Hi all-have an 04 150 with the 4.6-every once and a while I go to start it and it acts like the battery is dead-clicking, motors turns for a sec, etc. However, the battery has 12 volts and checks ok. wanted some ideas what to check next-i was going to check the cables full length on tues when I have some time. Is it possible a bad starter would cause similar symptoms? Thanks

 

if thats an original battery it shouldnt be playing dead it should be dead. if you are in a cold climate with winter coming it will surprise you one frosty morning and leave you walking. i replaced my 05 before last winter. cheap insurance to replace it.

 

most batteries will still read 12 volts untill there is almost no amperage left, there probably isnt enough amps left to turn the motor over

 

if it only does it sometimes, then id check the cables to make sure that corrosion hasnt seeped down into them. if it has, then youre going to need to replace the battery cables. check that because ive seen it cause a lot of intermittent problems like yours

 

Im leaning toward the battery-its 2 years old. gonna get it checked on monday-let you guys know

 

I'm still on my stock battery, and I'll let it go till it dies!

 

check the connections from the wires to the battery.

but if you have winter coming, get a new battery and get more cca then the stocker.

 

Had the battery load tested and it tested ok, gonna start with checking all the cables in the morning. ANy other ideas would be appreciated.

 

I've had multiple batteries load test OK and replacing them solved the issue. This is one multiple vehicles including friends/family.

 

I hear ya-the battery is only 2.5 years old, so thats figuring into the equation as well, not that it couldnt go bad, just less likely

 

I picked up a Battery and Carging System Monitor from Wallmart. The back of the unit shows this graph:

• 12.0 - 25%
• 12.2 - 50%
• 12.4 - 75%
• 12.6 - 100%

The lights are explained like this in the doc.

• 9.0 - red (0 bars)
• 11.8 - red (1 bars)
• 12.0 - red (2 bars)
• 12.1 - yellow (2 bars)
• 12.2 - yellow (3 bars)
• 12.4 - yellow (4 bars)
• 12.6 - green (5 bars)

At 12 volts your battery is in bad shape.

 

When I brought it in for the load test the machine showed 76% discharged, so it charged it, then tested it good. Sorta leaves me in a bind, try a new battery anyway or start looking for other stuff

 

Well, I went and picked up the battery, but still thinking it was the problem, I had it load tested on a second machine, it also passed but showed it discharged, impossible since we had just charged it, so there was obviously something wrong with the battery. Picked up a new one, so far so good, we'll see how it goes

 

what did you get? I replaced my battery a day ago or so and got a duralast gold ($111), truck seems to be running better, and starts real easy.

I think (not sure) did did something else with the wires going off the battery + when the truck died on me, it was really late (2 or 3AM) and I was falling asleep holding the light for him.

He could move the cable around and the dome lights would go on and off like taking the + off and on.

He did something and fixed it, but I fell asleep propped up on my grill guard when he was doing it.