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Posted: 5/9/2024 9:42:01 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Taktiq]
2000 Ford F-150 XLT 4.6L V-8
A few days back I found that my truck wouldn't start. So I had it jumped, it started right up and everything was right with the world again. I get home, check the battery and voltage is good. Fast forward to yesterday I put the key in and nothing. So I check the battery again and still reads about 12.4. This time though I hear a faint clicking. Mind you, nothing's on. I track it down to the fuse/relay box under the dash and figure out Relay #2 is just clicking on/off continuously. I find out this supposedly is to the PCM according to the diagrams. I try to switch it around with another relay, nada. In fact, this time I get less than nothing....no crank, no cluster, no dome light, etc nothing. Not even the normal dinging when the door's open and the key's in the ignition. Just silence. Battery still reads 12.4. I have some new relays coming tomorrow and I'll probably go ahead and just replace the battery, but what else. I mean this is a new one for me. Anyone else have any ideas in case the relays and battery don't work? |
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Posted: 5/9/2024 9:43:50 PM EDT
[#1]
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Posted: 5/9/2024 9:44:17 PM EDT
[#2]
The last time I went through this every indicator was the battery. I bought a new alternator after I brought a new battery.
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Posted: 5/9/2024 9:45:52 PM EDT
[#3]
You probably need a battery. Once they are run dead they are pretty much junk after that. See if it can be jumped, if it can then new battery time. Walmart has decent prices on batteries.
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USA
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Posted: 5/9/2024 9:45:53 PM EDT
[#4]
Well, it’s a FORD …. so
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Posted: 5/9/2024 9:46:10 PM EDT
[#5]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By PR361: My Ford is dead too…. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/195613/IMG_3936_jpeg-3209990.JPG No shit, it has all sorts of big holes in the engine. |
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Posted: 5/9/2024 9:46:18 PM EDT
[#6]
I offer $87
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Posted: 5/9/2024 9:46:21 PM EDT
[#7]
If it's anything like the old Dodges of that era, the circuit board underneath the fuse/relay box takes a shit.
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Posted: 5/9/2024 9:46:41 PM EDT
[#8]
If you get it running again before you replace the battery check the battery voltage while the engine is running to see if it is closer to 14 volts for a good alternator.
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Posted: 5/9/2024 9:47:20 PM EDT
[#9]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Nick_Adams: Well, it’s a FORD …. so Surprised this wasn't the first response honestly |
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NC, USA
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Posted: 5/9/2024 9:49:28 PM EDT
[#10]
Batteries can read 12v but drop as soon as you put a load on them.
Or you could have a bad connection somewhere |
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Posted: 5/9/2024 9:52:13 PM EDT
[#11]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Inbeforethelock: Batteries can read 12v but drop as soon as you put a load on them. Or you could have a bad connection somewhere Yeah I get that, but I've never just had nothing happen. It's like I'm trying to start a block of wood. |
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OH, USA
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Posted: 5/9/2024 9:52:57 PM EDT
[#12]
I was going to point toward the key security chip but the faint clicking sounds like poor connectivity to the starter circuit. Did you look at your starter terminals?
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Posted: 5/9/2024 9:53:03 PM EDT
[#13]
Originally Posted By Taktiq: 2000 Ford F-150 XLT 4.6L V-8 I have some new relays coming tomorrow and I'll probably go ahead and just replace the battery, but what else. I mean this is a new one for me. Anyone else have any ideas in case the relays and battery don't work? The simplest fix is often the answer. High odds of it being the battery. What is the manufacture date and brand of the battery? |
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Posted: 5/9/2024 9:53:39 PM EDT
[#14]
How old is battery?
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Posted: 5/9/2024 9:54:58 PM EDT
[#15]
Try a jumper cable from battery negative to a good solid ground point on the block. Maybe you have a weak ground?
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CA, USA
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Posted: 5/9/2024 9:54:59 PM EDT
[Last Edit: CarbideCandy]
[#16]
Check the terminals. Pull off the battery, clean and reassemble.
