Fuso wont start...

[simonsnork]

Hello all,

Frustration and embarrassment has forced me to seek assistance.

The other day I was doing some maintenance on the FUSO when decided to clean my battery terminals. I removed the starter cables, and watered the batteries and cleaned all the leads and terminals.
After putting it all back together, I am now unable to start the truck. My hope is that I am a complete moron and that one of you high developed species out there can point no my errs.
So far I have cleaned and re-cleaned all leads, chassis attachments and terminals, charged the batteries, added a booster pack to up the cranking amps, and checked all the switch circuits. I even removed the glow plug circuit just incase that was acting as a parasitic draw. This truck has always been an instant start. A quarter turn of the engine and it would jump to life. Now, if i turn the key all I get is a very rapid clacking of the solenoid or a labored attempt to turn by the starter then just stop. I have yet to be able to gt the truck to turnover even once. I pulled the starter and was able to jump the leads and the starter works just fine out of the truck. After reinstalling the starter the same issue.

I am at a loss for what is going on. Please chime in. I am eagerly looking forward to feeling a fool when the obvious is pointed out.

Thanks for any input.

Simon

 

[C p weinberger]

Check ground lead to frame.

 

[C p weinberger]

Check / clean both ends of ground to frame.

 

[simonsnork]

Thanks Weinberger.

I went through the whole clean and polish routine again. It turns out my batteries are dead. Some how even though they were fine yesterday and have 12.63 volts, adding water to them did them in. I jumped the FUSO with my dodge and my jumper pack and it started right up. I guess that tells me how much compression there is in this little motor. I am now off to NAPA to get the batteries amp tested. And I am thinking of going AGM for batteries.
I'll start my ExPortal Flooded vz AGM battery research tonight.

Thanks for your immediate feed back. The portal never ceases to amaze me.

Simon

 

[SkiFreak]

AGM batteries are not ideal as cranking batteries.
I recently replaced my original OEM start batteries with some equally sized AC-Delco maintenance free ones.
Way too early to know how they will last, but hopefully it will be a while, as they were not cheap.

 

[Amesz00]

Seconded. Don't go AGM for cranking batteries.

 

[C p weinberger]

You can actually bring some lead plate batteries back to life by pouring out all fluid and recalibrating battery acid, you should actually Test the acid in a battery with a hydrometer As it’s not always just water they need. Additionally, it has to be filtered very clean/ distilled water. We used to use rainwater in Africa. Generally, whatever plates were exposed to the air from low fluid levels has oxidized and died, enough of that and the batteries will not have enough power, game over.
I’m also not a big fan of AGM batteries for cranking, they’re not really made for that, although you can now buy hybrid batteries, with more cranking amps then typical AGM batteries. I have no experience with them.
Side note, The only batteries available in the early 90s in Zambia were locally made. They had an incredibly tough rubber/plastic outer body and tar sealed plastic over the plates on the top. This allowed the manufacture to disassemble and remove good plates and make Frankenstein batteries.They were incredibly heavy, lasted less than two years and Leaked like hell, Plastic cell caps typically fall off on bad roads and sprayed battery acid everywhere. Typically the only serious rust issue ever in Zambia on Land Cruiser’s occurred around the battery area.
Good luck

 

[simonsnork]

Hello all,
Well, I took my batteries down to NAPA and to my complete surprise they tested out to have 3CCA left in them. It is hard to believe that they just up and died over night. So more than likely I am probably to blame. Perhaps there was some contaminant in the water that I thought to be distilled that wrecked them.
Nonetheless, they are dead and I need new ones.

So, I started reading. I am now curious about what has been stated above in regards to the AGM bats not having the same oomf to start a truck. NAPA has AGM bats under their matching app for the FUSO. And from what I can see they appear to have more CCA then the flooded. Plus AGM seem to be better for vibration and don't leak. All qualities that sound good to me. Mostly, I am interested in not having to maintain them, as I am inherently lazy and an outstanding procrastinator.

All this said, I am always interested to hear the reasoning behind others thoughts and habits.

If anyone out there still has enough interest in the topic, I would love to hear there reasoning on why AGM is inferior. Or for that matter if I have completely miss understood what you were saying. Now all I need to do is find a spare $750 laying to buy some pretty blue topped Optimum batteries. Short of that, I'll settle for some NAPA AGM batteries with a mere 800 CCA.

Thanks for all your inputs.

Simon

 

[SkiFreak]

AGM and cranking batteries are technically different.

An AGM is designed to supply low current draws over a longer period, whereas a cranking battery is designed to supply high current bursts over a short period.
An AGM has a deeper discharge but will also take longer to recharge. A cranking battery does not like being discharged deeply and it will and have a faster recharge.

Yes, you could use an AGM as your cranking battery, as it will definitely work, but it is very unlikely that it will last anywhere near as long as an appropriate cranking battery will.

As I mentioned previously, you can get low/no maintenance cranking batteries, as that is what I replaced my OEM batteries with. These should also be cheaper than AGM batteries.

 

[gait]

A few years ago, I had a pair of NS70's in Canter literally die overnight. One day good. Next day unable to start (your clicking sound). Starter batteries can fail like that these days ..... not like when I were a lad and they could be nursed along for months.

I replaced with standard wet cells. Mainly because I couldn't see any advantage in the additional cost of AGMs.

AGMs are typically deep cycle. May not be designed for frequent high current, albeit for only a few seconds with my Canter. Having said that the internal resistance of AGM is lower so can supply higher current with less internal heating.

Important bit (I think) is the number of plates ..... more plates, more surface area, less heating, etc.

 

[biggoolies]

A few years ago, I had a pair of NS70's in Canter literally die overnight. One day good. Next day unable to start (your clicking sound). Starter batteries can fail like that these days ..... not like when I were a lad and they could be nursed along for months.

I replaced with standard wet cells. Mainly because I couldn't see any advantage in the additional cost of AGMs.

AGMs are typically deep cycle. May not be designed for frequent high current, albeit for only a few seconds with my Canter. Having said that the internal resistance of AGM is lower so can supply higher current with less internal heating.

Important bit (I think) is the number of plates ..... more plates, more surface area, less heating, etc.

Ahh great bit of information. To prevent off gassing because an AGM is completely sealed it has to be designed that way. By keeping the battery cool that is why a flooded led acid has the exhaust gas and ports when it heats up through the resistance and Current the gas is expelled.

 

[biggoolies]

AGM batteries have the advantage of being placed it a closed space with electrical and electronics and they handle the cold better.

 

[biggoolies]

I have AGM batteries in my cabin in an enclosed space to keep them warm in cold weather to get more amps out of them in the winter but they are not there to start the truck although you can rely on them as a backup to start the truck. I have done that with my truck batteries dead in the winter and jump starting with Them. Boy was I happy when the truck started. ?

 

[simonsnork]

Got it,

It seams a lot of the lead acid batteries are actually "maintenance free" now, being that the tops are sealed.
Thanks again for the information.

I am going with the maintenance free ones.

 

[kerry]

As an aside, I had lots of problems with the dual battery system when I first got my truck. Batteries were going dead when sitting and even when in use. I finally installed a marine battery switch which allows me to use either battery or both. Problems solved. I like the fact that I can just run on one battery or the other. I usually switch every few days on the road. I use both batteries for starting once the temperatures get below 0 degrees fahrenheit, otherwise one battery is fine.