Jump Starting A Dead Car Battery

Jump starting a dead car battery is easy and you will need these simple tools:

Two adjustable wrenches

Wire brush

Mixture of one cup water and two tablespoons baking soda

Set of Jumper Cables

Safety goggles

If your car will not start, the first thing to look at is the battery. Check to see if your battery connections are corroded, looks like white or greenish growth on one or both terminals. If they are, you will need to remove both terminals, using the adjustable wrenches; if you have them, use the correct size open-end wrenches, generally 1/2 inch.

After removing both wires, and wearing your safety goggles, pour some of the baking soda and water mixture over the battery posts. Making sure the battery vent caps remain in place, as you do not want any of the mixture inside the battery itself. Use the wire brush and scrub the posts and the brass or lead ends on the positive and negative terminals to remove any corrosion.

After cleaning the top of the battery, remove the vent caps, liquid (sulfuric acid) should be visible in all cells. If any cells are dry, do not attempt to jump the battery. Carefully, add DISTILLED water to the dry cells, do NOT over-fill. Replace the vent caps. Also, if the fluid is frozen, do not jump the battery, it could explode.

Reconnect the wires to the posts and try starting the vehicle. If it still will not start, find someone who will allow you to get a jump from their vehicle's battery. Park both vehicles next to each other, but do not let them touch.

First attach the red jumper cable clamp to your dead battery's positive (+) post, then clamp the other end of that same cable to the positive (+) post on the vehicle with the good battery. Make sure the other jumper cable ends do not touch one another.

Then connect the black cable to the negative (-) post on the good battery, but do not connect the other end to the dead battery's negative post, instead, connect it to a grounding point on the vehicle, some non-moving, unpainted, metal portion of the vehicle, usually the alternator bracket.

Have the other person start their vehicle. Let their engine run a few minutes to charge your battery a little, then try to start your vehicle. Crank the engine for just a few seconds, then try it again if it did not start the first time. Have them rev their engine a little, it will help.

After your car starts, remove the cables in the reverse order from how you hooked them up. (Warning - remove cables carefully, taking care not cause any sparks, as batteries can explode)

If your battery is pretty old, you may need a new one, or if that is not the case, your vehicle may not be charging the battery. Many people do not know this, but if you can get your vehicle over to one of the large auto parts stores, they may check to see if it is a charging problem or just an old battery and they do it for free!

Another good idea is to carry one of those portable jump start devices with you at all times. Keep it charged up on a weekly basis. You can use it to start your own vehicle or easily help someone else, without the need of jumper cables or your vehicle. Very convenient piece of equipment.


Visit my website for vehicle maintenance images.  www.martymoore.com