Lets talk about an unusual starting issue

[stmitch]

Vehicle: 2001 Ranger 2.3L/5 spd with 125000 miles

Problem: The truck recently sat for about 4 weeks. When I went to start it, it just clicked like the battery was dead. I checked the battery, and it was low, so I charged the battery and everything seemed normal. Cranked and fired right away. I dismissed it as being a side effect of sitting.

Everytime since then however, if the truck sits for any moderate length of time (more than an hour or so), it acts the same. Turn the key, lots of relays clicking but no crank or start. If I hold the key in the cranking position however, it will eventually crank and start normally. Once it's started, everything is normal. No dimming of lights, or stalling sputtering of any kind.

When the battery is freshly charged, there's no problem. I had the battery tested at the local parts store, and their tester initially wouldn't recognize that it was connected to a battery even after several attempts. They tried a second tester and the same thing happened. They moved to a third tester, and proclaimed that the battery was good and had a full charge. I'll take the battery to a different store to see what they say before I buy anything new, but haven't had the chance yet.

So, what do you guys think? Am I dealing with a weird battery issue that could be easily fixed with a new battery? Some type of draw that is draining the battery when the truck isn't running? Something else? Talk at me.

 

[cocoasranger]

When I had a similar problem, cleaning the battery posts and the insides of the battery clamps cured both the charging and starting problems. If that does not fix it, I would borrow and temporarily swap in a known good battery. Good luck.

 

[97RangerXLT]

^^This.

Also look at the starter itsself. I had an issue several years ago where when it dropped down below freezing I would get the "click" and nothing else. after chasing the usual suspects around (battery, fender mounted solenoid, cables) I found that if i took my wifes hair dryer and warmed up the starter it would fire right up. because the truck had a huge oil leak from the valve covers at the time, the oil ran down the engine into the starter, and that would cause the no start condition when it got cold.

solution: clean the oil out of the starter brushes and fix the oil leak altho I did wait until warm weather to mess with the oil leak...ended up doing the entire upper engine gaskets.

AJ

 

[RonD]

Starter motor needs 100-120amps, which is why larger cables are needed.
Lights and relays 10-20amps so will usually be fine even when high amp draw is not.

Your issue reads like poor Larger Battery cable connections, positive and negative cables BOTH need to be able to pass 150amps, if one can only pass 50amps then you get "click" but no starter motor.
Check BOTH ends of BOTH larger cables

A new 12volt battery will show 12.8volts
After 3 years it will show 12.5volts
5 years 12.3volts
When fully charged battery shows 12.2volts or lower it is time for a new battery

Test battery voltage after it sits for 4 to 8 hours.
Also to test if battery has an internal short, remove 1 battery cable.
Put volt meter on the battery and watch it for a couple of minutes, if voltage is slowly dropping then there is an internal short, battery will drain itself when it is just sitting.

To check charging system
Start engine
Check battery voltage
Just after starting it should show over 14volts but under 15volts, recharge voltage
After running for 5 minutes, or longer, battery voltage should be under 14volts, 13.5-13.7volts, this lower voltage keeps battery charged but won't "cook it".
Giving a 12volt battery over 14volts for a long period will damage it, evaporates the chemicals inside, cooks it

 

[stmitch]

Battery has 14.4ish volts while engine is running.
It was 12.9 volts immediately after engine shutdown after about 30 minutes of run time.
After sitting for about 11 hours, voltage read 10.5 volts.

I'll check again today to see if those values are consistent. Testing the battery outside of the truck will have to wait another couple of days unfortunately

 

[RonD]

I would disconnect 1 battery cable and let it sit overnight, then read battery before hooking cable back up.
If it is down under 12volts then battery is bad, internal short
If still above 12.3volts then you have a circuit in the truck that is draining battery.

 

[stmitch]

That's the basic plan, but I leave for work long before sun up. Even working on minor things that time of day is difficult to do without disturbing my wife or neighbors, not to mention the complete darkness. I'll test the battery on my next day off

 

[55trucker]

Do you have a battery tester ( Hydrometer)?

it sounds as tho one of the cells in the battery is going/has gone bad.

Pull the caps and check the specific gravity of each of the cells.

13.00 excellent, 12.60 good, 12.00 fair, 11.50 - 1100 poor & just going along for the ride

 

[stmitch]

Unfortunately I don't have a hydrometer. I am hoping that you are correct about it being an issue with the battery though.

I removed the battery from the truck yesterday and fully charged it. After letting it sit over night, the voltage has dropped from 12.9v to 12.0v. I'm going to let it sit a bit longer just to see if it continues to drop, but I'm leaning towards the issue being a tired battery right now.

 

[RonD]

Battery has internal short.

You can find out which Cell is bad/shorted, not that it helps, lol.

Remove the cell hole covers, if possible, some are sealed.

Put volt meter on DC volts, and black probe on battery Negative
Dip red probe into the fluid in the closest Cell, don't touch the plates, just the fluid
You should see 2volts
Move to next cell hole, should see 4 volts, ect......+2 volts for each Cell
Shorted cell will add less than 2volts

When 5 cells are 2 volts and 1 cell is 1.5volts then power flows to that one cell and battery drains itself
When all 6 cells are equal voltage then no power flows, so battery doesn't self drain