Something is draining my new batteries??? - Diesel Forum

byroneames · 01-02-2008, 12:35 AM

Most of the time my 89 F350/w Banks Sidewinder Turbo has plenty of juice to start. However, every once in a while I will come out in the morning and it will be totally dead. I mean, it won't have enough juice to light even a dash light. My alternator is putting out plenty of juice. I just bought two new batteries (the old ones were plenty old anyway).
This is what's weirding me out: When I put my trickle charger on it. (With the key OUT of the ignition) The amp meter on the charger clicks every three of four seconds from 0 amps to 6 amps. Back and forth.
After noticing this I disconnected the big red wire (running from one side of the terminal on the fender wall to the starter) and it still clicked back and forth. Next I disconnected the black wire from the other side of the terminal on the fender wall, and it stopped clicking back and forth.
I think, but I'm not sure, that this black wire goes to the solenoid on the starter.
So, my question is: What the hell is this starter/solenoid doing? And why does this happen only sometimes?
It does seem to happen after a night of really cold temps, but I can't say that 100% for sure.
Is my truck possessed????

cdnsarguy · 01-02-2008, 01:28 AM

Have you felt the alternator to see if it is hot when shut down and the clicking and battery drain is in progress. Could it be the voltage regulator clicking.....??

bwood454 · 01-02-2008, 01:42 AM

Might also be a bad diode in the alternator

asauer · 01-02-2008, 02:13 AM

Are you putting the charger on when your batteries are what you believe to be fully charged? When batteries are fully charged alot of trickle chargers will switch on-and-off to regulate themselves and prevent overcharging.

Snotzalot · 01-02-2008, 08:47 AM

Ignition switch. Check to see if your vehicle was covered on the ignition switch recall.

farmfuel · 01-02-2008, 09:30 AM

Go grab a test light. Disconnect the negative cable(s). Clamp the test light ground lead to the battery post. Rest the test light tip on the negative terminal. Notice that both batteries are disconnected from the truck, rendering the truck with 0 power. Now if the light comes on-on the test light, you have a current drain. Start pulling fuses/disconnecting stuff. The brighter the light, the bigger the drain- you can test the lights' brightness by simply turning on the ignition switch. When the switch is on, the test light will get brighter.

I have no way to explain the theory of realitivity, or even how to spell it for that matter, but it's something about the reverse flow of electrons...??? An old man taught me that trick, and it's one of the best tricks that I keep up my sleeve.

Snotzalot · 01-02-2008, 09:34 AM

Your vehicle IS subject to the ignition switch recall.

94_turbo · 01-02-2008, 09:59 AM

disconnect the batt cables from the batts---charge completely up---then next morning check them--if they BOTH are still up--then its probably the regulator, but could be the alt also--sounds like one of the batts is bad---as it didnt do it before that-----just because the batts are new---dont mean their good---had a new batt die in less than 2 months on the tdi--junk from factory------

truckdrivindave · 01-02-2008, 01:36 PM

one of the things I found about the batteries is knowing what the ampres are. One winter my batteries were going dead or really low on charge to start. I tested them and after charging and they deemed to be good. So finally a mechanic at a trucking out fit told me to check the ampres. Batteries may show 12, 13, volts but with the low ampres the other battery will charge down to the low battery. All after going through a new regulator and alternator. I find this out and bought new batteries. Ive not had a problem since. So check your ampres on the batteries.

But since you have new batteries the ampres may not be the cause of your problem, but I just thought Id chime in on the problem I had that it might help solve your problem.....

byroneames · 01-02-2008, 03:30 PM

Snotz,
ThaNks a BUNCH!
I went to the Ford site for recalls. There's a window to put in your V.I.N.. I did that and it says there's no recalls for this vehicle. Where did you see that it was under recall?

Snotzalot · 01-02-2008, 03:49 PM

http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/pr...callsearch.cfm

Keep in mind Ford only recalled certain vehicles with this switch, but the same switch was used in many other vehicles.

http://nhthqnwws111.odi.nhtsa.dot.go...-96V071-NN.PDF

byroneames · 01-02-2008, 05:44 PM

Bummer, I just talked to Ford; they say my truck already had the ignition switch replaced. The problm may still be the ign. switch, but i'm going to have to confirm that as the problem before I start buying new parts I guess.

farmfuel · 01-02-2008, 06:26 PM

Have you done the test light check for a power drain? That's the easiest way to do it. (before you start buying parts, like you said)

F350farmboy · 01-02-2008, 08:51 PM

I'm thinking of getting 2 battery disconnect switches from summit.

Snotzalot · 01-03-2008, 07:49 AM

One other suggestion, there is a #4 cable that goes from the starter solenoid to the positive terminal on one of the batteries. Use a good jumper cable and by pass that cable.

The battery cables on my E350 are only a few years old and this past fall I had a similar intermittent starting problem and it turned out this #4 cable had an open or a bad crimp and it acted just like a dead battery.