my 98 4.6 has 72,000 miles and has the factory battery in it. Lately since its been getting cold (30* and colder), my truck has had alot of difficulty starting first thing in the morning. Turns over real slow, sputters a couple times, then finally fires and runs. You all think it needs a battery? 6 winters on the factory battery, id say it does.
If it needs a battery, which im planning on replacing anyway, what brand do you reccomend going with? Should i pay for a new Motorcraft battery identical to the one it's got in it, or should i look somewhere else?

Also, this may sound odd, but i have straight pipes on my truck, stock cats and no mufflers, and im wondering if the tough starting has anything to do with loss of a little backpressure. What'd yall think?

 

When I shop for batteries I shop by price, CCA, warranty and brand.
Make sure the cold cranking amps are at least those recommended for your truck. I the past I have had good luck with Die hard and Interstate. I dont like the cheap non brand batteries.

 

yea i dont plan on gettting a cheap battery. What is the cold cranking amp rating for our trucks?

 

I think its 540CCA. where you get a battery from will know. It never hurts to get more though.

 

Green,

Have a look at this.
http://www.teendrivers.com/columns/upamp.html
Check the CCA of your battery and buy that. These trucks if well maintained will start in all but the coldest temps. Don't waste your $$$ on the biggest baddest battery if you don't have to. While you are at it pull the alternator and have it bench tested. It is getting old too. Most places do it for free if you bring it to them.

Regards

Jean Marc Chartier

 

thanks JMC!


Its spittin rain today so an alternator pulling wont be happening. Plus ill need to go get a serpentine belt tool for the tensioner, i dont have one. How much do those cost? 5-10 bucks at Autozone?

Does Autozone or O'Reileys test alternators?

I dont plan on getting the biggest badazz battery out there i just want one thats not going to leave me stranded one night whereever i may be. I always like the security that my truck is going to start, and right now, in really cold temps, im not too sure of that...

 

If you live where there is really a winter, I would recommend at least 700 CCA. Once it goes below zero, battery performance really falls off rapidly. The other thing is to make sure you have a 5W or a 0W oil in the crankcase. And synthetic flows better, even with the same viscosity ratings, than dino. But I would say that does not get too important until it's -20 or colder.

 

well im in mid-missouri, so it gets really cold several times per winter (10* and below). I run Mobil 1 5w-30 full synthetic oil.

--I just called one of my friends thats a good mechanic, and he said that they may be able to test my alternator while the truck is running by hooking a device up to the battery and seeing how much power im getting from the alt. I think ill try that.

*Edit*---> just checked the owners manuel and it says that the 4.6 needs a BXT-65-750 battery. Is that 750 Cold cranking amps?

 

ttt


I checked the owners manuel and it says that the 4.6 needs a BXT-65-750 battery. Is that 750 Cold cranking amps?

 

You only need a 3/8" (pretty sure it's 3/8) ratchet/breaker bar to work with the tensioner, you dont need a special tool for it.

 

ahhh...never thought of that...thanks!

 

FYI,
it is a ½ inch braker bar, not 3/8 inch.

JMC

 

Mine is actually a 3/8 but my motor is a 02 gt.

 

i would strongly discourage buyin a die hard.i had 2 of em(one went out and had a warranty) and they killed 2 alternators.mine's a 5.4 so its a little harder to start though.i have a 1200 cca that i got for 75 bucks without a core charge at co-op.i don't know if they have them in missouri,its a farm supply store.