Questions and Answers
Two Quick Questions
Q. My first question for you is about winterizing my car. I lived in Florida for the past three years, and recently moved to Washington D.C. Needless to say, I have never winterized my car before. Do I have to drain and flush out any coolant in my system before adding my antifreeze? If so, what should I do with the discarded coolant?
My second question is about jump starting a car. Why are you supposed to connect the jumper cable to the engine block and not the battery? I have always seen people connect it to the battery, is this dangerous?
Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Paul in D.C.A. Well Paul, your first question is easy. Just read my article on Winterizing Your Car. That will tell you everything you need to know.
As for your second question, the reason you make the final connection to the block or frame is to reduce the chances of a spark igniting the hydrogen gas inside the battery. I have to admit, I hook up the cables directly to the battery, but the safest way is to connect to the engine or frame. You can read my article on DIY: Jump-Start a Car.
