Does Revving the Engine Help When Jumping a Car?

When your car battery dies, you may need to jump-start it using another vehicle. One common question is whether or not you should rev the engine of the donor vehicle while the jumper cables are connected.

The answer is: no, you should not rev the engine of the donor vehicle.

Why Not?

There are a few reasons why you should not rev the engine of the donor vehicle:

It can damage the donor vehicle’s electrical system. When the engine is revved, the alternator produces more voltage. This can overload the electrical system of the donor vehicle and damage components such as the alternator, battery, or wiring.
It can be dangerous. If the jumper cables are not properly connected, or if there is a spark, the increased voltage from revving the engine can cause a fire or explosion.
It is not necessary. Jumping a car does not require revving the engine of the donor vehicle. In fact, it is better to keep the engine at a low idle speed to avoid putting unnecessary strain on the electrical system.

How to Properly Jump-Start a Car

To properly jump-start a car, follow these steps:

Park the donor vehicle close to the dead vehicle, but do not touch them together.
Turn off the engines of both vehicles.
Connect the positive (+) terminal of the dead battery to the positive (+) terminal of the donor battery using one jumper cable.
Connect the negative (-) terminal of the donor battery to an unpainted metal surface on the dead vehicle, such as the engine block or frame.
Start the engine of the donor vehicle and let it run for a few minutes.
Start the engine of the dead vehicle.
Disconnect the jumper cables in the reverse order of how they were connected: first the negative (-) cable, then the positive (+) cable.

If the dead vehicle does not start after a few attempts, there may be another problem that needs to be addressed. Do not continue to try to jump-start the vehicle as this could damage the electrical systems of both vehicles.

Conclusion

Revving the engine of the donor vehicle when jumping a car is not necessary and can be dangerous. Follow the steps above to properly jump-start a car and avoid any damage.