My 86 F150 w/inline 6 needs jumping to start.

10

Asked by gamecockjoe Dec 27, 2014 at 01:21 PM about the 1986 Ford F-150 STD Standard Cab SB

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

I have a 86 F150 w/inline 6. I have a problem that started the other day. I had the battery  tested and it is good and I took the alternator to 2 different parts stores and it tests good. It starts if I get a jump or charge the battery.

11 Answers

10,985

It does sound like the battery. Did they use a load tester on the battery?

10

Thanks for the reply. The battery and the alternator was tested. The person at Auto zone told me the alternator was testing bad so I got a jump and went home. On the way home the truck was running just on battery and it almost went dead. I took the alternator off and took it in to have it tested. It tested good. I then took it to Advance and it tested good there too.

10

I'm sorry ytlas. I don't know what the device was called but the clerk brought out a small hand held tester, nothing on wheels and it tested good. I think it is called

10,985

A load tester like I have is rectangular, maybe 4" x 12" and it's hooked to the battery and then a toggle switch is turned. The coils inside the tester get hot because it's putting a load on the battery. If a person uses a multimeter on the battery and it reads 12.5 volts or better, that still doesn't say anything about the cranking amps of the battery. A multimeter is good for checking the alternator. You can put it on the battery when the engine is running and if the meter says 14.5v or better, the alternator is charging. Lot easier than pulling the alternator.

10,985

It's like this http://www.amazon.com/Schumacher-BT-100-Battery-Load-Tester/dp/B000AMBOI0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1419706890&sr=8-1&keywords=battery+load+tester

10,985

If you have another vehicle, how about taking that battery and sticking it in your truck to see if it fires? That should prove once and for all whether it is or isn't the battery

10

I am now waiting for my friend to come over and put the alternator back in.

1 people found this helpful.
10,985

If you're still having problems, it might be a bad voltage regulator.

1 people found this helpful.
630

Change your starter the starter can short out and burn alternator and battery both up if it has a solenoid on firewall it very well could be it but I personally would start with the starter

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