Jumpstarting...

[mohavewolfpup]

I lack a glove box manual, so thought I would ask here. Before I answer the bat call in the sky for anyone with a disabled vehicle, is there a proper way to jump start off my truck? Or jump start my truck if the batteries ever ran down? Is it better to only jump start through the (facing forward) drivers side battery instead of the passenger side due to the glow plug/starter system mostly being hooked up on the left?

Could swear there is a sticker on my passengers side warning of something involving jump starts? My truck isn't here, so I can't go out and look!

A search really didn't show much info here

 

[Mulochico]

My thinking is always jump or be jumped on the passenger battery. That way there is no loss between the jump and the starter. If you jump off of the drivers side you have to involve both batteries before connecting to the starter and possibly create more heat and loose some of the added power of the juice thru the jumper cables and all the possibly bad connections in the trucks battery cables.

 

[whiteboyslo]

My truck has a sticker under the hood near the drivers side battery that says something to the effect of 'don't use this battery to jump start', so I would second the advice to use the passenger side one.

Mike

 

[theguruat12]

There's a sticker near the driver's battery on mine saying "Do not use this battery to jump start, refer to owner's manual." There is ALSO a black plastic cap over the glow plug solenoid on the passenger's side fender saying DO NOT JUMP START HERE.

EDIT: I just happen to be reading my shop manual, and it says for the 6.9L Diesel engine, connect booster cable to positive terminal on passenger's side battery. Do not jump start auxiliary battery.

Here's a nifty little included diagram:

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[OLDBULL8]

If you jump at the drivers side battery it tries to charge the pass side battery, jumping at the pass side battery, the starter gets the full load with the other batteries assiting as much as they can. That's why.

 

[asmith]

this is good info, never really considered it. what about a trickle charger? should it be hooked up to the driver side then so it can charge both batteries?

 

[slim072590]

subscribed

Thanks haha

 

[theguruat12]

Always charge batteries disconnected from the vehicle, and ideally, out of the vehicle, on something besides the ground (a piece of plywood will suffice).

 

[franklin2]

If you jump at the drivers side battery it tries to charge the pass side battery, jumping at the pass side battery, the starter gets the full load with the other batteries assiting as much as they can. That's why.

I don't agree with the above statement. The cables are large enough between the two batteries so they can be considered one battery. Both batteries will be in the same equalized condition when you get there to jump them off. I believe they are just eliminating the extra wire(thus extra resistance) by telling you to use the pass side for jumping.

The whole question is really moot. I have never been able to jump start one of these trucks with another regular single battery vehicle. You might possibly get one going if you didn't use the glowplugs and are just trying to get it to turn over using ether.

 

[icanfixall]

Our battery system does not have an auxiliary battery. We need both batteries to start our engines. I realize some have had only one battery that starts their rigs but thats a tuff job for one battery to do. Charging the 2 batteries at one time is a risk of one taking a better charge because of age and condition than the other. so disconnecting them is the better way to charge them. but who really does that.. I know I have not.. Have not really needed to charge my batteries either except when I do a compression test or bleeding air from the fuel systems after a filter, injector or pump replacement. then I add the charger before the cranking is done and its on both batteries. The proper charging picture makes the most sense too on a dual battery system.

 

[fsmyth]

One (1) decent battery of 750 CCA or more, fully charged, is sufficient to start almost anything short of a 12-cyl. diesel.
This is taking for granted that the engine is in reasonable running condition, no air leaks, and the STARTER MOTOR is in
good shape, the battery terminals are clean, and the battery cables are appropriately sized.
The only time more battery is needed is for poorly tuned engines, engines in bad shape, or fuel problems.
I routinely start in-line sixes (Mack, Cummins, Cat, etc.) with one battery. We have a lot of trucks that don't move often,
and the batteries are removed to prevent theft. Most of these trucks are designed to have 4 batteries (12v systems).
Very occasional use of ether (and not much of that), if the truck has been sitting for a while.

As for jump-starting, it does not matter which battery is used in vehicles using more than one, IF all cables, terminals, and
connections are good. It is probably better to use the battery that has the cable going to the starter connected to it,
simply because there is less voltage drop to the starter.
The main thing - let the battery/batteries charge for a bit while the jumper cables are connected, and the donor vehicle is
running. Usually about 10-15 minutes is sufficient, if the running vehicle has a decent alternator.

You will never get a good enough set of cables to cold-start a diesel with completely dead batteries.
If I have to quick-start a truck with dead batteries, I connect 2 sets of cables to known fully-charged batteries, give it a
small shot of ether, and hope it catches on the first revolution. Usually works

I have more trouble with gassers that have been sitting for a while.

Key points:
1) good starter
2) good connections
3) decent charge level before you start.

<als>

 

[franklin2]

One (1) decent battery of 750 CCA or more, fully charged, is sufficient to start almost anything short of a 12-cyl. diesel.

The above is stretching it a little bit. Yes I have started my truck with one battery for a few days till I got a new set of batteries, but it was in the summer. Oil wasn't thick, glowplug times were short. During some of this very cold weather we just had, I am thinking one good battery would probably not have made it. Long glow times and very thick oil is why they have two batteries in our trucks. But I have never tried it, so if you want to disconnect one of your batteries and try to start your truck when it's 4 degrees outside, I would be curious to see what happened. No plugging in 120v allowed. And this is after a overnight sit.

 

[fsmyth]

Yeah, I should have mentioned that I am in Texas. Not much experience with <30 degree starts.
Although, I will point out that when it did get to 10 degrees here (once), my 5.9 Cummins started just fine on one battery.
Also intentionally left out the Detroits. Never have been able to get them to fire on the 1st rev.

 

[riotwarrior]

As far as \I* remeber always start on + of dead battery first, go to + of boosting battery, then - of boosting battery then a |GROUND on the boosted vehicle, NOT the battery!!!

As for which battery to use well |I'd suggest follow diagram, though it's not the aux batter, it's in the aux battery location, so boost too/from passengers battery

JM2CW

 

[79jasper]

Yep, ground to something that's NOT the battery on the dead one.
Something I need to start doing.
I've heard some stories of blowing up batteries.

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