'02 F250 Dead Batteries

lostcause · Mar 28, 2011

i replaced the pair in my ton this fall/winter. the truck is an 01, and it was the third pair as far as i can tell. i think 5 years is a fair span, particularly in a truck with an electric/hydraulic dump body and an electric/hydraulic plow. i don't know how much life all the extra devices take off the lifespan, but i know that when i pick up my snowplow it pretty much brings the heater blower motor to a stop.

for what it's worth, i bought this set of batteries at sam's club. i think it was $68-$69 each. they have pretty much the same rating numbers as batteries from any supplier, and i'm sure they'll hold up well.

VitaBene · Mar 28, 2011

My 99 F250 7.3 went 9 years on the factory batteries. I replaced them with Interstate brand batts 3 years ago. My diesel mechanic sells Interstate in his shop, so I went with them (it was in getting the oil pan replaced).

The 7.3 needs good batteries, as was noted above, they don't jump start well.

Reg · Mar 28, 2011

There used to be flaming arguments about the practice of wiring 12 volt batteries in parallel.
The theory was that they would discharge into each other, sort of alternately, if they weren't a PERFECT match in some way or another.

I was looking through the wiring schematics of the '03 duramax last week and it SEEMS that the second battery is actually on a relay that is called by "key on".
So - if I read them right, the batteries are in parallel while not being charged for only a few seconds - the glow plug period.

If there was an epiphany about this in Detroit I must have missed it.

Anyone remember those old flame wars ?
======================================================
Maybe this is relevant ?;
If what I just wrote is true it is at least possible that the batteries don't get coupled up if/when there are problems with the aux battery relay, i.e. you may be cranking on ONE slightly tired battery sometimes.

Just a thought, maybe Fords aren't like that, maybe I misread the schematics and Chevvies aren't like that either.
(-:

71bronco · Mar 28, 2011

I just replaced the original batteries in my 01 F250 diesel in January .Had a 1998 F250 I sold this summer with the factory battery still in it(I was the original owner). I think I'll stick with Motorcraft:thumbsup:

Jeff

Diamondpilot · Mar 28, 2011

wsp617 said:
Do they say "Motorcraft" on them? If they do, consider yourself very lucky. Motorcraft batteries are JUNK! Being in law enforcement I drive a Ford Crown Vic. I just had the one replaced in my 2009 Crown Vic. I had a Crown Vic a few years ago that I drove for 3 years. Had the battery replaced 3 times in 3 years. All were replaced under warranty so I got stuck with Motorcraft batteries each time. I was talking to a co-worker today. He was just going to the Ford dealership to drop his 2009 Crown Vic off to have the battery checked.

8 years out of a factory battery is very good so I guess I wouldn't be complaining.

Maybe they have cheapened the batteries up but every Ford Motorcraft battery I have had, over 12 new Fords in the past 14 years, I have never had a battery problem before 5 years. My wife left the head lights on twice in the garage twice on a 03 Mountaineer and the battery went totally dead. I charged it back up and it was still going strong when traded after 5 years.

I think it has more to do with the alternator size and the load your additional equipment puts on it. I am not letting Ford off the hook here. They should know good and well 90% of the Crown Vic's are for service industry. To under size the system is just stupid.

All I am saying is it may not be the batteries. I have a feeling there is other things going on here.

Chris

wsp617 · Mar 28, 2011

My mother in-law bought a brand new 2003 Ford Windstar in 2004. It was a left over unit from the year before. When they went to test drive it, the thing wouldn't start. They had to replace the battery....Motorcraft.

aczlan · Mar 28, 2011

My parents have a '99 E350 15 passenger van with the 7.3 diesel in it. They get about 3 years out of a set of Walmart 72 month batteries. I think they are on the 4th or 5th set and have only had to buy 2 sets, the others were warranty replacements (and they are glad to let the walmart people replace the 2nd battery, it is under the frame rail and is a PITA to change out).

oldballs · Mar 28, 2011

My experience with the Motorcraft OE batteries and replacement batteries has been fine. My 1999 Crown Vic and 1999 SuperDuty V-8 batteries were replaced after six years just out of habit. Now on their sixth year, the second set of Motorcraft batteries are still doing fine. I'm happy.

jgriswol538802 · Mar 28, 2011

I have a 1995 F350 with the 7.3. I use it to pull a horse trailer so it sits most of the time. Recently I tried to crank it and it would not turn over fast enough to crank. I knew the last few times I cranked it that it sounded "weak", but it did crank. I also knew that the batteries had stickers on them indicating an 11/2002 mfg date so I picked up two new WM batteries and assumed my troubles were over.

I installed the new batteries and it turned slower and failed to crank. I pulled the new batteries out, took them and the old ones to have them tested just in case I had been given a bad new battery. The old ones tested bad, the new ones tested good.

I then pulled the starter and had it tested. It would run on the tester, but only slowly and only for about 5 seconds and then it would cut off. I purchased a starter, replaced ( Would like to talk to the Ford ( International ) engineer that designed the location of the 3rd bolt on that starter ) it and viola, the truck started. The new starter turns the motor noticeably faster than the old one ever did.

I would love to get 9 years out of these batteries, but wouldn't count on it.