Jump starting question

[Jhawth]

Reading in the owners manual about jump starting the jeep is kind of confusing for a simpleton like myself. Manual states to connect jumper cable to positive terminal on battery, and to connect the negative "to a good engine ground", and specifically states to not connect the negative jumper lead to the negative battery terminal. What the hell would be a "good engine ground"?

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[Yawnie'sPapa]

Reading in the owners manual about jump starting the jeep is kind of confusing for a simpleton like myself. Manual states to connect jumper cable to positive terminal on battery, and to connect the negative "to a good engine ground", and specifically states to not connect the negative jumper lead to the negative battery terminal. What the hell would be a "good engine ground"?

Any bolt or other part that is bare and not painted. Doesn't matter.
It's no different than any jumper cable instructions for the past 50 years.
The idea is that when you make that final connection of the ground cable, there will be a spark. Any gases coming from the battery will be hydrogen and oxygen - there was an airship decades ago that had a bad experience with that combination.
So if you make that final connection to the engine block - it's not at the battery to explode in your face.
Just find a good bare spot you can clamp onto. Anything sticking up that's bare metal and not painted. Engine block is best as that's where the starter is grounded anyway although these starters don't pull squat for amperage.

The first shop I worked in, my boss wasn't so careful - he was connecting to a charging battery and it blew up in his face, shattered his glasses (thank god he was wearing glasses) and he had to be rushed over to the water hose and hosed down with cold water. He was lucky he wasn't blinded. There were pieces of battery case all over that end of the shop. (and acid, as well)
Not as common on today's AGM batteries, but still a risk.
Just a friendly warning - please be careful!

PS - you aren't a simpleton if you are smart enough to ask!

 

[Jhawth]

So would this point be sufficient then? Looks like a chasis ground if I'm not mistaken? Your story is exactly why I'm asking lol, I'm leaving for a vacation in a day and don't want anything messing up my plans!

 

[Fudster]

So would this point be sufficient then? Looks like a chasis ground if I'm not mistaken? Your story is exactly why I'm asking lol, I'm leaving for a vacation in a day and don't want anything messing up my plans!

Yes, in fact that is the de-facto place. In fact it is because that place exists, with its placement on bare metal and having a cable to the negative terminal of the main battery that allows the vehcile's bare metal to all be a grounding point, and allows Bill's quote @Yawnie'sPapa , "any bolt or other part that is bare and not painted. Doesn't matter," to be true.

 

[Yawnie'sPapa]

Yes, in fact that is the de-facto place. In fact it is because that place exists, with its placement on bare metal and having a cable to the negative terminal of the main battery that allows the vehcile's bare metal to all be a grounding point, and allows Bill's quote @Yawnie'sPapa , "any bolt or other part that is bare and not painted. Doesn't matter," to be true.

If you look under the hood of a WK2 you will find two spots to connect to to jump the vehicle Both at the right fender in the engine bay. One red, one black. You aren't even close to the battery there.
The black capped one on a Grand Cherokee sure looks a lot like the chassis ground points on a Wrangler or Gladiator.
I go engine block/head/bracket, whatever but the fact that Jeep also supplies those things for jump starting in other Jeeps, or as ground points for accessories says "use this".
My JT's ground points along the right side are buried under my winch solenoid bracket plow fuse, 12v outlet, and the bracket I made to hold the aux switch terminal block I installed.

 

[Jhawth]

Thanks guys, successfully jumped it earlier and no sparky sparky boom boom, or letting the magic smoke out of the electrical components!

 

[Yawnie'sPapa]

Thanks guys, successfully jumped it earlier and no sparky sparky boom boom, or letting the magic smoke out of the electrical components!

Once the smoke gets out, you can't put it back. Stuff seems to stop working after it escapes.

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