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Turf Dawg · #1 10-09-2012, 07:32 PM

I bought a truck that has been sitting since the owner passed away. The batteries were less than a year old when he passed. The son said he tried to jump it but did not start. I went and hooked up my cables but lights, radio, ect will not come on. I even hooked up my 750CCA jump start box and still no lights or anything. Does this have a in line fuse on the cable that I cannot see?

Mowingman · #2 10-09-2012, 09:06 PM

Bill,
Post this over at powerstroke.org. Someone there will know for sure what your problem is.
Have you tried installing a couple of good batteries on it? If one of those old batteries has a short between cells, it could cause the problem you describe. A couple of batteries that you know are good, plus all clean connections, will eliminate some guessing about battery condition.
I have had 16 Powerstroke 7.3's. If one battery is complete toast, you can get the problem you are describing, even with a jumper box or jumper cables.

dieselss · #3 10-09-2012, 09:49 PM

Try new or fully charged batts.. you need a lot of ccas to start the tk
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Turf Dawg · #4 10-09-2012, 09:51 PM

Thanks Jeff
I will give that site a try. I just hated to buy 300 bucks worth of batteries and something else be wrong. Hope all is well. I am ready for a break
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dieselss · #5 10-09-2012, 09:55 PM

I understand,,,,did u try to test both batts? Maybe they just need a good charge? But test and charge separately not together
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braxx · #6 10-09-2012, 11:51 PM

I have seen a 3-4 year old diesel truck with original batteries that had one of the two batteries fail in such a way that the truck wouldn't take a jump start. We could remove the one bad battery and connect the jumper cables directly to the cables that were attached to the failed battery and it would then be able to be jump started. We didn't drive the vehicle this way at all. We only did it to verify if the truck would indeed start.

Billsz28 · #7 10-10-2012, 08:27 PM

My advice... Buy a ~$40 battery load tester from your local auto parts store before you go buying batteries. The tester will tell you if the batteries are totally gone or salvageable and just need a charge.

I work on vehicles like this on a daily basis. It is completely reasonable for the batteries to go bad just sitting. If any plow Hookups or auxiliary lights/solenoids are wired to the battery it is possible for them to draw power even when not in use.
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Turf Dawg · #8 10-15-2012, 09:05 AM

Two new batteries and four new tires and were running great.

Now my next problem. If you turn on the hazzards all four lights work, if you push up the turn signal lever half way (like changing lanes) the right front and rear works like they are suppost to but of you go all the way up untill it locks into position it blinks fast but the right front and dash arrow does not work.
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