AClark
Loving the herd life
18V is the draw, off of it, it won't crank or has a super slow crank if 1 battery is below 12v - and there is no starting it if a battery is any part of low and it's cold out unless it's been on the block heater. If it cranks slow, you're lucky if it actually starts, it doesn't usually build up enough pressure to function the injectors if it's not cranking like a bat out of h3ll. Ok so I mean the draw during starting, not the starter, as it's running glow plugs which are power hogs at the same time. You're right, and I was foggy and half thinking this morning. Thanks for pointing that out. My point was, battery #2 isn't for show, you actually need 2 batteries in good shape and can't get away with one of them being replaced since it will ruin the one that was still good. Which usually means dropping $200+ on batteries if one is shot, unless you have it under warranty and enjoy returning to Autozone for them to test and replace it about every 6 months. I've been through 6 batteries in 2 years, all of them under warranty with an early death. The injectors run on the oil pressure - no or low oil pressure, no start condition. Blow the guts out of the HPOP and it's completely dead and pouring about a gallon of oil into the valley - I was on the freeway when mine went in rush hour traffic and it kills the entire motor, no power anything. I understand the newer powerstrokes are better in that regard by a lot and have a lot less cold start conditions. I'm still playing "why do I have to keep this on a block heater when it's under 60 out" GPR is good, glow plugs are all functional with correct Ohm reading, my ICP is bad and has oil in it - got a new one, still have to put it on. Maybe by this winter I'll have it so I don't have to plug it in at night.
My husband had a 2007 Tundra and that was a great truck, he used to haul a 28ft camper with it. I like both of our old and new 1500 Dodge's but I will say Dodge needs some help when it comes to electrical wiring. We haven't had a lot of problems with the 2009, a couple of actuators and a small short, but the 84 is riddled with electrical issues, mostly stemming from fusible links, including one that failed and fried some wiring. The 84 was a farm truck and I used to haul horses and hay with it quite a bit. I did kill the transmission in it about 10 years ago, but it was less than $1000 to replace it.
My parents keep the 1969 Ford and the 1993 F250 strictly for hauling stuff - they're farm trucks. Maybe, unless you plan on hauling over long distances where you can't afford a problem every now and then, an older truck to be used only for hauling is a better investment than a new driver/hauler.
My husband had a 2007 Tundra and that was a great truck, he used to haul a 28ft camper with it. I like both of our old and new 1500 Dodge's but I will say Dodge needs some help when it comes to electrical wiring. We haven't had a lot of problems with the 2009, a couple of actuators and a small short, but the 84 is riddled with electrical issues, mostly stemming from fusible links, including one that failed and fried some wiring. The 84 was a farm truck and I used to haul horses and hay with it quite a bit. I did kill the transmission in it about 10 years ago, but it was less than $1000 to replace it.
My parents keep the 1969 Ford and the 1993 F250 strictly for hauling stuff - they're farm trucks. Maybe, unless you plan on hauling over long distances where you can't afford a problem every now and then, an older truck to be used only for hauling is a better investment than a new driver/hauler.