Posted By: ireland383
Neg. battery cable? - 09/09/09 11:09 PM
With aluminum heads should I move the cable to a different spot on the motor? Just wondering because things seem to be quirky with electrical now. Thanks
Neg. battery cable?
Posted By: D_C
Re: Neg. battery cable? - 09/09/09 11:15 PM
Aluminum is a GOOD conductor, actually much better than Iron or Steel.
Silver, Copper and Gold are the only three metals that are better than Aluminum.
Think about "Aluminum Wiring."
That said, the cable or contact area may need attention.
Silver, Copper and Gold are the only three metals that are better than Aluminum.
Think about "Aluminum Wiring."
That said, the cable or contact area may need attention.
Posted By: MoparforLife
Re: Neg. battery cable? - 09/09/09 11:21 PM
Make sure that you also have a ground from the rear of the head/intake area to the vehicle fire wall.
Posted By: ireland383
Re: Neg. battery cable? - 09/09/09 11:28 PM
Cool. Now if I could just get my timing light to work i'll be in business. Correct me if I'm wrong Inductive 3 wire light obviously red to positive black to negative or good ground and clamp to #1 plug. Can't get it to work. I tried 2 diff. lights.
Posted By: D_C
Re: Neg. battery cable? - 09/09/09 11:31 PM
They "may" be bad timing-lights, or the bulbs could be burned out.
Your connections sound correct. Do the timing-lights have "Advance Adjustment-Knobs?" Set to Zero and/or try turning the knob slowly and watch for light.
Technically, the grounding "should" pass through the Engine then through the motor-mounts into the chassis, but I Agree with above, a secondary grounding-strap between engine and chassis IS a good idea.
Your connections sound correct. Do the timing-lights have "Advance Adjustment-Knobs?" Set to Zero and/or try turning the knob slowly and watch for light.
Technically, the grounding "should" pass through the Engine then through the motor-mounts into the chassis, but I Agree with above, a secondary grounding-strap between engine and chassis IS a good idea.
Posted By: RapidRobert
Re: Neg. battery cable? - 09/09/09 11:35 PM
Quote:Correct, just make sure your connections are good.
Inductive 3 wire light obviously red to positive black to negative or good ground and clamp to #1 plug.
Posted By: ireland383
Re: Neg. battery cable? - 09/09/09 11:49 PM
No knobs. That would be my luck 2 burnt bulbs. One I just bought yesterday. I will put the grounding strap on as well.
Posted By: D_C
Re: Neg. battery cable? - 09/10/09 12:01 AM
Maybe you could try the timing-light out on another vehicle (as a test?)
Posted By: ireland383
Re: Neg. battery cable? - 09/10/09 12:12 AM
Yeah I just tried both of them on my truck no luck. Thanks
Posted By: buildanother
Re: Neg. battery cable? - 09/10/09 12:40 AM
On a related note, it is bigtime important to have a ground strap either from neg batt. cable or terminal end to body, or have a ground strap from engine to body someplace. The factory does it for good reason. 
Posted By: Anonymous
Re: Neg. battery cable? - 09/10/09 02:26 AM
Quote:
Technically, the grounding "should" pass through the Engine then through the motor-mounts into the chassis,
Deleted prior to arrival of politically biased moderators
Posted By: D_C
Re: Neg. battery cable? - 09/10/09 03:24 AM
Quote:Quote:
Technically, the grounding "should" pass through the Engine then through the motor-mounts into the chassis,
Uh, NO
ALL manufacturers have a jumper from the frame/ body/ unibody to the block/ battery neg.
Motor mounts don't ground anything.
Uh, YES
What I was responding to is this quote, recommending an ADDITIONAL grounding strap between the Engine and the Chassis:
Quote:
Make sure that you also have a ground from the rear of the head/intake area to the vehicle fire wall.
I have reviewed the Factory 1971 Dodge Chassis Service Manual, Electrical Section, Grounding, and the actual vehicle itself, and there is NO grounding strap between the Engine and Chassis.
There is a Grounding Cable between the Engine and Negative Battery Terminal, and a 10-gauge wire between the Negative Battery Terminal and the Chassis, but None between the Engine and Chassis.
