Does Revving an Engine Help Jump a Car?
When your car battery is dead, you may have heard that revving the engine of the donor car will help jump-start your vehicle. But is this actually true?
The Science Behind Jump-Starting a Car
When you jump-start a car, you are essentially using the battery of the donor car to provide power to your car’s starter motor. The starter motor then cranks the engine, which starts the combustion process and gets your car running.
Revving the engine of the donor car does not actually help jump-start your vehicle. In fact, it can actually make it more difficult.
Why Revving the Engine Doesn’t Help
There are a few reasons why revving the engine of the donor car doesn’t help jump-start your vehicle:
- It can damage the donor car’s battery. When you rev the engine, you are putting a lot of strain on the donor car’s battery. This can cause the battery to overheat and fail.
- It can damage your car’s starter. If you rev the engine too much, you can damage your car’s starter. The starter is a delicate piece of equipment, and it can easily be damaged by excessive force.
- It can make it more difficult to start your car. When you rev the engine, you are creating a lot of noise and vibration. This can make it difficult to hear and see what is happening under the hood, which can make it more difficult to start your car.
How to Jump-Start a Car Safely
If you need to jump-start your car, there is a safe and effective way to do it. Here are the steps:
- Park the donor car close to your car. The two cars should be close enough so that the jumper cables can reach from one battery to the other.
- Turn off the engines of both cars.
- Identify the positive and negative terminals on both batteries. The positive terminals are usually marked with a red cap or a plus sign (+), while the negative terminals are usually marked with a black cap or a minus sign (-).
- Connect the jumper cables. First, connect the positive terminal of the donor car’s battery to the positive terminal of your car’s battery. Then, connect the negative terminal of the donor car’s battery to the negative terminal of your car’s battery.
- Start the donor car. Let the donor car run for a few minutes to charge up your car’s battery.
- Start your car. Once your car’s battery has been charged, you can start your car.
- Disconnect the jumper cables. Once your car is running, you can disconnect the jumper cables. First, disconnect the negative cable, and then disconnect the positive cable.
Conclusion
Revving the engine of the donor car does not help jump-start your vehicle. In fact, it can actually make it more difficult. If you need to jump-start your car, follow the steps outlined above to do it safely and effectively.