I was just wondering where everybody's favorite spot was to connect the ground (negative) cable on their 4runners (3.4 and 2.7) when jumping the vehicle? Is there a sweet spot that minimizes the risk to engine electronics?

 

Read the directions on your jumper cables.

:wabbit2:

 

i bought a Sears Platinum battery (aka Odyssey) so i wouldn't ever have to get a jump!

seriously- nearest bare metal to neg. post on engine block/frame.

 

 

whats wrong with the negative battery post? I hear alot of people saying just to use ground metal on the cars body or frame, but i never heard a logical explanation as to why....so untill i do, i'll keep using the negative post.

i've jumped hundreds of cars, its what i used to do all day at my old job. As long as you're not an idiot, or careless, and you always pay attention, i've never seen anything bad happen with a negative post jump

 

I understand it's positive-positive, negative-ground. I'm asking because I usually use the negative on the dead battery, which I've always heard is a no-no. I tried the big metal hook (I guess for hoisting?) on the engine one, and I just got a huge spark and a welded-looking spot on the hook. That never happened when I used the battery! I was wondering if there's a better place to connect that negative jumper to.

 

Batteries give off hydrogen gas which is highly flameable. When you connect that negative nyou generaly get an arc that could ignite the gas and cause an explosion.

However I use both neg. posts myself. Next build I'm going to put an Anderson connector on the front so i can just plug in and jump off that.



The AA trucks have them on and I think its a great idea. Whip up a set of leads with the connector on, just connect them to the "Jumpee" and plug in at the front. No need to pop your bonnet. If you have multiple vehicles you could put one on each and just rig up a lead with a connector on each end. Seeing as they are genderless that would work as an extension for the jumper jumper lead.

 

Battery explosions are neat but then I like surprises.In all my years only had one and it was so small and pretty much I think from a frozen battery

I will use the negative battery posts but I always connect the discharged battery first.

I think we had more issues with the hydrogen gas back in the days when the batteries had caps for keeping the water level full.