I already posted this on the general 'engine' board, but I'm desparate here.
All right, so my truck is completely, 100% DEAD! I've got no lights on the interior, the power door locks won't work, etc. Obviously, the truck won't start either. I pulled the battery and had it tested, Autozone says it is completely fine. What's next? The alternator? I checked the connections on the starter, they're all clean and tight. Thanks for any help.

 

Was it acting funny at all before it died?

 

I would check the condition of the cables from top to bottom. And consider wire brushing all of the connections on the battery. I've seen a number of cases where the cables looked clean, but after removing them and scrubbing them with a wire brush or battery post cleaner, the vehicle performed great.

What I'm saying is they can look clean and still have enough of a film to prevent connectivity.

Hunt4Fun

 

Thanks for the advice guys.

Decoy,
no, that is why it is so puzzling. The truck was running great, no signs of stalling or dimming lights. I went over to my sisters house last night, parked the truck, and when I went to leave - the whole thing was dead.

Hunt4Fun,
Yeah, that is the first thing I did this morning. I cleaned the terminals on the battery (which are new by the way) and starter. After it was determined that the battery was fine, my first guess was that I had a bad ground somewhere. I've checked over everything I can think of, and it all seems fine.

I just don't get it. I called the dealership where I bought it, and I'm waiting for them to get back to me so it can be towed up to them. In the meantime, I'm just going to sit here and be irritated. Thanks again for your opinions - I appreciate it.

 

Didnt you replace the lower intake gaskets?

 

No gasket issues here. Wound up being both the positive and negative wires running down to the starter from the battery. I believe this is a common problem on Fords. They were pretty well corroded and as a result, the truck wouldn't start.

 

97XLT,after reading your reply this morning I decided to go check my cables.As I knew before,they were ok;but its better to be safe then sorry.While I was in there I went ahead and re-greased the posts and the wires at the starter.


You've never had your lower intake gaskets changed?Just curious.


Glad to see you up and running again.What exactly did Ford do and cost?

 

blueoval,

The timing cover gasket was replaced a while back. I fought with the dealership for a day or two and eventually got it fixed for free. Well, as of right now, there is no way I can prove the lower intake gaskets have a problem. I definitely do keep a close watch out for all the symptoms. So far, I'm OK, but believe me, the second I start loosing coolant or having rough starts, I'll replace them.

As for the current issue with not starting. The wires on the starter managed to corrode pretty bad. Actually, one of the posts on the starter broke off during the repair. The dealership I bought the truck from has been great. They replaced the starter and the wires for $170. Not bad.