That said, I do have a 1979 Jeep that DOES have an actual grounding-strap in addition to the Negative battery cable connection, but not ALL vehicles came with grounding-straps between Engine and Chassis in addition to the Negative Battery Cable connection.
Posted By: Anonymous
Re: Neg. battery cable? - 09/10/09 04:46 AM
Deleted prior to arrival of politically biased moderators
Posted By: D_C
Re: Neg. battery cable? - 09/10/09 05:14 AM
In my initial post reply I said that:
Primarily the main-ground is the Cable attached between the Block, or Water-Pump, or Cylinder-Head and the Battery Negative Terminal.
Then, another post from "MoparforLife" (having read in the initial post, "things seem to be quirky with electrical now") suggested:
I was simply agreeing with that thought, an additional ground strap. I never mentioned "Starting" in my reply and my agreeing with the Additional Ground Strap was to help with secondary electrical needs, and not dealing with the Starter-Elecrical at all.
In addition, either the Factory (or through a subsequent replacement) the Negative Battery Cable is sometimes under-size or small diameter (can't pass enough current,) or the cable itself may have corroded internally, or eventually it winds up with a bad connection due to corrosion at the bolt connection.
In that instance, current can instead pass through the starter into the block then through Motor-Mounts, the Transmission, the Drive-shaft, etc, all back into the chassis and back to ground/negative battery terminal.
Adding an additional dedicated grounding strap between the engine and chassis provides an additional path should there be a problem with the Primary Ground Cable between the Engine and Negative Battery Terminal, or if the "pigtail" connection fails at the chassis, for everything else electrical on the vehicle to ground back to the Negative Battery Cable.
Some vehicles come from the Factory with this "additional ground strap" (between engine and chassis) and others never had one.
Motor Mounts were never intended to act as a Primary Ground, but if the Negative Battery Cable Attachment Fails, the electricity seeks another path, that's all I intended.
Quote:(referring to the Battery Negative Cable attachment to the Mopart's member's Aluminum Heads.)
Aluminum is a Good conductor
Primarily the main-ground is the Cable attached between the Block, or Water-Pump, or Cylinder-Head and the Battery Negative Terminal.
Then, another post from "MoparforLife" (having read in the initial post, "things seem to be quirky with electrical now") suggested:
Quote:
also have a ground from the rear of the head/intake area to the vehicle fire wall.
I was simply agreeing with that thought, an additional ground strap. I never mentioned "Starting" in my reply and my agreeing with the Additional Ground Strap was to help with secondary electrical needs, and not dealing with the Starter-Elecrical at all.
In addition, either the Factory (or through a subsequent replacement) the Negative Battery Cable is sometimes under-size or small diameter (can't pass enough current,) or the cable itself may have corroded internally, or eventually it winds up with a bad connection due to corrosion at the bolt connection.
In that instance, current can instead pass through the starter into the block then through Motor-Mounts, the Transmission, the Drive-shaft, etc, all back into the chassis and back to ground/negative battery terminal.
Adding an additional dedicated grounding strap between the engine and chassis provides an additional path should there be a problem with the Primary Ground Cable between the Engine and Negative Battery Terminal, or if the "pigtail" connection fails at the chassis, for everything else electrical on the vehicle to ground back to the Negative Battery Cable.
Some vehicles come from the Factory with this "additional ground strap" (between engine and chassis) and others never had one.
Motor Mounts were never intended to act as a Primary Ground, but if the Negative Battery Cable Attachment Fails, the electricity seeks another path, that's all I intended.
Posted By: buildanother
Re: Neg. battery cable? - 09/10/09 12:31 PM
Engine mounts cannot be a ground path unless they are aftermarket or defects. 
Posted By: ireland383
Re: Neg. battery cable? - 09/10/09 02:31 PM
It does have small ground wire coming off the negative cable to rad support.
Posted By: buildanother
Re: Neg. battery cable? - 09/10/09 02:54 PM
Did ya find a working light yet? 
Posted By: ireland383
Re: Neg. battery cable? - 09/10/09 05:22 PM
Returned the one I bought 2 days ago and they gave me another one. This one actually works! Thanks