Senior Member
View Poll Results: Do replace batteries and alternators in sets? If you have a different item?, please just post in the | |||
I manage to replace them separately when the idiot lights come on. |
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1 | 33.33% |
I make regular appointments at a certified dealer. I don't have issues. |
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0 | 0% |
I get about two years on alternators and battery sets. |
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0 | 0% |
I get about three years on alternators and battery sets. |
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2 | 66.67% |
I buy special non-stock heavy duty equipment that never fails. |
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0 | 0% |
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 3. You may not vote on this poll |
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Frozen Tundra Cascading electrical failure mid-winter blues
I'm wondering if any of you diesel types who live where you get weeks below zero degrees Fahrenheit think about the electrical twists of these beasts. Everything is built bigger and heavier than regular autos and trucks. Hen things start to break - the failures seem to cascade through the system. A dead alternator takes out the batteries. Week batteries take out a starter or the alternator. I have seemed to replace them in sets. I'm heading into my third set of alternator/batteries in eight years. Is this normal? I'm on my first replacement starter (lifetime?)
We were supposed to hit -20F last night, only made it to -15. It got up to -2F this afternoon. My diesel's starter wouldn't turn. I had the block heater plugged in, I charged the batteries, and tried again. The starter still didn't turn.
I'm posting a poll for the guys who live int the wash that comes down from Canada on to the plains. If you live in Arizona, Florida, Southern California or some other paradise where you are still running the OEM battery that shipped with your truck after sixteen years, please don't vote.
We were supposed to hit -20F last night, only made it to -15. It got up to -2F this afternoon. My diesel's starter wouldn't turn. I had the block heater plugged in, I charged the batteries, and tried again. The starter still didn't turn.
I'm posting a poll for the guys who live int the wash that comes down from Canada on to the plains. If you live in Arizona, Florida, Southern California or some other paradise where you are still running the OEM battery that shipped with your truck after sixteen years, please don't vote.
F250 Lariat 2001 Super Crew Henry Ford Black 7.3L 4x4
Last edited by Billium; 12-18-2016 at 08:50 PM. Reason: Title - spelling
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Senior Member
Heat kills a battery much faster than cold. Cold just sucks out the performance. Starters just seem to suck in general. and on that note, I have had a starter that checked good at NAPA but ended up being the heart of the problem (replaced battery/alternator first). I would say your problem is the starter. Regular batteries last about 6 years and alternators are a crap shoot.
DENNY
DENNY
1999 F350 AUTO 4x4 CC LB DRW 4.10
Lifetime Supporting Member

I got 3 yrs on my batteries (replace both at the same time) and 6+ yrs on the alt right now without issue
F350 2002 7.3
auto, 37/13.5/20 open country, Bushwaker cut-out flare, Bilstein 5100, Maxtow gauges (EGT, Trans temp, Boost), 4 inch diamond eye turbo back axel drop with BTM muffler, S&B intake, RR AIH plug, billet FPR with gold spring, CNCfab Sgt 1 HPOP, CNCfab HPOP line with cross over, CNCfab 4 line fuel kit, ARP heads stud, RDP plenum reinforcing insert, complete CAC intercooler boot kit, full engine seal and gasket kit, 360* turbo rebuilt, WWII, EGPV delete, dark blue CPS, Hydra chip with SDK tunes, Polished compressor manifold, HD coolant, 203* thermostat, Transgo HD kit, Energy suspension bushing kit, front and rear diff fully rebuilt with 4:88 gear ratio, Z36 powerstop heavy hauling brake kit, headlight relay mod, Fumoto drain valve AND STICKER
F350 2008 6.4 (sold)
TT 26' Springdale 2014
7x17 enclose trailer (shop) 2012
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Senior Member
2001 7.3L stalled in the middle of the driveway. I can get the little cars out around it. I had my llocal shop put in a new GPR. Apparently that's not it.
I saw a thread on CPS Cam Position Sensor. It started up fairly cold at the dealer. I drove it to work the next day. I started it at lunch. It ran home fine.
I parked it for a day - didn't start yesterday for a trip to Milwaukee. I plugged in the block heater. and left it sit. It won't start.
