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59 F100 with new battery starts only with battery charger

984 views 3 replies 3 participants last post by  EOD Guy 
#1 ·
I have a 59 F100 with a 302 out of a 85 Mustang/FMX tranny, installed 1 wire Alt. All else is stock.

Truck had been sitting since 03 when I bought it, it would at first start right off the key but now it only starts when I hook up my battery charger on the START position, i bought a new battery it checked fine but I returned it anyway, the second battery also checks out fine at 12.9v.

Could it be the solenoid for some reason it needs higher voltage?
 
#3 ·
check for voltage drop through battery cable.. you might have 13 at batt and 9.8 at starter
or 12.9 at batt, 12.8 at input of fords fender relay, and 12.4 out of it.. and 9.6 at the starter itself..
dirty connections, and acid build up in the cable (that green/white puss)
can make the voltage drop..
check for the drop..
if no multi meter.. just remove every connection and clean them with emery cloth battery post, cable ends(and cable to ends if those cheap autohouse bolt on jobs) the connections at the fender relay, and the + terminal and cable end on starter, then go to the - side and clean the cable ends, and conntection and batt term.
then retry..
it could also be the fender relay(starter selnoid) try a screw driver across the two large lugs, if it cranks bypassing it after you cleaned all the connections, you'll know it's that..
could be just a tired starter..

try the cleaning everything and voltage drop test with a multi meter first, then try bypassing the relay with the ford screwdriver test..
good luck
always have safety glasses on.. batteries can go boom.. and acid in the eyes is no fun..
 
#4 ·
I agree dirty connections/bad cables will cause what you describe. As suggested above try the voltage drop tests:

1- Pos post to neg post on the battery.
2- Batt side of the solenoid (pos probe of the multimeter) and the neg battery post.
3- Starter side of the solenoid and the neg battery post. (use a jumper from the battery side of the solenoid to "S" (sm post) on the solenoid, to engage the solenoid.
4- lug on the starter and the neg battery post. (use a jumper from the battery side of the solenoid to "S" (sm post) on the solenoid, to engage the solenoid.

That should give a good indication of where the problem is...... sometimes the internal terminals in the solenoid become dirty from arching and woun't make a good solid connection......sometimes it's a loose/dirty connection..... sometimes it's old cables etc.....
 
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