Hey everyone
This is my first post here and have been reading around quite a bit to find an answer, found some, but not definative. I have been just starting to get some hard starting on first start up in the morning. It is not too cold out about 0* Celcius, and the truck is not plugged in. Checked the voltage drop in the positive and negative cables while cranking, both are around .15 volts. The battery drops to about 9.5-10 volts while cranking. There is no white smoke while cranking. Just slow, then after about 5-6 seconds it will fire and run fine. My only concern is that I am planning a trip up north in about a week, where it will be any where from -15*Celcius to -30* Celcius, so I know this problem will only get worse with those temps. I am leaning toward a bad starting but want to make sure. Any help would be great. Thanks very much.

 

Oh btw its a 93 250 with an auto, and about 250k kms, and just vishually looking at the starter it looks very old and rusted, not the terminal though, already cleaned it.

 

Its probably not the starter.you may be getting down on your cca's.whats the battery rating?

 

Its an Interstate workaholic 950 CCA, and I couldnt tell you how old it is, as it was in there when I bought the truck(only bought it about 6 months ago) As well, once it starts one time that day it will be fine for the rest of the day.

 

Could be the batt... mine used to do this during our 2 week cold spell(i think its 3 or 4 years old). Alot of guys up north seem to goto a twin battery setup for that reason. The grid-heaters drawl A-LOT of amperes, but u need them with the freezing cold. I usually replace the batt, starter and alt within first year of getting a vehicle(bad luck).

 

The first thing I would do is put a shiny new Group-31 battery in her and see what happens.

While you are at it, get a Group-31S threaded stud type battery, instead of the troublesome lead post kind and convert your cables to copper "lug" terminals for use on the stud type battery.

If you don't have time/money/inclination/knowledge to convert the cables at the present time, go ahead and buy the stud type battery PLUS two of the post adapters that screw over the threaded studs, such that you can go ahead and use your current cable set-up.

Then, when you do get time to convert the cables, you already have the stud type battery and all you need do is remove the adapters.


If it is still a little draggy with the new battery, you may want to inspect and clean the insides of the starter; it is amazing how nasty they can get.

 

950 cca is marginal. Should have 1100 cca minimum.

 

what battery would you guys recommend. I will just be running a single battery for now.

 

Like Bearkiller said, get a group 31. Any group 31 battery has enough capacity, it's what these trucks used from the factory. Mine came from Advance Auto Parts, it's their house brand.

 

And don't let some slick-tongued salesman talk you into anything else; if the first place you check does not have a Group-31S, then try somewhere else.

I believe the main reason that many of these trucks end up with marginal batteries is the Group-31 is a commercial battery and many of the consumer-oriented concerns don't stock them.

 

Mine acted the same as yours, and it was the starter. It acted just like there wasn't enough juice in the battery. Battery was fine all along.

 

well just found a group 31 1125 CCA on sale for $100 from napa but dont wanna go out and buy until I know for sure, and other checks I could do to narrow it down?

 

mine did this a few days back and i plugged it in ever since, never had the same problem

 

FWIW I also have an I-state workaholoic/950cca. Like you my truck is kinda sluggish to turn over when it is cold (say, 30 deg and down). The 1st workaholic I had lasted about 6 months and went south, to the point if I cycled the grids even once the thing wouldnt crank, so I went a good part of that winter with the grid relays unplugged. As it stands now I usually dont let the grids cycle in the morning as I fear she wont crank fast enough to fire, but being a Cummins it lights off without the grids 99.9999999% of the time. Next batt will be at least 1100 or better for me.

 

So should I just go get a new battery, I would really like to be sure. Any way to test to determine if its not the starter for sure?