The weather is really making it difficult to handle this.
I've had it for ten years, but the fight is going out of me.
I saw a thread on CPS Cam Position Sensor. It started up fairly cold at the dealer. I drove it to work the next day. I started it at lunch. It ran home fine.
I parked it for a day - didn't start yesterday for a trip to Milwaukee. I plugged in the block heater. and left it sit. It won't start.
The weather is really making it difficult to handle this.
I've had it for ten years, but the fight is going out of me.
F250 Lariat 2001 Super Crew Henry Ford Black 7.3L 4x4
Lifetime Supporting Member
Probably worth starting a new thread with your issue.
So it has new GPR?
Did they test the GPs and determine if all 8 are functioning in range (measured in Ohms)?
Did you have a new CPS installed?
This would be one of the first suggestions based on your dead in driveway? (Right after the question of did you run out of fuel? Lol)
What is the history of the oil? Same oil you use each winter? What is the viscosity? Is the oil level in the crosshatches of dipstick? How many miles on oil change? Old or low oil can cause starting issues especially in cold temps.
What are your night time temps? Do you use a fuel additive in the winter to remove water in fuel?
So it has new GPR?
Did they test the GPs and determine if all 8 are functioning in range (measured in Ohms)?
Did you have a new CPS installed?
This would be one of the first suggestions based on your dead in driveway? (Right after the question of did you run out of fuel? Lol)
What is the history of the oil? Same oil you use each winter? What is the viscosity? Is the oil level in the crosshatches of dipstick? How many miles on oil change? Old or low oil can cause starting issues especially in cold temps.
What are your night time temps? Do you use a fuel additive in the winter to remove water in fuel?
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2002 F-250 4x4 CC SB 7.3 PSD w/4R100. 182,000 miles.
NOS Black CPS. ScanGauge-II, AIC, Bilstein 5100, Stancor GPR, Marinco Mod, B&W Turnover Ball, Michelin Defender LTX
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2002 F-250 4x4 SC LB 7.3 PSD w/ZF-6. 177,000 miles.
NOS Black CPS. ScanGauge-II. Bilstein 5100. Noco Mod. Michelin Defender LTX 285/75/16.
SOLD:
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2000 F-250 4x4 SC SB 7.3 PSD w/4R100. 164,000 miles.
NOS Black CPS. Rebuilt Fuel bowl w/gold spring, 6.0 Cooler, Walker BTM, Stancor GPR, Michelin LTX M&S2.
Senior Member
You said that is stalled. Was it initially running? Did you simply gel the fuel? Although, with that, if you plug the block heater, I would think it might start and run momentarily. Because of NY winters and occasional run to VT, I only use the 5w 40 syn rotella. It is good from NY to FL and it spins much faster on start up than with 15w 40.
2002 F-250, PSD 6-speed, CC, short bed, 4X4, Toreador Red w/ Silver accent, A.R.E mx cap, Weld Super Single II and 33s in the summer, x-springs, F-350 blocks and badges, AIC, proflaps, ITP intank mod, AirDog with 3 micron filter, isspro guages and TTM, scangauge, husky liners, alarm, xm stereo,stull 5399-p grille, centramatics, ccv mod, AIS Air Filter, Southbend CON O, Detroit Truetrac LSD, coolant filter, 203 stat with billet housing, blackcloud intake heater plug/boost fitting, reese titan hitch, fabcraft PTO cover/temp sender port, prodigy brake controller, ITP Boost Annihalator, oilguard bypass filter, Mag-Hytec rear dif, bilsteins, hellwig rear stabilizer bar, ATS housing, non-ebpv pedistal and exhaust flange, magnaflow 3.5dp exhaust, ITP reg return, turbomaster wastegate controller, and ceramic coated bellowed up pipes, PHP 50t and 80p, currently 127,000 miles.
Last edited by clydesdale; 02-11-2019 at 06:28 AM.
Senior Member
I took it to the stealer. They diagnosed a bad power cord on the block heater.
I used a magnetic tank heater stuck to the oil pan. It's in the teens now and doesn't take as much heat to get it popping.