Also, have you tried jumping it? You could also have a helper crank while you read voltages. Make damn sure the truck is in park, wheels chocked. Put the leads on the battery terminal itself. If the voltage drops too much when the key is turned battery is done. If not put the leads on the battery cables and chassis ground. If the voltage drops too much when the key is turned you have a bad connection somewhere. Then try jumping it with good cables. If it starts, read the voltage with the jumping vehicle disconnected. If it’s 14+ volts your battery is junk. If it’s more like 12.4 or if it just dies when you unhook the jumping vehicle alternator is toast. If it won’t jump start and a new battery doesn’t fix the issue you have a relay, wiring, or component issue. Possibly a broken/chewed wire somewhere. |
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Posted: 5/9/2024 9:56:27 PM EDT
[#17]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By NwG: How old is battery? This , batteries are expensive as hell and don't last long. |
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Posted: 5/9/2024 9:59:45 PM EDT
[#18]
Could just be the starter. Try jumping the solenoid and see what happens.
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MN, USA
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Posted: 5/9/2024 10:02:03 PM EDT
[#19]
Bad starter cable...
Been there, done that. |
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Posted: 5/9/2024 10:02:09 PM EDT
[#20]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By CarbideCandy: Check the terminals. Pull off the battery, clean and reassemble. Also, have you tried jumping it? You could also have a helper crank while you read voltages. Make damn sure the truck is in park, wheels chocked. Put the leads on the battery terminal itself. If the voltage drops too much when the key is turned battery is done. If not put the leads on the battery cables and chassis ground. If the voltage drops too much when the key is turned you have a bad connection somewhere. Then try jumping it with good cables. If it starts, read the voltage with the jumping vehicle disconnected. If it’s 14+ volts your battery is junk. If it’s more like 12.4 or if it just dies when you unhook the jumping vehicle alternator is toast. If it won’t jump start and a new battery doesn’t fix the issue you have a relay or wiring issue. Possibly a broken/chewed wire somewhere. I see you didn't read what I wrote. |
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FL, USA
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Posted: 5/9/2024 10:06:04 PM EDT
[#21]
After the battery died on my garage kept Lexus I keep the new one hooked up to a trickle battery tender if it's not being used
Lots of electronic drainage, all the time. Never had a problem since. |
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Posted: 5/9/2024 10:06:19 PM EDT
[#22]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By XDONX3: Could just be the starter. Try jumping the solenoid and see what happens. I would think even if it's a bad starter I would get power to something.....even just a clicking or the cluster dials acting screwy, but there's nothing happening. I could be standing in my empty driveway turning the key in the air and getting the same results. Like nothing is happening. |
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CA, USA
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Posted: 5/9/2024 10:06:20 PM EDT
[Last Edit: CarbideCandy]
[#23]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Taktiq: I see you didn't read what I wrote. Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Taktiq: Originally Posted By CarbideCandy: Check the terminals. Pull off the battery, clean and reassemble. Also, have you tried jumping it? You could also have a helper crank while you read voltages. Make damn sure the truck is in park, wheels chocked. Put the leads on the battery terminal itself. If the voltage drops too much when the key is turned battery is done. If not put the leads on the battery cables and chassis ground. If the voltage drops too much when the key is turned you have a bad connection somewhere. Then try jumping it with good cables. If it starts, read the voltage with the jumping vehicle disconnected. If it’s 14+ volts your battery is junk. If it’s more like 12.4 or if it just dies when you unhook the jumping vehicle alternator is toast. If it won’t jump start and a new battery doesn’t fix the issue you have a relay or wiring issue. Possibly a broken/chewed wire somewhere. I see you didn't read what I wrote. You never said you tried jumping it a second time. You never said what the voltage was when the key is turned. You never said what the voltage was when it was running. A super shitty connection or battery can cause relay clicking. The relay has enough power to activate, but as soon as it does the added load of the thing it just sent power to drops the voltage down to a voltage where the relay opens again. At that point the voltage rises again because the load is disconnected. There’s enough voltage for the relay to activate again and the cycle starts over and repeats again and again rapidly, causing the clicking. Also, do the same voltage check at the fuse box to make sure you have power there. |
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MO, USA
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Posted: 5/9/2024 10:07:37 PM EDT
[#24]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By PR361: My Ford is dead too…. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/195613/IMG_3936_jpeg-3209990.JPG That Fram filter is what done it in |
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Posted: 5/9/2024 10:09:13 PM EDT
[Last Edit: rpoL98]
[#25]
could be the battery, needs to be "desulfated". could also be a bad connection at the battery or starter or solenoid. it shows voltage, but when you try to pass high amps it gets high resistance, and can't turn the starter, or sometimes can't even activate the plunger on the solenoid.
