So, the problem was never the jump start then, but what is the right way to do it anyway if I'm trying to start a car with my Stilo? Stilo positive to other car's positive and what about the negative lead? Thanks!

Start by putting the red lead onto the good car's positive terminal, then the other end onto the dead car's positive terminal.

Next, the black lead onto the good car's negative terminal, but the other end onto the dead car's engine or gearbox, or onto its earth cable nearer to the gearbox than the battery. This ensures that any spark is not near the battery, so will not cause the battery to explode. (Hydrogen gas!)

Do not start the good car.

Start the dead car.

Once running, remove the black lead from the dead car first, then from the good car. Then remove the red lead from the dead car, then from the good car.

Interesting! I have always seen that people do this with the donor car running so you don't end up with both cars dead. I would probably have done it wrong hahaha. Thanks for the info!

It always feels to be a good idea to keep the donor car running, but this puts a strain on the good alternator, which is not designed to output enough current to start a car, but then gates asked to do so. So this way can kill an alternator.

Jump starting should only be used to start a good car with a flat battery, not to try to start a difficult car. The problems need to be addressed first, so that way you should not flatten the donor battery.

portland_bill said:

Start by putting the red lead onto the good car's positive terminal, then the other end onto the dead car's positive terminal.

Next, the black lead onto the good car's negative terminal, but the other end onto the dead car's engine or gearbox, or onto its earth cable nearer to the gearbox than the battery. This ensures that any spark is not near the battery, so will not cause the battery to explode. (Hydrogen gas!)

Do not start the good car.

Start the dead car.

Once running, remove the black lead from the dead car first, then from the good car. Then remove the red lead from the dead car, then from the good car.

Click to expand...

portland_bill said:

It always feels to be a good idea to keep the donor car running, but this puts a strain on the good alternator, which is not designed to output enough current to start a car, but then gates asked to do so. So this way can kill an alternator.

Jump starting should only be used to start a good car with a flat battery, not to try to start a difficult car. The problems need to be addressed first, so that way you should not flatten the donor battery.

Click to expand...

Agree with both of the above, but you're not in a hurry, I think it's better to use the donor car's alternator to charge the recipient car's battery. (No... you don't have to swap alternators)

Connect the leads as described above, then run the donor car at a fast idle for about 20 minutes, then switch off the donor car. This should charge the recipient car's battery enough for it to start.

Better if the donor car has been driven for about 20 minutes before connecting the leads, so that it's battery is fully charged, and the majority of it's alternator's output is diverted to the recipient car.
.

Fellas, bit more advice needed please.


The car has just developed a strange fault that maybe some of you have heard of before.


Please bear with me on this as my missus who drives the car, only passed her test a few weeks and hasn't got a clue ago is feeding me the symptoms!


apparently lights on the instrument cluster come on intermittently namely the engine, steering wheel, battery, oil lights and the water guage drops off. She is really panicked by this and thinks the car is about to pack in.
The car is running fine, all levels are good so makes me think it's an electrical gremlin? Could this be the case? Could the work I had done with the alternator have caused any issues? Is there any way of finding out what is causing it?