Jump starting 88amp battery with 55amp?

[Split_Pin]

I was filling up the Corsa tonight and a Mercy Sprinter ice cream van next to me wouldn't start. It looked like a fuel it crank issue but the chap asked if I could jump start him. As I only had the Corsa with its wee battery I was worried that it wouldn't even tickle the 88amp one. Was I right? Anyhow, I didn't think the battery was at fault as the engine was cranking fast but not starting, so I gave him a push to the side of the forecourt. Was worried that I maybe could have jump started him after all?

[autofive]

nar, i jump started a sprinter with my tiny cortina battery (engine running) and everything was fine

[explosive-cabbage]

I jump started a 2.5TD Audi A4 Quattro with a Honda Jazz 1.4 pez auto.... Can be done

[CreepingJesus]

The two times I've needed the Volvo jump started, it's been off much smaller motors. The problems usually arise when you jump a big battery onto a small one, and even at that, only rarely.

[cms206]

My record was a 12v Focus 1.6 auto jump starting a 24v 11.1 litre Leyland Leopard. It's all a case of how brave you are. And remembering to only connect to one of the two batteries in that case.

[Split_Pin]

Och well, he still wouldn't have been going anywhere, but good to know starting a Leopard with a jump from a car, thats brave!

[Vanny]

The trick generally is never to go battery to battery on the return/ground/negative/black cable. You open yourself up to BIG problems, where as, if you go flat battery to big lump of metal (engine mount, starter mount, chunky bit of gear box) you add a bit of resistance, saving your battery. I suspect on newer cars there is more chance of killing something electrical, but this is Autoshite so not to worry.

 

Oh and don't try to jump start to or from a car with stop start/eco stop. If it's got a a belt ISG (starter and alternator in one, ish) you'll blow it up! Got an epic battery in the work car, but cant jump anything with it

[Spiny Norman]

I've stared a 4.0 V8 Jag off a 1.0 Corsa before, from cold.

[Split_Pin]

^^ Hope the poor ice cream man isn't reading this. He'll be cursing the clueless bellend in the Corsa that was me!

[jonny69]

I've started an Aston Martion Vantage in a petrol forecourt and a big-block Willys at a hotrod show off the piddly battery in my Anglia. The bigger the car, the better it feels

[castros_bro]

'Tis not the battery capacity 88Ah vs 56Ah issue but a cranking current issue, if both are the same cranking spec (say 400 amp)  and yer icecream motor needs 350 amp to spin it's cornets then a smaller capacity battery will do fewer times before runnning out of mivvies.

[brickwall]

Micra ----> Rangie

[Split_Pin]

Oops, think I've sparked off another of 'those' threads about fixing a bigger thing with a smaller thing.

[Rocket88]

It's got much more to do with the quality of your jump leads. if you're using a pair of the crap that you'd buy from Argos, all you'll get is a burning smell and a spot of light sizzling............

[brickwall]

^this. And connect the black out to the body or engine not teh negative

[Rocket88]

i remember trying to start my 351 Ford Galaxy with my mate's mother's Herald. Smell of burning followed by melting of crap jump leads. She wasn't best pleased............

[M'coli]

I jump started my boss's SD1 v8 with my Fiat 126 in 1992, I should have held out for a payrise but got f-all instead.