Possible starter problem?
#1
09-24-2014, 01:21 PM
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: South Texas
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Possible starter problem?
Truck: 2001 Ford F150 w/ 2004 4.6L V8 engine
So today I turn on my truck and when cranking it made a weird rumbling sound but the truck still turned on. The truck ran fine and I got to where I had to go. When I got back in the truck to turn it back on the truck didn't start. No lights turned on or nothing. I popped the hood and checked the battery and messed with the cables and tried again and the truck turned on. The battery is only 1 month old and the connectors are clean and all, no acid.
Could it be a possible starter problem or what could it be.
So today I turn on my truck and when cranking it made a weird rumbling sound but the truck still turned on. The truck ran fine and I got to where I had to go. When I got back in the truck to turn it back on the truck didn't start. No lights turned on or nothing. I popped the hood and checked the battery and messed with the cables and tried again and the truck turned on. The battery is only 1 month old and the connectors are clean and all, no acid.
Could it be a possible starter problem or what could it be.
#2
09-24-2014, 02:11 PM
#3
09-25-2014, 10:47 AM
Have you put a voltmeter on the battery and looked at the battery voltage??? It should be at least 12 and 1/2 volts.
Try that with everything off and then with lights, etc on. Also again while cranking. My guess is that battery will read abnormally low on first two tests and you won't even get to the third test. No lights tells me that you have a bad battery (or VERY bad cables). My guess is that this has nothing to do with starter but is a bad battery, EVEN IF IT IS NEW! Batteries are **** since Johnson Controls bought out most other manufacturers and make most of the batteries on the market today.
Take battery to Discount Auto Parts or other retailer. Most will do a battery test for free.
PS battery could be dead or low due to bad charging system. But you can't tell until you get battery charged and truck running again and THEN check charging system.
Try that with everything off and then with lights, etc on. Also again while cranking. My guess is that battery will read abnormally low on first two tests and you won't even get to the third test. No lights tells me that you have a bad battery (or VERY bad cables). My guess is that this has nothing to do with starter but is a bad battery, EVEN IF IT IS NEW! Batteries are **** since Johnson Controls bought out most other manufacturers and make most of the batteries on the market today.
Take battery to Discount Auto Parts or other retailer. Most will do a battery test for free.
PS battery could be dead or low due to bad charging system. But you can't tell until you get battery charged and truck running again and THEN check charging system.
#4
09-25-2014, 11:31 AM
It's also very possible that you have bad cables, they can get corroded inside the insulation where you can't see it which causes excessive resistance and doesn't allow enough amperage to the starter.
A simple voltage test won't usually show this because you'll still see 12 volts at the starter, it's the amperage you need to crank it, the fact that it started makes me lean towards the cables because the act of moving them can improve the current flow by disturbing the corrosion.
A corroded cable is like a clogged water pipe, you can still get flow though it but not the same volume.
Try this, find a spot about six to ten inches from the end of the cable (someplace easy to reseal) and put a small slice in the insulation and peek inside, if it's white or green then the cables are toast. Shiny copper and they should be good.
-Steve
A simple voltage test won't usually show this because you'll still see 12 volts at the starter, it's the amperage you need to crank it, the fact that it started makes me lean towards the cables because the act of moving them can improve the current flow by disturbing the corrosion.
A corroded cable is like a clogged water pipe, you can still get flow though it but not the same volume.
Try this, find a spot about six to ten inches from the end of the cable (someplace easy to reseal) and put a small slice in the insulation and peek inside, if it's white or green then the cables are toast. Shiny copper and they should be good.
-Steve
#5
09-25-2014, 02:13 PM
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: South Texas
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#6
09-26-2014, 11:19 AM
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: South Texas
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It's also very possible that you have bad cables, they can get corroded inside the insulation where you can't see it which causes excessive resistance and doesn't allow enough amperage to the starter.
A simple voltage test won't usually show this because you'll still see 12 volts at the starter, it's the amperage you need to crank it, the fact that it started makes me lean towards the cables because the act of moving them can improve the current flow by disturbing the corrosion.
A corroded cable is like a clogged water pipe, you can still get flow though it but not the same volume.
Try this, find a spot about six to ten inches from the end of the cable (someplace easy to reseal) and put a small slice in the insulation and peek inside, if it's white or green then the cables are toast. Shiny copper and they should be good.
-Steve
A simple voltage test won't usually show this because you'll still see 12 volts at the starter, it's the amperage you need to crank it, the fact that it started makes me lean towards the cables because the act of moving them can improve the current flow by disturbing the corrosion.
A corroded cable is like a clogged water pipe, you can still get flow though it but not the same volume.
Try this, find a spot about six to ten inches from the end of the cable (someplace easy to reseal) and put a small slice in the insulation and peek inside, if it's white or green then the cables are toast. Shiny copper and they should be good.
-Steve
Have you put a voltmeter on the battery and looked at the battery voltage??? It should be at least 12 and 1/2 volts.
Try that with everything off and then with lights, etc on. Also again while cranking. My guess is that battery will read abnormally low on first two tests and you won't even get to the third test. No lights tells me that you have a bad battery (or VERY bad cables). My guess is that this has nothing to do with starter but is a bad battery, EVEN IF IT IS NEW! Batteries are **** since Johnson Controls bought out most other manufacturers and make most of the batteries on the market today.
Take battery to Discount Auto Parts or other retailer. Most will do a battery test for free.
PS battery could be dead or low due to bad charging system. But you can't tell until you get battery charged and truck running again and THEN check charging system.
Try that with everything off and then with lights, etc on. Also again while cranking. My guess is that battery will read abnormally low on first two tests and you won't even get to the third test. No lights tells me that you have a bad battery (or VERY bad cables). My guess is that this has nothing to do with starter but is a bad battery, EVEN IF IT IS NEW! Batteries are **** since Johnson Controls bought out most other manufacturers and make most of the batteries on the market today.
Take battery to Discount Auto Parts or other retailer. Most will do a battery test for free.
PS battery could be dead or low due to bad charging system. But you can't tell until you get battery charged and truck running again and THEN check charging system.