Today I connected my jumper cables backwards from my CJ-7 to another vehicle. Something it the CJ arced with a bright flash but I didn't see exactly what. Anyway when I turn the key nothing happens and I can start the engine by turning the key to the on position and putting jum per cables directly onto the starter. Does this mean the solenoid is fried, could the battery be damaged?
jumper cables connected backwards
Nov 27, 2003
7 Replies
All of the above... You were lucky the batteries didn't blow up in your face. Please be careful in the future.
-- JimG
80' CJ-7 258 CID 35" BFG MT on 15x10 Centerlines D44 Rear, Dana 30 Front. SOA 4.56 Gears, LockRight F&R Dana 300 w/4:1 & Currie twin sticks Warn X8000i w/ dual batteries
I will second the 'you are lucky'. The sucker could have exploded big time.
You have burned a fuse link wire or two.
They are short wires with a loop connector on one end and a big rubber crimp connector about 8" away and are on the solenoid bolt.
The piece between the loop and the crimp has burned out.
Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT'shabbi wrote:
Whose battery needed boosting ... if it was yours, I'm guessing the effect would be the same as connecting your battery backwards ... instant bye bye diodes. But if it was the other guys, then I'm guessing the effect would be something like shorting out your battery ... which should not cause any damage ... unless your vehicle was running in which case I'm thinking the alternator would suffer. But why the starter solenoid ... I dunno ... it should not even be in the circuit, should it?
The jeep was running and I was boosting a diesel tractor. I hooked it up wrong on the jeep side. After I started the jeep as I said in my original post it kept running for
15-20 minutes until I shut it down. When I tried to restart, it did nothing at all. Wouldn't the alternator have to be working for the jeep to run? The battery wouldn't supply enough pwer for 15 minutes would it?A battery in decent condition could easily keep an engine running for more than
20 minutes.
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