I used winterized diesel with 911 added.
The dealer only wanted $300.00 parts and labor to replace the cord and element. 8O
I used a magnetic tank heater stuck to the oil pan. It's in the teens now and doesn't take as much heat to get it popping.
I used winterized diesel with 911 added.
The dealer only wanted $300.00 parts and labor to replace the cord and element. 8O
F250 Lariat 2001 Super Crew Henry Ford Black 7.3L 4x4
Lifetime Supporting Member
Does this mean you did not have the new cord & element installed?
If you opted not to pay $300 then you may be happy to learn you can buy an aftermarket cord on amazon for under $25 and its a simple project to replace only the cord and leave the original heating element installed (which requires draining a bunch of coolant if it had to be removed). The cord simply unplugs from the element which is located in the aluminum housing your oil filter screws into and then you just have to route the new cord to the front bumper and tie it about 4 places with cable ties to hold it in place.
The cord is a very common failure even though the heating element continues to work fine. The element seldom fails.
I think most members will agree that the block heater is a superior method to warm your engine block instead of the magnetic oil pan heater. It would be good to fix the cord.
If you opted not to pay $300 then you may be happy to learn you can buy an aftermarket cord on amazon for under $25 and its a simple project to replace only the cord and leave the original heating element installed (which requires draining a bunch of coolant if it had to be removed). The cord simply unplugs from the element which is located in the aluminum housing your oil filter screws into and then you just have to route the new cord to the front bumper and tie it about 4 places with cable ties to hold it in place.
The cord is a very common failure even though the heating element continues to work fine. The element seldom fails.
I think most members will agree that the block heater is a superior method to warm your engine block instead of the magnetic oil pan heater. It would be good to fix the cord.
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2002 F-250 4x4 CC SB 7.3 PSD w/4R100. 182,000 miles.
NOS Black CPS. ScanGauge-II, AIC, Bilstein 5100, Stancor GPR, Marinco Mod, B&W Turnover Ball, Michelin Defender LTX
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
2002 F-250 4x4 SC LB 7.3 PSD w/ZF-6. 177,000 miles.
NOS Black CPS. ScanGauge-II. Bilstein 5100. Noco Mod. Michelin Defender LTX 285/75/16.
SOLD:
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
2000 F-250 4x4 SC SB 7.3 PSD w/4R100. 164,000 miles.
NOS Black CPS. Rebuilt Fuel bowl w/gold spring, 6.0 Cooler, Walker BTM, Stancor GPR, Michelin LTX M&S2.
Last edited by ArcticDriver; 02-13-2019 at 01:36 PM.
I have the batteries tested every time I go to the dealer and have the oil changed so that's about 2 times a year. If you look look at them you shouldn't have to replace the alternator every time you replace the batteries if you look at them every once in a while. Look for them to leak. When they start that they are junk. Sure you can clean them but you didn't stop the leak. Sure sign of trouble. If you wait till the battery goes dead than chances are you will drop another $200 on a alternator that you could have avoided in the first place
There sometimes a good thing to take it to the dealer. They also found a tire that looked good only to find out the side wall on the inside to be split apart about 3/4 they way around the tire.
I know every one can change there own oil. I can also. I have a garage full of tools also. But I don't have a lift or a load tester for batteries and I don't know who here has one ether.
I have 5 Fords and they all go to the dealer for oil changes. I do however do as much of the maintenance my self. I do my own fuel filters but I haven't found out what to do with the diesel I drain out so I will stop doing that also. You can buy your own oil and take it to Ford dealer and they will use your oil and filter for around $29.
There sometimes a good thing to take it to the dealer. They also found a tire that looked good only to find out the side wall on the inside to be split apart about 3/4 they way around the tire.
I know every one can change there own oil. I can also. I have a garage full of tools also. But I don't have a lift or a load tester for batteries and I don't know who here has one ether.
I have 5 Fords and they all go to the dealer for oil changes. I do however do as much of the maintenance my self. I do my own fuel filters but I haven't found out what to do with the diesel I drain out so I will stop doing that also. You can buy your own oil and take it to Ford dealer and they will use your oil and filter for around $29.
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