Quick tip on grounds......

[roadstar]

MAke sure when you make your connection to the chassis there is not too much paint build up. I reacently had a customers car that wouldn't turnover when we tried to fire it for the first time.
I always ground the batt to the frame when I mount it in the rear. And then I run a small cable from the engine to the frame.
In this case the cable that went from the engine to the frame didn't have a good connection due to paint built up on the frame where I made the connection.
Also a serious problem related to this situation is other metal items that connect the engine to the frame or body will try and become the ground and possably dammage that part. For instance a steel braided line going from the power steering pump to the rack( like in my case). I have also seen a braided throttel cable do the same thing.

Thats it, good clean grounds are important http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

HAve a nice day.

[SKR8PN]

Yup,been there done that.......
The thing I always try to remember is this.
Electricity is very lazy and will ALWAYS take the easiest, quickest,shortest,path to ground.No matter WHAT it is.

[Petejoe]

I'd like to add that you must ALWAYS use a star washer at this connection along with some dielectric grease to prevent corrosion. The star washer is designed to cut into the metal and supply a good contact.

[Rocknrod]

One other... Grab some wheel bearing grease after you clean the terminals on the battery... it isnt pretty, but if ya blob it on you get a seal and ya dont get as much corrosion! Prolly works on other pieces too... but lasts a couple months http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Its an excuse not to use di-electric grease to get a seal... i only use that on spark plug boots an plastic harness connections... and light bulb sockets. The all purpose/marine grade/wheel bearing grease lasts quite a bit longer. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

[hatch]

Yup...throttle cables don't last too long when used as a ground. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I prefer to run a negative battery cable directly to the engine(with a starter bolt attaching point). Even if the battery is in the back of the car, it just means two cables running the length of the car instead of one...Less attaching points means less trouble

[tommy]

[ QUOTE ]
And then I run a small cable from the engine to the frame.


[/ QUOTE ]

Just make sure the "small" ground cable is large enough to carry the starter load when it gets hot. I chased a hot start problem for months until the battery ground cable was connected directly to the trans case. You probably meant a short cable.

[atch]

that's exactly why i had long cables made up at my favorite local parts store and run two cables all the way from the engine to the rear mounted battery.

may not look good on someone's hifalutin' billetmobile, but it works well for me.

[Packman32]

I always try to plan ahead and weld studs for ground to frame prior to paint (or primer). One by the motor and one at rear of car, if the battery will be back there.

[fordiac]

if you do have the battery in the trunk, dont forget the wire has resistance. you need to run thicker cable for it to carry enough amperage to turn the starter moter efficiently. by thicker, i mean thicker than a front battery application.

think about it this way,

if the wire is too small for the current, it gets warm, then hot, then starts melting insulation.

bad things happen after that.

[Petejoe]

Welding cable is a good wire to get the amps from the battery to the starter on these long applications. pick up a couple terminals they use too. Heavy and cheaper. I use this type of cable for all my engine to ground connections too.

[C9]

A ground setup that works well for me consists of several battery cables bolted to the frame.
The battery in my 32 is hung from the inside of the frame in front of the rear axle.
Done to save space in the trunk and get the weight down low where it can do some good.
Being in a cool area as compared to an under the hood environment meant that water was only added once in a three year period.
Big diameter (ought) 6 volt battery cables were used.

The multi cables bit sounds weird, but it goes like this:
First one with standard battery terminal on one end, regular 'takes a bolt' terminal on the other.
That cable leads to a stainless 3/8 bolt mounted to the frame boxing plate.
Another cable with 'bolt' terminal on both ends goes from the stainless bolt up into the seat pan under the seat where it bolts to a 1/4" aluminum plate that's up on standoffs (billet ones, imagine that).
The aluminum plate carries a Ford starter solenoid, regulator, couple of fuse blocks as well as the aluminum plate is tapped 10/32 in several places at one end for ground wire termination from taillights, etc. (Glass car, but I plan to do the same with my steel bodied 31.)
Another double terminal cable bolts to the other side of the underseat aluminum plate and runs down out of the seat pan and under the floor to another 3/8" bolt on the boxing plate.
One last double terminal cable goes from the front 3/8" bolt to a bellhousing bolt.
The small flat area around the bellhousing bolt where the cable bolts is clean and free of paint as is the area inside and out of the stainless bolts on the boxing plate.

It's turned out to be a good ground system regardless of the multi cable aspect.
If a cable came loose or whatever, electricity will still flow in the frame proper.
A bit of insurance there cuz nylocks are used on the stainless bolts and the aluminum plate mounts.

No problems with this setup in over ten years and 40,000 miles.

[porknbeaner]

Good tip. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
I always try to use the thickest ground cable I can find or use.
#10 welding cable works real well. perhaps its overkill. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

[Bruce Lancaster]

"you must ALWAYS use a star washer at this connection along with some dielectric grease to prevent corrosion. The star washer is designed to cut into the metal and supply a good contact"

I've started keeping my eye peeled at the junkyard for OEM star washers--all the ones I could readily buy new were Chinese full-scale nonfunctional display models of starwashers far too soft to cut into ANYTHING.
Parenthetically here, it's really damn annoying that it has become difficult to buy simple hardware capable of doing its job. Getting tiny numbers of fasteners from serious industrial/aircraft places is a pain and lots of work, whyinhell can't we buy actual hardware in the hardware stores??!? RANT!!@!

[Bruce Lancaster]

And a shotgun quick approach to improving overall electrical performance quickly on old grubby drivers:
After installig real body and engine ground cables, tie in the distributor case, gen/alt case, base of regulator, headlight ground on front bulkhead, and instrument cluster case (or grounding strap on plastic dashes). This can all be done quickly and easily as a single job, and performance of everything in the car will magically improve without a lot of individual item troubleshooting.
Remember, ALL old cars have ground issues--the rats from rust and dirt, the finished ones from excessive paint.

[beatnik]

Good one Rudy, I've seen shifter cables burn up that way as well.