truck batteries

has anyone had to replace there batteries in there truck yet? My truck is a 13 and i feel like on cold morning it is slow cranking but it could be my imagination to. Truck only has 25k on it. Going to go talk to the dealer the first of next week and see if they will test each one for me. Just wondering if anyone had any input. Thanks Brad

Unless there's an issue, they should last at least 4 or 5 years. Motorcraft ones at least.

Just curious but what weight oil you running. And what do you mean by cold, 32, 0, -10, or -30 or so?

im running mobile 1 5w40 and not very cold but 25-40 degrees

Do you use your truck for work? Lots of stuff plugged in (laptop, printer etc) and have them plugged in with the truck off and just turn the truck on once In a while? I cooked a set on my old Dodge doing that lol and it was starting pretty slow. Got them changed under warranty...

A daily grocery getter will kill batteries quick also. I just sold my 08 and the batteries lasted 6 years before the stock ones started to take a crap. A lot of starting and stopping kills batteries. My dads 10 is on another set for about the last 1.5 years. Daily driver truck and a lot of starts and stops.


Sent from the bat phone near a drilling rig.

not much of a grocery getting it gets driven 6 to 7 days a week. If i stop at a gas station or something to get a drink i leave it running to

What do you think the range of time the truck is running? Go out in the morning start and drive some place and the repeat.


Sent from the bat phone near a drilling rig.

I am in a similar boat with the OP. Taking care of my brother's truck while he is in S. Korea. He has the motorcraft tough max batteries in his 05 and they are just over 2 years old. I had them tested yesterday and the ccas seem very low to be 2 years old. One was at 743 and the other was 701, yet they are claiming 850cca is what the battery is rated for. Is that normal performance decline for these batteries?

My issue is, due to the lower ccas the FICM module I replaced in August died due to the low ccas in below 32* weather.

Thanks
Andrew

southernwake said:

I am in a similar boat with the OP. Taking care of my brother's truck while he is in S. Korea. He has the motorcraft tough max batteries in his 05 and they are just over 2 years old. I had them tested yesterday and the ccas seem very low to be 2 years old. One was at 743 and the other was 701, yet they are claiming 850cca is what the battery is rated for. Is that normal performance decline for these batteries?



My issue is, due to the lower ccas the FICM module I replaced in August died due to the low ccas in below 32* weather.



Thanks

Andrew

Click to expand...

Try using a good trickle charger, seems to work good with bringing batteries back to full potential...

I actually bought one to try. I am getting new batteries just to have that peace of mind and know for a fact the batteries are fresh.

Of course while looking around after removing the batteries I found a Schumacher Electric automatic trickle charger/ maintainer installed next to the passenger battery. So he already has one installed but it only comes on when the truck heater is plugged up (his truck was in Alaska for years so it has oil pan, trans pan, block heater and trickle charger).


Thanks
Andrew

My original batteries just didn't seem to give up the power when loaded with the winch. So this summer I put these in it.
http://www.sears.com/diehard-platin...p-02851065000P?prdNo=3&blockNo=3&blockType=G3

There's a huge thread over at Pirate4x4 on the subject. Report is that the optima stuff has lost a lot of quality and that the sears plat battery is the current leader.

But $500, like ouch.

Seems like the winch has more grunt now too.

here is a small video after the truck sat 24hr and was about 42 degrees out. Let me know what you think

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwnjpWVe_rI

Yeah that's a little slow in my opinion. I haven't heard my truck turn over slow like that even in 10-20 degree weather. Have you had someone check your system for draw or do a test on your batteries??

no not yet im going to. I was just asking on here first

FYI, truck sat for almost 72 hours... 38 degrees at startup...


https://vimeo.com/148557385

ya mine sound pretty weak compared to yours

Im sure you'll get it figured pretty quick here!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Update. Got my batteries checked today by the dealer the driver side only had 80cca. Getting it replaced and I'm buying the other side to have it replaced as well

You simply cannot go wrong with motorcraft batteries. Johnson controls manufacturing has a good quality control program. Higher grade lead is used in motorcraft batteries (less impurities) and a good quality battery acid and not to mention the structured frame.

Take a cheap one apart and a motorcraft one apart and one will see the difference.

A large part about keeping batteries is simply keeping the fluid level full and not allowing the cells to be exposed. I keep a watchful eye on mine about 2-3 times a year.

Discharging batteries repeatedly causes sulfation on the plates which is basically a scaled coating that blocks the "charging" transfer from plates through fluid to take place. There is almost nothing you can do about it unless you want to run the risk of trying to desulfate them and most people are not capable of doing that without a special "pulse" charger. Best to replace the batteries for simplicity sake.

Motorcraft is my personal preference and choice... non biased but it is what it is. Interstate batteries have lost their quality drastically since they went to a "sticker market" they are none better than the average cheap cross country battery anymore.