What's going on?!?!
 

Here's the scoop.

Woke up decided to drive up to bank, go to turn key and get a double click noise and then nothing. Figure it must be a dead battery or bad connection. I unhook the battery take it on my driveway and pour a little vinegar on the top of each of the terminals because i saw they had a lot of that white crap on them. Go back to the connectors and scrape the white junk off with a screw driver. Hook it all back up, nothing. unhook the dang thing take it up to advanced auto parts and have them test it. They say its fine but it was dead so they charge it. I take it home thinking hmm must have left a light on or something, hook it all back up and go to start it and nothing. So I jump start it. Then let it sit for 10 mins and charge a little then I drive it back to advanced auto parts to have them test the alternator and battery again. Both were fine. They said that the starter was running at 275 and was supposed to be around 160 (watts or volts or some crap not sure) meaning he said it was getting worn out. From then, I start my truck up fine jump in and drive home. next day, I wake up go out to test the fate of my truck and it starts up fine. turn it off and go inside. 5 hours later, I go outside and try to start it, it gives a long slow crank then nothing, try again and get the click. Any suggestions on what I should look at or do? (Not sure if its a parasitic drainage or bad battery going out (its 3 years old)) also, the wire next to the connectors is really rusty and the clamp things are broken and a little rusty. Still doesnt explain to me why it started up fine earlyer in day then later on nothing. Any advice or help I Would GREATLY appreciate. (alternator is about a year old) its 1996 f150 xl 300 inline 6.

Even though your Battery may have bench-tested OK it is a Goner. Some of the Lead Plates inside have probably sulphated and it wont stand up under a load. Replace the Battery, clean the Terminals well and make sure they can be tightened sufficiently and your problem should be cured.

x2 on cleaning the terminals, replace the rustly clamps you were talking about too. and check the ground while your crawling around.

I woudl think the working then not, due to a high AMP draw, for the starter after sitting ?? That is a SWAG, but I know that when I sit too long, it takes me a moment to get my rear in gear again :lol:
Seriously, the starter may be on it's way out ( or that could be part of the cable problem ) and after sitting, the starter takes a second to get going, and creates a higher AMP draw, that the condition of the cable cannot support ???

Check the wire end to end both Pos & Neg to the starter for damage / deterioration, if you find a bit, maybe replacing them is in order. Start with the visual check of the wire, and cleaning the terminals and posts ( don't forget all the terminals on the starter for power and ground ).

I am guessing that the 160 to 275 is AMP draw by the starter ? Depending on where this measurement was taken, it could be a cable issue ( removal and bench test or using large AWG jumper cables direct to the starter are the only way to remove the cables from the equation ).

These are what I recall from other members posts on similar symptoms here.

Take a look, and et us know what you find.

Good luck.

Advanced Auto Parts said : Alternator Good, Starter bad
Auto Zone said : Alternator Bad, No way of testing starter
Firestone where it got put on said : Alternator is Good, starter is good

Conclusion: They are all idiots

Firestone tried to offer a new alternator for 300$ (120 of which is labor)
(120 to remove a serpentine belt 3 bolts and then reapply)
Firestone tried to offer a battery terminal cleaning and new wire cut for 49.99
(50$ to cut back 1 inch of wire and use a brush on 2 pieces of metal)
Firestone tried to offer a new Starter system including labor for 545.00
Go up under car and remove 2 bolts and rewire it or were they 3 bolt starters..

Conclusion: Mechanics try to rip you off

I told Firestone to go screw themselves