Cold Weather Non-Start
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Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 4
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From: Chicagoland
Cold Weather Non-Start
OK, my baby would not start this morn. (Baby being an '02 Lariat Supercrew/5.4L/Fx4/ no engine mods/ 30k miles). Luckily, I was at home.
When I turned the key, nothing but a click. The starter seemed not to move.
After sitting on a battery charger for 2.5 hours, and the help of Chicago's temperature moving up from 8 degrees F to a balmy 12 degrees F, she finally rolled over and started to purr.
It's got fresh oil- less than 500 miles old.
You guys are famous for your insight and wisdom.
Do I just go out and get a new battery? Do I worry that the lube shop gave me something thicker than 5/20? Any other sources of problems?
The truck is too big for my garage. It has to be outside all night. And Chicago can actually get much colder than +8 degrees.
When I turned the key, nothing but a click. The starter seemed not to move.
After sitting on a battery charger for 2.5 hours, and the help of Chicago's temperature moving up from 8 degrees F to a balmy 12 degrees F, she finally rolled over and started to purr.
It's got fresh oil- less than 500 miles old.
You guys are famous for your insight and wisdom.
Do I just go out and get a new battery? Do I worry that the lube shop gave me something thicker than 5/20? Any other sources of problems?
The truck is too big for my garage. It has to be outside all night. And Chicago can actually get much colder than +8 degrees.
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,085
Likes: 0
From: poquoson virginia
Sounds like a definite battery problem. The local parts store should be able to test it for you. Or you could just get another one. Cold weather really takes the CCA out of an older battery.
Robbie
Robbie
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 135
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From: Alberta, Canada
Got an 02 Screw like yours and I just replaced my battery also. Pretty wimpy units to start with, only 540 cca or something assinine like that, so I went out and got an 850 cca, which even that is only about the middle of the road for up here weather wise. On a side note, the father-in-law just picked up a '94 F150 S/C 351 XLT last weekend with only 40 thou on the clock, everything original except for new tires and windshield. Original 10 yr old battery starts that pig in -30 C weather, unbelievable, go figure!!
Banned
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 202
Likes: 0
From: East Bay area (by SF) Ca
yep... battery... could also be an alternator though, if the battery needed to be charged... may want to look into that 
just a friendly thought to look into something a little more major... (even as simple as it is to replace an alternator) you wouldnt want the alternator to kill your brand new battery would you? remember... even if you put it on a slow trickle charger after killing it... its never a good thing to run a battery down to no juice... takes life off it
just a friendly thought to look into something a little more major... (even as simple as it is to replace an alternator) you wouldnt want the alternator to kill your brand new battery would you? remember... even if you put it on a slow trickle charger after killing it... its never a good thing to run a battery down to no juice... takes life off it
