So my truck died last night, got a new battery today amd it still won't start? The symptoms for the past two months have been slow starting as if the battery was low on power. Shoudl I replace th alternator or would it be something else?

 

Check the bolts holding the starter to the engine ,make sure they are tight. Loosen them a little and re-tighten.
Also check the ground connections from the battery to the engine block. Don't just look at them , take them off and clean them.Even if they look fine.
How old is the starter solenoid ? If original it may be worn inside and time to replace. The internal contacts get pitted over time and burn.

 

I had an F-150 where the brushes for the starter were buggered....got fried somehow before I bought it.

Anyways, I saw the same issue with the starter slowly rolling the engine over. If checking the grounds and such doesn't work, I'd look at the starter.

 

Id take a look at the starter too, I had a slow starting problem for some time and it was just packed full of dirt/sand and it just pulled so much to just turn over. sometimes i would have to smack it with a hammer to get it to spin again.

 

OK replaced the Alternator with a remanufactured ford 130 amp ($125) at baxter auto and it started right up. I put the old battery back in, only 10miles on it and 3 years, it started fine. Last question is; shoudl I replace the red top with a yellow top? I don't have any additional accessories over stock. The interior and headlights appear to be brighter now, so it looks like that was the issue.

 

Red top is fine. If your Optima is getting old have it load tested.


My starter puked around turkey day. Tested fine but didn't have the power to turn the engine.

 

You installed a new battery and still had the issue yet replacing the alternator apparently fixed the issue...? It doesn't make sense.

 

How does that not make sense? the old Battery was fine, it didn't need to be replaced, the alternator needed to be replaced.

 

Obviously the results worked for you but, last I knew the alternator had nothing to do with starting the engine and that's why I'm saying it doesn't make sense.

 

Makes sense to me. My alternator went out a couple years ago and I was not able to start the truck. Battery tested out good and after dropping in a new alternator I was fine.

 

weird....

you charged your old battery then i am assuming, because the alternator would make sense as to why the truck died, and wouldn't start as the battery was not getting charged

 

The alternator has nothing to do with the starter or starting the vehicle for that matter, so no it doesn't make sense.

I'll have to look a wire diagram because I'd like to figure this out. In every single vehicle I've owned or done work on, if the alternator goes then the battery doesn't receive a charge. Never once have I ever heard of swapping the alternator because the starter was borked.

I mean, it's along the lines of running out of fuel and the fix is to change the engine oil.