Rep Power: 812

I tried, and failed, to jump another car today. This is the second time. Is it because our batteries are too weak? I though as long as the dead car gets 12v it can start. Both cars I tried to jump had a v6 engine does that matter or do our cars just suck. I have an optima yellowtop battery (slightly more amps than stock).

 
Rep Power: 336

was your engine running as well?

 
Rep Power: 812

Well ya and I was revving it too holding around 3k. The other car would crank (it didn't before) but not start. I monitored my voltage with vafc and it never went below 13v even tho my lights were dimming inside.

 
Rep Power: 315

All ya can do by jumping is make it crank!If it woun't start thats another problem!

 
Rep Power: 336

maybe his starter was also dead.

 
Rep Power: 812

Nah it was fine before. His girl had drained the battery by listening to the new system he put in with the car off.

And in the first car I tried before, it just had a dead battery. I mean that's what jump starting is for I thought. But I guess we don't have enough cca or something even with the car on. Strange.

 
Rep Power: 0

Typically what I have found is that the cables I was using couldnt make a good enough contact on both bateries to transfer enough current to produce the amperage for the starter. The batter can turn the V6 no problem and with the engine running the voltage can stay up. I recently was jumping my Jeep off of my GF's 4cyl and after I wire brushed the terminals it cranked over no problem. Before it would show voltage but when i turned the ket the starter would barely turn. So check the teeth on the jumper cables clamps for corrosion, clean both terminal, and the ground point on the chassis of the car being jumped. To turn that starter you need a lot of current so you need a good contact.

 
Rep Power: 812

Yup my terminals were clean, so were his because they just installed the stereo system. Jumper cables looked fine too so I dunno?

 
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when I have problems jumping I usualy just jump both batteries together instead of using a chassis ground. I think its supposed to be dangerous this way though.

 
Rep Power: 328

^^ yeah me too...I have trouble getting a chassis ground a lot, especially on new cars...everything is coated with paint.

 
Rep Power: 310

Next time, turn the headlights on in the dead car. Move and reset the aligator clamps until you get the brightest possible shine from the previously dead headlamps. Turn the Headlamps off, Wait a couple of minutes and crank the dead car over.

 
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Yes, generally its hard to get a true good connection. In my experience, connect the cables and let your car idle for a minute or two. This will allow their battery to charge some. Then try to start the car. Between the cables and the little power their battery charged it should start. I have never actually seen anyone just start a dead car w/o waiting a couple minutes for the dead battery to charge some .....

 
Rep Power: 812

Ya okay I waited for 5 mins, revving for a minute at a time to charge it. Didn't help. All connectors were shiny new.

 
Rep Power: 321

That's odd...I think the dead cars might have problems if it's cranking but not starting.

I've jump started Explorers and other vans/suvs with no problems when I had my stock battery (which was also powering 2 large amps + foglights + hids)

 
Rep Power: 320

I agree with everyone else who said its prolly a bad connection, when I had a bad battery and my dad jumped mine it took a couple re-connects to get it, once it did... started right up.. so u should have just kept trying to reconnect a couple times... we had to adjust the clamps on both batteries a few times..