Cranks, but no start ...
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Technical Article Contributor
Joined: Feb 2006
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From: Central Coast, California
Cranks, but no start ...
'03 F-150 7700 5.4 bi-fuel work truck, 118K miles.
Has suffered from a mysterious battery drain for the last year (mechanic at work's solution is to keep putting new batteries in it). Starts after a two day weekend; with the current battery, will crank slow but start after a 3 day weekend.
Friday morning, it cranked slow, but wouldn't start (2 days off). Put a 10 amp charger on it until battery was fully charged. Now it cranks like mad (gauge needles don't sweep, odometer is normal, I believe the theft light is normal, I hear the fuel pump prime), but won't start. Any ideas anyone?
Ultimately it's not my problem, but if there's something simple to check (or if anyone has experienced a similiar problem), it'll save both me and the boss some trouble.
Has suffered from a mysterious battery drain for the last year (mechanic at work's solution is to keep putting new batteries in it). Starts after a two day weekend; with the current battery, will crank slow but start after a 3 day weekend.
Friday morning, it cranked slow, but wouldn't start (2 days off). Put a 10 amp charger on it until battery was fully charged. Now it cranks like mad (gauge needles don't sweep, odometer is normal, I believe the theft light is normal, I hear the fuel pump prime), but won't start. Any ideas anyone?
Ultimately it's not my problem, but if there's something simple to check (or if anyone has experienced a similiar problem), it'll save both me and the boss some trouble.
Thread Starter
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Technical Article Contributor
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,002
Likes: 16
From: Central Coast, California
I disconnected the battery last night, thinking maybe the computer freaked when it experienced low voltage when I tried to start it with a weak battery. This morning I reconnected the battery and it fired right up. I have no idea what's going on, but with it running, I'm saved from that widow-maker Chevy loaner truck I get every time my truck is in the shop.
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Joined: Nov 2007
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From: whaleyville, MD
is everything turned off when it sits overnight?
do you have a meter? if you do just set it to AC voltage and and hook it to the battery(positive to positive and neg to neg). it shouldnt have any AC voltage but you can get away with .5v. if theres too much AC voltage then you need a new alternator or diodes inside it. if thats not the problem then disconnect the neg battery cable and use a test light and go through the fuse boxes and see if the test light lights up, that way you can narrow down where the problem is.
do you have a meter? if you do just set it to AC voltage and and hook it to the battery(positive to positive and neg to neg). it shouldnt have any AC voltage but you can get away with .5v. if theres too much AC voltage then you need a new alternator or diodes inside it. if thats not the problem then disconnect the neg battery cable and use a test light and go through the fuse boxes and see if the test light lights up, that way you can narrow down where the problem is.
Last edited by Matts ford; Dec 28, 2008 at 08:22 PM.
Thread Starter
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Technical Article Contributor
Joined: Feb 2006
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From: Central Coast, California
I haven't really looked into the battery drain issue as it starts most Mon. mornings, it hasn't left me stranded on a jobsite, and it's not really my truck (although it is assigned to me and I've put 118k on it). One of these weekends I'll put a meter on it and see if I can isolate the power drain, as it's clear our mechanic isn't going to do it.