I need help guys!! As of recently my 56 f100 has been shutting off on me. While driving it is okay but when i put it in neutral because I come to a stop it sometimes dies. When this happens there is no power to any electrical and engine will not crank, it is lifeless. I will then place jumper cables on for a few mins and still no power to anything. after remvoing the cables and waiting about five to ten mins the truck will start just fine. What could be the problem? all cables to battery are tight. Any help would be great

Boy that could be anything but the guys will add suggestions eliminating suspects, have you tried another battery? could be ignition switch or faulty ampmeter if fitted? lets go!

  AussieBill            YYYY    Forever Y Block     YYYY

 Down Under, Australia

Lawdogg,

I hate that just put a post together and was finished to have it drop out.

I'm with Bill swap your battery, check and clean your earths. I'm a big fan of multimeters a cheap one will cost you about $10 and using it you will soon learn how to use it.

Get your charging system checked, most battery outlets will do it for free, they sell a lot of batteries that way. (or use your new multimeter.)

Let us know if your charging system is original or changed even if the truck is auto (there could be something weird happening with the neutral switch)

cheers

Warren

Grizzly (Aussie Mainline)

I missed, a lot of charging systems do not charge at idle. It is probably dying because of this. Bad earths bad batteries and faulty regulator are all known causes. check the basics first. 

Grizzly (Aussie Mainline)

I had similar symptoms when i had a battery going bad. Was an intermittent shorting cell. Car would be running fine and the. It was like someone switched the car off...engine, lights, radio, gauges, everything. Smetimes it would get going again a few seconds later.

Pay attention to see if it drops out when you hit bumps or expansion joints, etc. Also, check voltage at battery terms before and when this happens.

Also, is the whole elec system dead when this happens? Is truck stick or auto?

Ron Grove

Wauconda, IL

I am definitely with the rest that battery is easiest. I would wager your readings will be about 2 volts down if a bad cell.

I agree with getting a cheap meter, if the battery swap is not it I would just work outward from there alternator, solenoid, etc check all connections. I once had just a loose connection from the alternator that kept running the battery down.

Mike Rizzo

1963 F100 "Rudy"

Daniel Island, SC

thanks everyone. the truck is manual amd I notice that when I shift gears and put it in neutral the "battery" gauge light begins to light up and got keep my foot on the gas to keep it from dying. I will chk it ith a multimeter and see what it reads. I also notice that when i start the truck the starter continues to turn over as the engine is started. Could they be related ?

Lawdogg,

If you have a manual trans there are no electrical conections unless you have reversing lights. The Gen light will come on as revs drop as I said before some charging systems do not work when they idle or low revs, it's how they are designed. A gen light is an indication of low charge.  

If your starter is slow disengaging I would suspect the solenoid. I'm guessing that this shouldn't have power across is it with the engine running. The large terminals. If it's the solenoid it can cause lots of damage to starter and ring gear.

If it's the solenoid it has a lot of power to it and a faulty one will drain your battery.

Cheers

Warren

Grizzly (Aussie Mainline)

You might check the ground wire from the engine to the frame/body. My Chrysler Pacifica gave me somewhat similar symptoms and took my friendly Chrysler mechanic a long time to finaly notice that the ground wire from the engine to the unibody was broken. Try adding one if you do not have one.

A four post Ford starter solenoid is cheap entertainment if you want to make the investment - maybe $10-$15 for a cheapie.

One of the clues is the wire lead to the solenoid goes through the neutral start switch - which is on the gear shift - on its way from the ignition switch.

I remember taking a dead one apart 50 years ago and it was full of copper dust......

The "fourth post" on the solenoid is the jumper to the coil - around the ballast resistor. Could also work backwards as a ground.

 
 Steve Metzger       Tucson, Arizona