but it'll pass a very low current voltage like for a volt-ohm meter. had something similar like this on a chevy, the fat cable at the starter had to be cleaned up, lots of oxidation. It was loose, now it's not. on another car, had to change the battery tender to one with smarter repair mode and desulfation. and on another car, similar symptoms, had to replace the battery, which had been fine up until then. lasted 10 years, so i got a good run out of it. on another car, the connections at the battery had to be wire brushed and cleaned up, and tightened. |
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Posted: 5/9/2024 10:16:29 PM EDT
[#26]
Jesus, dude, why would you do anything else before replacing the battery? 99/100 times it's a bad battery.
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Posted: 5/9/2024 10:18:20 PM EDT
[Last Edit: whollyshite]
[#27]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By PR361: My Ford is dead too…. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/195613/IMG_3936_jpeg-3209990.JPG I'm no mechanic, but it looks like you're missing some parts. ETA: You might want to change that oil filter, too. it looks a little old. (No charge for consulting services rendered.) |
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Posted: 5/9/2024 10:18:59 PM EDT
[#28]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By PR361: My Ford is dead too . https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/195613/IMG_3936_jpeg-3209990.JPG Unless the dealer service department told you they all do that. |
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Posted: 5/9/2024 10:19:52 PM EDT
[#29]
My 1990 F-250 did that. Pulled the battery since it was under warranty and swapped it out. Cranked right up.
Next morning, dead again. Cleaned the battery cable terminals and all is good.  Clean your battery terminals. |
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Posted: 5/9/2024 11:06:08 PM EDT
[#30]
Batteries are easy to test. You need to load test it. Diagnose before throwing parts at it. Follow the science.
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Posted: 5/9/2024 11:11:10 PM EDT
[#31]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By AmericanPeople: If you get it running again before you replace the battery check the battery voltage while the engine is running to see if it is closer to 14 volts for a good alternator. |
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Posted: 5/9/2024 11:16:15 PM EDT
[#32]
Fwiw, Once you run down a battery close to zero, you killed it.
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TX, USA
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Posted: 5/9/2024 11:19:56 PM EDT
[#33]
4 guesses, dead cell, worn out starter, or bad PCM and as an outlier, but cheap maybe, corrosion on electric connections.
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Posted: 5/9/2024 11:21:54 PM EDT
[Last Edit: drfroglegs]
[#34]
It's the starter (assuming battery passes load test).
Played the relay game with my car and it ended up being the starter. Weird thing is I jumped the starter using the battery when I took it out to see if it was bad and it engages like normal, but since I had it out I decided to go ahead and replace it anyways... Good thing I did, it was bad all along. |
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Posted: 5/9/2024 11:23:13 PM EDT
[Last Edit: MisterPX]
[#35]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By zachary78: That Fram filter is what done it in Beat.  My next choice was; don't listen those naysayers, those big holes are supposed to be there. You just need to add oil because there's none on the dipstick. OP, Ford 4.6s and electrical gremlins are like a right of passage.  Batt reads 12+ when KO? What about when in start? |
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ND, USA
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Posted: 5/9/2024 11:34:59 PM EDT
[#36]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Guntoter: You probably need a battery. Once they are run dead they are pretty much junk after that. See if it can be jumped, if it can then new battery time. Walmart has decent prices on batteries. All of my Ford's.. all of them. Would do exactly what the OP says. Almost always.. it was the negative cables. Pull them off and they and the battery terminals are black with corrosion. Brush em clean put some dielectric grease on them and re connect them and they are good for another year. It seems to be a Ford thing. My Chevy's don't seem to have that issue. |
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ND, USA
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Posted: 5/9/2024 11:43:44 PM EDT
[#37]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By MisterPX: Beat. My next choice was; don't listen those naysayers, those big holes are supposed to be there. You just need to add oil because there's none on the dipstick. OP, Ford 4.6s and electrical gremlins are like a right of passage. Batt reads 12+ when KO? What about when in start? Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By MisterPX: Originally Posted By zachary78: That Fram filter is what done it in Beat. My next choice was; don't listen those naysayers, those big holes are supposed to be there. You just need to add oil because there's none on the dipstick. OP, Ford 4.6s and electrical gremlins are like a right of passage. Batt reads 12+ when KO? What about when in start? Yes... A couple of many.. 
