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Proper Engine Grounding?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by blown240, Jun 6, 2011.

  1. blown240
    Joined: Aug 2, 2005
    Posts: 1,814

    blown240
    Member
    from So-cal

    Last friday I popped the hood to show a buddy my engine swap and noticed I had a nice spark jumping from my trans dipstick to my firewall. That makes me feel like my engine isnt grounded properly. Right now I only have a ground from one head, to the battery. I plan on grounding the starter and the other head, but is there anything/anywhere else I should put a ground wire? I have about 20 feet of 6aug wire that I will be using.

    THANKS!
     
  2. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 56,092

    squirrel
    Member

    You should ground the engine to the frame, and ground the body to the frame. One #6 wire for each should do the job. You only need one ground connection for each, don't overdo it. Ask an electrical engineer about "ground loops" if you want to understand more.
     
  3. ANDEREGG TRIBUTE
    Joined: Jan 1, 2008
    Posts: 1,385

    ANDEREGG TRIBUTE
    Member
    from Bordertown

    Did your engine have a miss as well? You may have a plug wire arcing against the dip stick...just a thought
     
  4. Von Rigg Fink
    Joined: Jun 11, 2007
    Posts: 13,404

    Von Rigg Fink
    Member
    from Garage

    Im running a few good sized grounds

    One from the engine block to frame
    one from the ground on the starter to the frame
    one from the frame to the body
    one from the battery ground to the frame
    I also have some intermediate grounds for all 4 corners (like 14 Guage) of the vehicle running off a grounding block in the harness just in case its needed
     

  5. What he said.
    Normal 12 volt current isn't going to jump a gap like that. There is a high tension leak, of some sort, going on. You may have a bad ground somewhere, but it isn't causing that problem
     
  6. Ebbsspeed
    Joined: Nov 11, 2005
    Posts: 6,257

    Ebbsspeed
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    If you're engine is grounded with a wire from one head to the battery, that is good enough. It sounds to me like your frame and/or body aren't grounded well, though.
     
  7. sdluck
    Joined: Sep 19, 2006
    Posts: 3,193

    sdluck
    Member

    Put a digital volt meter on volts dc and measure between the block and the frame,if you read more then .5 volts under a load the ground is bad.
     
    Truck64 likes this.
  8. lippy
    Joined: Sep 27, 2006
    Posts: 6,826

    lippy
    Member
    from Ks

    My Dad ground looped a Waco 9 bi-plane once and broke the main spar in the bottom wing. :D
     
  9. blown240
    Joined: Aug 2, 2005
    Posts: 1,814

    blown240
    Member
    from So-cal

    Well seeing as I have no chassis or body ground. I will start there!
     

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