Hi guys I'm new to this forum but from what I can tell I already like it. Unfortunately I'm having problems with 97' f150.

Yesterday my truck wouldn't start. I heard clicking noises and I assumed that the battery did not have enough voltage to turn the starter. I recharged it and it fired right up. When I woke up this morning the same thing happened and I repeated the process. I'm starting to wonder if it needs a new battery or should i replace the starter?

 

Charge it and got to an auto parts store they will test the battery and your alternator. My guess its the alternator but have it checked. They will do it in the parking lot. (Autozone or Advance)

 

Nah, that's the battery - How old is it ? There getting pretty cheap with batteries nowahdays IMO, you get what you pay for. - mines doing the same thing and it's barley been 3 years. It takes about a week and a half of sitting , then it's dead. -

I getting an Optima this time.

 

Since I have had 3 voltage regulators go nut and drain the battery when parked I have both checked every time now. Plus it usually kills the battery. It just cooks it. I do agree that the battery of today are junk.

 

The bad about the regulators is that after awhile - one of those damn brushes can hang. But that's a pretty easy fix if you know what to look for.

The OP posted that he charged it up/started then went dead over night. When the alternator fails to charge you usually know it. Well, in the 98's you do - A big red light in cluster will just about blind you while your trying to drive her home.- That damn red light sucks up the rest of the juice!! Anyway, he didn't say whether he had a light or not - so I'm thinking not.

However , there is a 30amp mini fuse - Directly in the Alternator harness line in that model.
It's tucked into the cradle on the firewall in back of the MEGA 175 fuses. Hard to see some times.