Jump starting another car
#1
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: San Diego
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Jump starting another car
Hey I know there is a post about jumping your rx8 already but what happens when you jump start someone elses car with an RX8 as the donor car? What can I expect trouble wise if any
#5
it says somewhere in the manual that the car shouldn't be jumped star as this could result in ecu damage. but this is only a "could" that depends in certain other variables, I jumped started my car twice went I needed a new battery and the car suffered no problems.
#8
I'm not sure, but it would depend on the unit voltage that is discharged into the system I suspect. As mentioned above, perhaps the fuse would burn due to overload before it reaches the rest of the system.
#9
Registered
Back in the 60s and 70s, when electronic ignition systems were first introduced, there was a folklore that you could blow the system by jump starting another car. I don't know if that ever happened, or if it happened as part of a general fry from someone hooking up the cables backwards. I have a feeling that "You'll blow the ECU jumping another car" is the current incarnation of that legend.
The only problem I've got with using the RX-8 as the donor car is that the battery is buried. You need to take off the engine cover, then wrestle the battery cover off.
Ken
The only problem I've got with using the RX-8 as the donor car is that the battery is buried. You need to take off the engine cover, then wrestle the battery cover off.
Ken
#11
Registered
iTrader: (2)
I wouldn't do it with a set of normal cables. Use a cable set with reverse and surge protection built in. Amazon is selling the Michelin 5100 Smart Jumper Cable for $16. It won't work on completely dead batteries, but there's no way you should try to jump in that condition. The risk is wiping out $2k worth of electronics on your car.
#13
SARX Legend
iTrader: (46)
I have used my 8 to jump another 8 on one occasion and did it the right way.
But under normal conditions I would not. back in the day I had an 82' 280ZX Turbo and I used it to jump start my friends RAM Charger and it fried my ECU, the car never started again and I had two shops look at it first unsuccessfully before taking it to the dealer and paying out the *** for a replacement ECU because I could not find one anywhere for that car.
I'm not sure what or how it happened but it did.
But under normal conditions I would not. back in the day I had an 82' 280ZX Turbo and I used it to jump start my friends RAM Charger and it fried my ECU, the car never started again and I had two shops look at it first unsuccessfully before taking it to the dealer and paying out the *** for a replacement ECU because I could not find one anywhere for that car.
I'm not sure what or how it happened but it did.
#14
Registered
That won't work if the battery in the dead car is down too far. Leaving the donor car running sometimes will work...although that puts the donor's alternator at risk. Sometimes it's necessary to leave the donor car running for a few minutes with the cables hooked up, to get some charge on the dead battery.
Setting that last item down reminded me of a time I successfully started a run-down car without jumper cables, just some hook-up wire, by letting the donor charge the dead battery for 5 or 10 minutes.
Ken
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post