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Posted: 5/9/2024 11:45:03 PM EDT
[#38]
Sounds like a bad connection.
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TX, USA
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Posted: 5/9/2024 11:51:19 PM EDT
[#39]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Inbeforethelock: Batteries can read 12v but drop as soon as you put a load on them. Or you could have a bad connection somewhere Yes. You need to watch the battery voltage while you crank. If the voltage at the battery posts holds up, you probably have a bad connection. If the voltage at the posts (not the clamps or terminals crimped to the cables) drops, it's probably the battery. It could be both a bad battery and a bad connection. |
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WA, USA
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Posted: 5/9/2024 11:54:21 PM EDT
[Last Edit: 21usernamechecksout]
[#40]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By PR361: My Ford is dead too…. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/195613/IMG_3936_jpeg-3209990.JPG ....well there's your problem; FRAM. Wouldn't have blown up if you'd used a WIX.
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WA, USA
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Posted: 5/9/2024 11:55:33 PM EDT
[#41]
Mine did the same..just put a new battery innit and be done with the problem
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AZ, USA
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Posted: 5/10/2024 12:00:46 AM EDT
[#42]
Batteries can have good volts and no amps, in fact that's exactly how a battery dies, it's internal
resistance climbs and that results in it being able to deliver very little current. Put the meter on the battery and turn on lights or whatever and you'll see the voltage plunge. I had this exact thing happen with my carbon copy of that ford (same year and engine, mine's 4WD) and unsurprisingly, it was the battery. A charge fixed it for a short while but my battery analyzer revealed the truth, that its CCA when fully charged was about 60% of spec. |
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Posted: 5/10/2024 12:01:09 AM EDT
[#43]
I drove my friend to the airport in his truck and dropped it off at his house afterwards.
He got back a couple week later and it was dead. Would not turn over, tried to bump start it dragging it over to his garage,nothing. New battery, starter, etc. Turns out his alternator is locked up and stopping the engine from turning over. Good luck. |
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Posted: 5/10/2024 12:06:12 AM EDT
[#44]
Was it vaccinated? I know a lot of trucks lately that took the clawt shawt that are dead.
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Posted: 5/10/2024 12:09:33 AM EDT
[#45]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Taktiq: I would think even if it's a bad starter I would get power to something.....even just a clicking or the cluster dials acting screwy, but there's nothing happening. I could be standing in my empty driveway turning the key in the air and getting the same results. Like nothing is happening. sometimes you won't get anything. could try smacking it, but they all cry about that now. |
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NM, USA
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Posted: 5/10/2024 12:12:35 AM EDT
[Last Edit: haveTwo]
[#46]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Taktiq: Yeah I get that, but I've never just had nothing happen. It's like I'm trying to start a block of wood. Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Taktiq: Originally Posted By Inbeforethelock: Batteries can read 12v but drop as soon as you put a load on them. Or you could have a bad connection somewhere Yeah I get that, but I've never just had nothing happen. It's like I'm trying to start a block of wood. Had a bike just a few days ago with a battery that had good resting voltage and dropped far enough to kill all activity the second the ignition switched on. You checked voltage with the ignition on? Edit: meant cranking. You already checked with the ignition simply on |
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Posted: 5/10/2024 12:12:53 AM EDT
[#47]
You need a cheater test relay for under the hood. Replace the starter relay with it and press the button in the relay to see what happens. Turn over and start, turn over and no start. Or no turn over. The relay kits aren’t expensive and are great for troubleshooting.
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TX, USA
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Posted: 5/10/2024 12:13:40 AM EDT
[Last Edit: tsg68]
[#48]
No cranking amps left, battery is toast.
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AZ, USA
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Posted: 5/10/2024 12:23:08 AM EDT
[#49]
Can't say it enough, you need a battery!
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ND, USA
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Posted: 5/10/2024 12:25:09 AM EDT
[#50]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By diesel2: Can't say it enough, you need a battery! And... Or... Clean the clamps and terminals! |
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