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Old 01-07-2021, 03:20 PM   #1
dandydon
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2003 f150 4.2 v6 battery

My battery is 10 yrs. old Exide as of this past december but i've never had a problem with it till now. In new england, as weather got colder it was harder to get it to start. Regardless of its age, what is the best way to test it without anything more than a multimeter? It charged up to 14.45volts out of truck indoors. Please no offensive comments. Thanks
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Old 01-07-2021, 03:26 PM   #2
aleekat
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Re: 2003 f150 4.2 v6 battery

Put the voltmeter on the battery when cranking. 10 yr life? I think you got your moneys worth on that battery. Or pull it and get it load tested at any autoparts store. They do it for free.

https://www.aa1car.com/library/2003/us20310.htm
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Old 01-07-2021, 10:44 PM   #3
Stealthee
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Re: 2003 f150 4.2 v6 battery

A 10 year old battery has seen its life. Once a vehicle starts it runs off the alternator, so if the alternator is working its good to see 14.45 volts when running. You need to check static volts, and even those aren't going to tell you if you have a bad cell. I've had a battery show 12.7 volts static, and the car wouldn't start unless it was jumped. Once it started it ran great, but as soon as you shut it off it failed to restart the car.
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Old 07-04-2021, 07:27 AM   #4
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Re: 2003 f150 4.2 v6 battery

Let me write how to check it -

1. Prepare Your Multimeter
Set your multimeter to voltage and ensure it's adjusted to 20 DC volts, or if your voltmeter does not have incremental settings (2,20,200,2000) then simply set it to DC volts.

2. Touch the Probes to Your Battery Terminals
Press each probe to the correct terminal, touching negative to negative and positive to positive. Your multimeter and battery are probably both color coded, so the negative terminal and probe will be black while the positive terminal and probe are red.

3. Check the reading
Turn the vehicle's key to the run position and check the multimeter. It's a good idea to write down the reading. Then, compare it to the voltage figures below.
The temperature outside affects the voltage of the battery. At about 80 degrees, a fully charged battery will be around 12.5-12.6 volts. To be more specific: a fully charged battery ideally measures at 12.66 volts and above, but 12.6 volts at 80 degrees, 12.588 degrees at 30 degrees, and 12.516 volts at 0 degrees are acceptable readings. A 75% charged battery will measure closer to 12.45 volts while anything below 12 volts indicates the battery is effectively discharged.
If you get a reading between 12.3 and 12.5 volts and have the ability to charge the battery, try charging the battery up to full, which shouldn't take long. Next, turn on the headlights, and the heater blower motor and check the voltage. The voltage should drop by a few tenths, but shouldn't be drastic. At this point, if the car still is not starting – meaning you are getting a click or buzz when attempting to start, do a multi-meter test on the battery while someone attempts to crank the car. Observe the reading as this happens. Most good batteries when a serious load like a starter is put on them will drop 1 to 1.5 volts during the load, then quickly return to full charge once over. If you notice the battery drop from 12.5 down to say, 8 or 9 volts or lower, this is an indicator that the battery may indeed be bad.
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