Ford F150 (farm truck)

[Wape]

I have 1995 F150 with 4.6 Liter engine battery is 2004. Needed to run some errands tried to start it battery dead. I put a battery charger on it for 24hrs. Yes, I did disconnect the leads while charging. I went out today to see if it would turn over, nope. I can hear the solenoid click but the starter wont engage. I checked the battery with a multimeter it showed 12.46V with 326Amps. Shouldn't this be enough to at least spin the motor?? TIA for any suggestions or comments.

 

[Atimm693]

Do the lights and stuff dim when you try to start it?

Could be the fender solenoid, but I'd almost bet money that you need a new battery. I'm not convinced the new digital testers are all that great. Have seen them pass batteries that wouldn't crank a scooter. I prefer the older style with a carbon pile that actually put a heavy load on the battery.

There must be a typo in your post, the 4.6 didn't get put in trucks until 97.

 

[Texasmark]

That is an old battery. You are saying that the terminal voltage is that when delivering that starting current to the engine? If so, you have one hot battery....and 16 years old!

My automatic battery charger indicates that a small drop in static voltage can represent a large decrease in battery energy capacity. .3 volts down, if static, is roughly only 50-60% of full charge capacity. 300 amps should be plenty to start a 5 liter engine. I look for 11v minimum across the battery terminals at that kind of current and 10v across the actual starter terminal to case, leaving 1v drop for wiring. I realize that measuring your starter on a PU isn't like measuring it on a tractor.

 

[Brute 23]

I dont know if you can just test it with a meter like that. I think battery testers simulate a load (cranking) to know if the battery is good.

Most all the auto part stores have testers around here and will test for free.

Why did you have to charge the first time?

I have an 04 F150 with 4.6L as a farm truck also.

 

[Aaron]

You need a load tester to see if battery has any real juice. Multimeter don't cut it.

That has got to be a record life for a battery! 16 years, wow. I am glad if they last half that long.

 

[greggy]

You need a new battery.

Watch the voltage as you crank, it wont be 12

 

[jltrent]

Battery............hook a tractor to it and see if it will crank. If so 4-sure the battery.

 

[sstterry]

A 2004 battery? Yep, it has lost its juice. I think a battery every 16 years is not to bad. What brand is it? I want one!

 

[farmerjan]

Just replaced the battery in my Subaru forester. I put it on an all night slow charge, and a couple of urh urh's.... It was a 13 which made it 7 years old and I thought that was pretty good. If I got 16 years out of one I would probably fall over.

Try jumping it off another vehicle. If it starts then it is the battery. Or do as jltrent says.

They are getting more expensive, but yeah, put a new one in it.