Buzzes but not starting when cold
12-05-2014, 12:45 AM
#1
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Buzzes but not starting when cold
I'm not much of a mechanic type so I'll try to explain this the best I can. Pretty much the extent is a basic tune up and any kind of simple jobs that I can find instructions on how to do it with google 
1988 F150 4.9 manual transmission
Since the weather has gotten cold my truck has gotten hard to start. Actually,I get up at 6am to go to work. Go outside to start my truck and all it will do is buzz when I try to start it.
Take my other car to work get home about 4 and it will actually crank and start up after a couple of turns. Happens everyday. Morning time when it's really cold just a buzz. Afternoon after it's warmed up a bit. It attempts to crank and then starts.
I thought maybe the battery was getting too cold so I bought a electric battery blanket but that did nothing whatsoever. I still had the same problem.
It's almost like the battery dies for a split second. When it does start my radio will have reset itself to AM but the battery never drains.
Another sort of related issue I'm having. Once the truck is going if I drive it down the road it gives no problems about turning off and starting back up. However,if I have driven it for about 20-30 min and gotten it good and warm,it will be hard to start. It will crank and crank and finally start.
It's confusing me.
It has a new alternator. New plugs. New wires. New starter.
One thing that should be noted and I don't know if this is relevant. The battery is off another car. It never gave any problems till the weather turned cold though.
Thoughts?
1988 F150 4.9 manual transmission
Since the weather has gotten cold my truck has gotten hard to start. Actually,I get up at 6am to go to work. Go outside to start my truck and all it will do is buzz when I try to start it.
Take my other car to work get home about 4 and it will actually crank and start up after a couple of turns. Happens everyday. Morning time when it's really cold just a buzz. Afternoon after it's warmed up a bit. It attempts to crank and then starts.
I thought maybe the battery was getting too cold so I bought a electric battery blanket but that did nothing whatsoever. I still had the same problem.
It's almost like the battery dies for a split second. When it does start my radio will have reset itself to AM but the battery never drains.
Another sort of related issue I'm having. Once the truck is going if I drive it down the road it gives no problems about turning off and starting back up. However,if I have driven it for about 20-30 min and gotten it good and warm,it will be hard to start. It will crank and crank and finally start.
It's confusing me.
It has a new alternator. New plugs. New wires. New starter.
One thing that should be noted and I don't know if this is relevant. The battery is off another car. It never gave any problems till the weather turned cold though.
Thoughts?
12-05-2014, 12:50 AM
#2
Senior Member
Might think about getting a bigger rated battery. First you need to check all of your connections and make sure they are good. Check your grounds......Check your grounds......Check your grounds! Ground wires cause all sorts of problems. Make sure that all of the connections are good, and coat with some dielectric grease to keep moisture away. Next time you go to start the truck and it does this, put it in neutral and apply the parking brake. Pop your hood and jump the starter solenoid. If it fires, then you need a new starter solenoid. If not, there are some other troubleshooting procedures, but no need to get into them yet.
12-05-2014, 09:34 AM
#3
1994 F150 XLT 5.8L 2wd
Agree to start by cleaning the wires, terminals, and battery>body ground (right by the battery). Also get a battery that is designed for your truck, the more CCA (cold cranking amps) the better if you live in an area where it will truly get cold.
That should fix the cold starting issue, next though is the won't restart once completely warmed up, this could be many things but should only be tackled if the new battery doesn't cure the problem. Pull the codes, I linked that for you, just click on it and follow the directions, you will need a small piece of wire or a paperclip to do it, be sure to read the KOER test a few times because there are certain steps YOU MUST complete in order to get accurate codes. Also be sure that the truck has ran for 2-5 minutes to ensure all of the sensors are sufficiently heated up and working properly.
The majority of the time when a truck won't restart once completely warmed up it is either the ignition coil or pickup (PIP) sensor in the distributor. Not saying replacing either one of those will fix you problem, but chances are one of them will. Ignition coils is just unscrew 4 screws and unplug the wires, reverse steps to install new one. The PIP can be a PITA, it involves pulling the distributor apart without damaging anything (which can be done, just be patient) and replacing the sensor then reassembling.
You should pull the codes first (both KOEO and KOER), then the new battery (that goes to your truck), clean up the terminals, wires, grounds as well as the connections on the starter solenoid while you have it disconnected. If the no start after running persists then Ign Coil and PIP are next on the list. I wish there was an easy test to see if either one was starting to fail but there really isn't in the early stages of failure. Usually it starts off being won't start when hot, then randomly dies and will restart after short time, these could be few and far between then gradually pick up frequency and yet each component would still pass any test 95% of the time.
That should fix the cold starting issue, next though is the won't restart once completely warmed up, this could be many things but should only be tackled if the new battery doesn't cure the problem. Pull the codes, I linked that for you, just click on it and follow the directions, you will need a small piece of wire or a paperclip to do it, be sure to read the KOER test a few times because there are certain steps YOU MUST complete in order to get accurate codes. Also be sure that the truck has ran for 2-5 minutes to ensure all of the sensors are sufficiently heated up and working properly.
The majority of the time when a truck won't restart once completely warmed up it is either the ignition coil or pickup (PIP) sensor in the distributor. Not saying replacing either one of those will fix you problem, but chances are one of them will. Ignition coils is just unscrew 4 screws and unplug the wires, reverse steps to install new one. The PIP can be a PITA, it involves pulling the distributor apart without damaging anything (which can be done, just be patient) and replacing the sensor then reassembling.
You should pull the codes first (both KOEO and KOER), then the new battery (that goes to your truck), clean up the terminals, wires, grounds as well as the connections on the starter solenoid while you have it disconnected. If the no start after running persists then Ign Coil and PIP are next on the list. I wish there was an easy test to see if either one was starting to fail but there really isn't in the early stages of failure. Usually it starts off being won't start when hot, then randomly dies and will restart after short time, these could be few and far between then gradually pick up frequency and yet each component would still pass any test 95% of the time.