked the two trucks together everything was fine (except my front speakers no longer sound right )- it started right up, and showed good charge on the gauge. I didn't think much of it until it did it again about a month later. Luckily I was close to a Ford dealership, and one of the guys walked over with one of those portable jump start deals (mine was at home in the shed ). As soon as we hooked it to the battery, everything came back up and it started up fine. When I got home I removed the terminals, cleaned the terminals and posts up really good with a wire brush, reconnected the battery and greased the terminals so they wouldn't arc across eachother. The other day it did the same dang thing, and by now it's really got my curiosity. Weirdest part was when I first tried it, it was doing the same thing. I shut the key off, turned it back on and the truck fired right up and everything was fine- good charge on the gauge.
What could be going on here? The battery is full of water. No strange noises from under the hood or anything. Truck has 114,000 miles approx. This has me confused because it's so inconsistent. If it helps at all, it's a 4x4, 460, AT, all the goodies. Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!

 

It sounds like you're not getting a good connection. Starting the truck draws a lot of current, and running the little gauge in the dash takes almost nothing. I would replace the battery cables if they're not pretty new and check ALL the battery cable connections, not just the ones on the actual battery. Make the other side of the ground has a good connection in particular.

 

All of that and sometimes a battery can break internally under the post...next time it happens hold the key to the start position and have someone go under the hood and bang and wiggle the cables. It'll probably start..and you'll find your problem..

 

99f350sd- doing what you suggested would mean it's not the battery, correct?
The cables looked pretty good, but I didn't look them over super-close. I'll check the ground on the block for sure, as well as the other connections. A buddy of mine said it might be a problem with the fender mounted solenoid deal- any truth to that?

 

Still could be the batt yes...the post breaks inside..intermitten

 

The fix ended up being replacing the battery cables, both of the main cables. I did everything else imaginable to correct this issue. At first I was skeptical when someone said it sounded like a bad cable, but I was at my wits end and tried it. That was over a year ago and never had the same problem again.

 

Once again, you guys came through for me! Thanks txpaulrs, I'll be sure to give the cables a good going-over and replace as necessary

 

The thing about battery cables is that they can look great on the outside, but be internally corroded so bad they barely carry a current. They're subjected to severe abuse, going from freezing temps (depending where you live) to hundreds of degrees because they're near the exhaust manifold (they are on my truck, anyway) day in & day out. It's a miracle they last as long as they do.

I just replaced mine as a precaution. I think they were original, and they were in rough shape. The insulation was cracked and dried out in many places, even on the positive cable, which runs along the frame rail. It probably lit up like a christmas tree at night.