How do you jump a starter with a screwdriver, did I do it right?

Question

Okay so my battery is completely fine, I tried jumping the starter but I don't think I did it right.
On my solenoid I saw 3 prongs. There were 2 big ones across from eachother and one small one.

How do I jump the starter with a screw driver. I remember hearing you had to connect two prongs and have someone turn the key. I tried, but I don't know if I did it right. I connected the small prong to one of the big prongs and it turned over but didn't start, the only thing is my friend wasn't even turning the key at the time.

Was I jumping it with the screwdriver or was I just doing something else? And if not, what was I supposed to do? was I supposed to connect the two big prongs and have them turn the key, because we initially tried the two big prongs together and nothing happened.

What should I do and what will be the diagnosis if this doesn't work.

Answer 1

if you touch the 2 big prongs: 1. prong with power wire to battery. and 2. which should just have a small wire going from the solenoid to the starter. This will just run the starter motor, meaning it will spin but it will not kick out to where it will engage with the flywheel.



What you need to do is touch the #1 prong with the smaller prong that has the wire going to the ignition, that gives power directly to the starting prong bypassing the actually ignition. I have heard that if you disconnect the small wire that goes to the ignition, and then connect the #1 prong to it, it will turn the car over then, but i havent tested that.



I dont really know what you think is wrong so i'm gonna add a little more, if when you turn the key and nothing happens, and thats why your trying to do this then what you were orginally doing is the right thing. Connecting those 2 prongs (#1 and the small ignition prong) will tell you if you have a short going from the ignition (key) to the starter.



Connecting the #1 and #2 prong (as stated above) tells you if your starter motor is bad. If it doesnt make a noise and start to spin, its bad. Yes there will be a lot of sparks but just hold it there till you get a good connection! Dont be scared.



Another thing you can do, assuming you have a voltmeter is ground the ground wire on it, and stick the positive wire onto the #2 prong, more specifically on the little amount of wire that goes from the solenoid into the starter, and then have your friend try to start it. It should read 12v. if it doesnt, that means your not getting the right amount of power from the solenoid to the starter and just your solenoid is bad.



And the diagnosis for what you tried to do could be a few things, (as well as maybe why it wont start with the key "assuming it doesnt") but it could either be because the ignition wire was still hooked up to it (like the theory i mentioned earlier) or maybe the starter is just shimed wrong? Which would be preventing the gear to engage to the flywheel correctly and fully start it. Idk, just some suggestions



I hope this helps, like i said i didnt know exactly what you were trying to fix so if i gave extra unneeded information im sorry. But thats basically everything you can do to test your starter so.

Answer 2

You did it right but you just need to have the key in the run position not held in the start position. Just put the key in, turn it until all the dash lights come on, then do the starter jumper trick again. You want to jump between the small post (switched power from ign. switch) and the main lug which connects to the positive battery cable. If you try jumping across the two big lugs you will just wind up arc welding and possibly burning your hand and screwing up something. BE careful !

Answer 3

nicely.. now you comprehend why the ole 2 screwdriver trick is barely utilized by technique of beginners. ok.. shall we make some assumptions a million) The battery is powerful sufficient to start the motor vehicle 2) each and every of the connections are tight 3) The ignition change is powerful if those are undesirable assumptions then restoration them first as a results of fact you wont get consistent outcomes here achievable issues a million) You blew some fuses... an uncomplicated verify.. 2) You blew the fuseable link (a cord between the battery and the starter that's designed to soften whilst the present draw is to intense.. this prevents fires. 3) You scr*wed up your solenoid internally and melted a number of the connections... no thank you to envision it.. you purely pull the starter and replace it. 4) You scr*wed up the starter.. no longer likely as a results of fact you may nevertheless pay attention the solenoid clicking 5) You melted a cord going from the battery to the starter or you shorted out a floor cord from the battery. (attempt turning on the lighting fixtures and wiggling each and every of the wires to ascertain if something brightens up. a style of may be the venture next time ignore the screwdrivers.. in case you could leap the starter use a jumper cable (purely one) so which you are going to see that precisely what you're connecting to... (that still delivers time to take excitement in the firework coach from each and every of the electrical powered sparks) .

Answer 4

he was not suppose to turn the key while you were jumping across the starter. all you do is turn the key on until the dash lights comes on then jump across the big terminal over to 1 of the small terminals until it starts. the only time someone would be trying to start it is if you were to bang on the starter.

Answer 5

Sounds like you did it right. If you have a tight joint pair of pliers, you can sometimes connect the two big wires, but it makes a big spark, and might ruin the pliers. You do need to turn the key on to make the spark.