Booster packs for diesel engines
 

I have a recurring short in my 240D that sometimes requires me to jump the car in cold weather. But it's not a bad idea to have a booster pack around anyway, since some newer cars cannot easily jump a diesel.

I have been looking at the JNC aka Jump-N-Carry models for a while and there seems to be at least one model that will fill the bill.

I also have jumper cables but that doesn't help if there's no other car around.

Your experience with booster packs that work would be appreciated.

Webmaster/Moderator: Would this be a good topic for a sticky? Understanding the amp draw etc., required, and doing the connecting and checking, in case glow plugs didn't seem to fire? Just asking.

Thanks!

I have a MAC tools jumper pack (not cheap @ $250) that works well. I have not tried starting a diesel with it though. You may be better off with a group 27, 800 to 1000cca battery just left in the trunk with your jumper cables. Would not be that expensive compared to a good quality booster pack. Booster packs in general do not provide LONG lasting cranking power.

If a newer car with an operating electrical system running at 14V cannot jump a diesel, how do you expect any booster pack, with 12.5V, to do it?

If you want serious starting capability, you have to carry a huge diesel battery with suitable 600 amp cables...........and, even then it might be dicey if the first battery is really discharged.

It'd probably work better to have a little 1000 watt honda generator in the trunk with a normal 120A jump starter unit you can plug into it.

85A at 12V isn't going to do much to start the diesel in the cold.

Our cars (both 25% bigger than yours) require about a minute of connection time to the other RUNNING car (at 13.8 volts/70 amps, and the solid Group 49 battery at 800 CCA) to be able to do a cold start. That equivalent booster pack would probably weight 300 pounds.

With a gasser, you only need to spin the engine fast enough to draw in the mixture, and then have enough juice to run the electronics/coil (to light the fire). With a diesel, you need high amps for significant glow time, and then you still need reserve juice for a full-speed cranking cycle (to make enough heat to light the fire). Boosters are great, IMO, for gas vehicles, and virtually useless for a diesel.

Sounds like a waste of money to me. Either fix it, pull the fuses, disconnect the battery, or get a quick-disconnect for the battery.

(you don't even want to ask about trying to jump the Suburban at 15 dF, which at that point has a pair of 800-CCA "dead" batteries, a 6.5 engine, and a 5 kW starter)

I've witnessed this myself with the diesels. It's nearly impossible to jump start them.

I conclude that the limitation is not the battery in the gassers, if it is fully charged. The limitation is getting the 700 available amps to the diesel battery. The problem is the cables and the clamps. I recently broke down and spent $80 on 2 gauge copper cables with 600 amp clamps. I'm still not convinced the points on the clamps are up to the task of 600 amps..........but, we'll see if I ever run the battery down.

wal mart...
they have a 1200 AMP booster box for $99 that I know for certain it will start a weak 85SD with a dead cel in the car's battery! I keep one in my TD, even though I've got a 135Amp alt, and a brand new battery in the car. the thing is just plain awesome. in addition to the 1200 amps starting power, it's got a 400Watt inverter and a air pump with inflation pump as well... not to mention the digital readout, and the 3 LED light on the thing!
it works!

Now you finally give up the goods...............the GD cables were $80. shipped...........:mad:

1200A is positively amazing.

yeah, when I bought mine, I posted about it here.

totally floored me that it's from walmart...

Is this the one you have? Looks like a great price considering the features and amperage.

http://www.amazon.com/Schumacher-XP2260-Instant-Portable-Source/dp/B004EIAADG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1325562134&sr=8-1

yup. that's the one. odd that the store mentions the cables and inverters "customers bought with this purchase" since both the male to male cord, and the inverter are part of the box...

I see CCA of only 185A.

This isn't going to start a diesel with a dead battery.

The 1200A rating doesn't jive with the CCA rating.

I can assure you, it will start the car with not only a dead battery, but a dead cel IN the dead battery!
I've hooked the clamps directly to battery cables with no battery in the car, and it starts the car!

Hmm...........wonder what the deal is with the CCA rating?

What was the ambient when you started it?