Hey guys I need some help. This morning it was about 0-5 degrees here and I went to try and start my truck. Well it wouldnt start. I let the grid heaters warm up once and then tried to roll it over but it wouldn't roll enough to start it. So I tried putting a jump box on it and doing it that way and same problem. I eventually ran the batterries completely dead and had to be jumped. When I first turned the key on, the voltmeter said it was just below 12 volts or whatever that first line is. It was just below that. So my friend came and jumped me with his ford car and it fired up after letting it sit on there for a second. Now my first thought it was my batterries and they were bad so I took it to autozone and they tested them both telling me that they were fine and I watched the meter and under load it didnt go below like 11 but it had been running good for a while and so the batterries were charged by the alternator. They test that too and it was fine. SOOOO is it autozones tester or whats the problem? My terminals are clean and no corrosion on them. Should I shell out the $150 for new batterries or what? Also I noticed my third brake light is burned out. I took the two screws off and i couldnt pry the cover off. It wanted to pull the whole unit out but i couldnt get it and gave up before I broke something because its like 4 degrees out. How does this work? Is it just a bulb blown or do I have to buy a whole new unit? that would be kinda dumb but I am not sure. If its just a bulb does anyone know the number? Thanks

 

The batteries have to be VERY good in this cold weather. If one of the two is weak, they both are. I have taken batteries from my CTD that wouldn't start the truck and run them in a gasser for over a year.

 

The 2004 manual says you have to remove the entire high-mount stop lamp to replace those light bulbs. For what it's worth, I have a 91 Mustang convertible and the center stop light melted just enough to make it almost impossible to get the lens out to change the bulb. Once I got it out, I filed/sanded down the warped portion so it would go back in. Maybe you have something similar going on. If you go to Wal Mart, they have a computer in the bulb aisle that will tell you exactly what bulb you need.

As far as the batteries go, did Autozone disconnect the batteries and test them individually? Those batteries are wired in parallel and support/help each other. The test would be more accurate if they were disconnected and tested separately. Maybe you have one bad battery and one good battery?

 

Each battery needs to be disconnected and tested the first test is just a light load to take off the surface charge then load test each battery for 15 seconds

 

It should be like my 95. Mine was still hanging on after removing the screws, but by "massaging" it it finally came off. 4 bulbs total. 2 for the brake light, 2 for the cargo light. If you're brake light isn't working at all, you'll need 2 bulbs, providing your 98 is the same as my 95.

 

If your Batterys are original its time to replace them. Spend the 150 bucks and save yourself some aggrevation down the road.

I have yet to see a stock battery last 6 years in a diesel, it doesnt happen.


Jason

 

Three years is the best I have gotten out of the dual battery set up and the right side battery always goes bad first for whatever reason. The left side battery is still in my sons car from two years ago.

 

Just out of curiousity, what kind of batteries are you guys running? What is the minimum CCA? You say $150, I can only find some decent batteries for around $90-100.

 

I put two NAPA Legends in mine. 875 amps I believe and I got them for like $79 a piece.

 

Right now I have a Diehard Silver on the right side and its rated at 800 CCA and on the left side I have a Diehard Gold which is rated at 900 CCA. No they did not take the batterries apart and test them. I didnt think something was right. I will have to shop around to find a 900 CCA battery for each side. As far as the light goes I'll check but why would both the bulbs burn out at the same time. I'll have to check, but I hope my cargo lights work or I may have a problem. Thanks for all your help.

 

IMHO, one of the brake lights burned out a while ago, but you didn't realize it as the other was still working. No one would have told you your 3rd brake light was out, since one of the 2 bulbs still lit. Now, both have gone to that pasture in the sky.

 

I am using the Interstate batteries that are spec'd out for the Ford 7.3 ambulance application. They are a little taller than the OEM batteries, so I had to make hold downs.
I am bvery happy withthese batteries. I have had two sets of the batteries from the dealer.

 

If you want some good cheap batteries, Go to wal-Mart and get the MAXX-1 battery. Cheap, good warranty and a million places to get them. I think i paid about $50 a battery last year.