OK, I'm really hoping I'm right on this, but I wan't a second opinion before I go out and buy a new battery.

I started the truck this morning, and she fired up fine. Used a piece of scrap wood to idle up a little, and went inside for about 10 minutes. A few minutes after I came back out and was cleaning the snow/ice off, she started running rough, and then died. When I tried to turn her back over, it would just crank. To me it seems to be cranking slower than normal, but it's hard to tell since she's just fired right up every day since I bought her in September. When I tried to jump it (using the wife's '92 Murcury Sable), it dimmed the hell out of her electrical system, and seemed to crank a little better, but still no joy.

All this, combined with that fact that it was about 6* F this morning point me towards a battery killed by the cold (except for the fact that it started then died). Only other thing I can think of would be gelled fuel, but I've been religously running a little more than the recommended mix of PowerService antigel (white bottle) since about mid November.

If I've got it right, a suggestion for where to buy a battery (and which battery) would be good (I live near UConn, and work out in East Hartford, CT). If I'm wrong, suggestions are more than welcome.

 

I'd put it on a battery charger before doing anything else.
Most jumper cables won't pass enough juice to start a CTD.

 

the fuel gauge often lie . are you sure you have fuel?

 

Unless there's a hole in my tank, I've got fuel. I've driven it less than 10 mi. since my last fill up.

As for putting it on a charger, I don't have one, or know anyone with one near me, otherwise I would. I know the battery is old, so if that is a good possibility, a new one wouldn't hurt anyway.

 

it takes two, and get good ones. but that dont make it die after it's started. If it cranks, I would crack some lines and see if I had fuel to the injetors. don't sound like fun at 6 deg.

 

I seem to have a knack for having to do vehicle repair work in that kind of weather (no garage either). Last winter, I had to replace my wife's wiper motor around this time of year too (I think it was actually the coldest day of the year ). Luckilly, it's supposed to warm up to around 30* - 35* tomorrow, which is probably when I'll be doing this, since I won't be getting home until at least 6:00 tonight.

 

Isn't this the old cart before the horse deal ? get the batteries charged , and not on a 5-10amp charger , 30amps min. then get someone to do a load test on both , then have the altinator tested , then you can look at your 2nd problum,
1st change the fuel filter and collect the fuel in it , into a glass container to see what might be in it .
If the fuel is gelled than you want to put the red bottle [ 911 ] in the tank , its spoused to work its way through.
I don'nt know but does your truck have a lift pump with a screen in it ? if it does than you'll want to clean it also.
last is check fuel pressure.
About jumper cables , goods one are going to cost at least $50 and feel heavy , lots of coper , and if you do not have good jumper cables then you need to let the running car/truck run longer [ high RPM 1,300 ] to charge , think of water to think of electricity , you need a lot of current to start an eng. so big pipes , same with jumping , if you do not have the big cables then you need to let the charge go longer ,a small pipe can fill a big tank but it will take longer, [ maybe 5-10 min.]
To save the electronics of the jumping car/truck , after running for some time turn off the car/ truck so that when the jumped truck starts it doesn't send a searge to the jumper.

 

I'm with John, I think you are gelled or iced up. Is there anyplace you can put it to warm it up? Even if you can tarp over it and aim a torpedo heater in there that may get you going again.

No screen to clog on a 1st gen. Like John said, change the filter and put some 911 type additive in it.

 

Thanks all for the help. My best guess is partially gelled fuel with a weak battery making things worse. I changed out the fuel filter first, since it was cheapest. The fuel that came out of it didn't look gelled (or even cloudy), but today is about 30 degrees warmer than yesterday morning.

Unfortunatly that wasn't enough, and it still seemed to be cranking slowish. Turns out that the previous owner (I bought it at the end of Sept.) had a type 24, 600 CCA battery in her. Swaped it out for NAPA's type 31, 900 CCA. She cranked much better, and after a few tries (I'm assuming to get the fuel moving again), she turned right over.

Thanks again for all the help. I'm just starting out doing my own automotive work, and I'm not sure what I would have done without as great a resoure as everyone here on this site.

 

Glad to hear you got 'er going.

I'm surprised you got away with only 600 cca this far into the winter! I hate to tell you that your new battery is still a little undersized, Dodge says it should have an 1100 cca battery. A good battery is very important on a 1st gen since we have only one. You will be OK with the 900 cca if you plug in.

 

Yeah, I know 900 cca is still small, but I couldn't find an 1100 anywhere within an hour drive. And I've been religiously plugging in. Thanks again for all the help.