Tabor

Okay. I need to upgrade my engine compartment grounds. I am under the impression that I should run a ground from the block to the chassie, but where on the chassie? Thank You.

IceShark

You already have one ground on the back of the engine.

For a second I would run from the front of the engine (there is an unused tapped thread on the top forward section of the block, under the air box for turbos) to the headlight ground on the frame rail. You will see it down under the headlight buckets with a couple brown grounds going to it.

The headlights are extremely voltage sensitive and the frame rail is heavy so this is a perfect spot. I also ran a ground from the left side through the nose and over to the right headlight frame ground. You could just run a third ground off the block to the right side but you are adding obstructions for working on the engine. This scheme gave me an extra 3/4 volts at the lights, just from good ground.

Tabor

That is why I am doing it! Thanks for you help.

IceShark

Ok, if you are going to do this may as well do it right. Get some #4 gauge cable. Welding supply outfits carry fine stranded with heavy duty insulation for arc welders. Little under a buck a foot.

Good hardware store will carry eye terminals. Crimp and solder on the eye terminal being carefull not to let the solder wick down the cable strands and make a big solid mess. Then coat the terminal connection with silicone and heat shrink tube it. Uncured silicone will squish into all the nooks and seal it up tight. That will probably last longer than you will.

Tabor

Awesome That is about what I had planned on.

txhedg

I've ben wondering, how much heat do you need to heat shrink stuff?? Heat Gun, Blow torch hairdryer, etc

tia

Tabor

Heat gun. But if you are careful you can do it with matches or a lighter. Don't get to too close.

IceShark

Not much tx. A heat gun will do it in a snap and is probably preferable since it won't start things on fire as easily. Never tried a hairdryer but a heavy duty model might work.

I will use a propane torch after just soldering the terminals on but only because it is on and handy. That is really too hot so you have to wash the flame around quick so you don't burn things.

A bic lighter will even work in a pinch but that leaves soot.

jim968

A good-quality gun-styule hair-dryer will work, at least for sure on the smaller stuff. Personal experience. I'd expect it to do the same on bigger stuff, just take longer.

Jim, with less & less hair to dry....

Untier

ive done that before but since ive heard that some of the silicones give off a corosive fume when curing?

IceShark

Yes, acedic acid. Though the new GE Silicone II seems to put out a *lot* less. Try it and you will be pretty surprised.

In any event this is an old argument and I am fairly neutral on it. I use silicone when there is a tube around or use a speced epoxy. There are terminals that have goop in them that seals when heated but you really need to be commercial to get them at a reasonable cost.

For the record I have electrical fittings I installed in this manner on salt water sailboats 25 years ago with the old GE RTV silicone. They are still perfect when cut apart with a bandsaw. That is good enough for me as far as auto field trials.

Dave

Try using an electrical anti-oxidant instead of silicone, copper-coat is the best, or no-ox is available at home depot.

Roy LaZelle

Any thoughts on ball park number for how many feet of #4 cable this would take ? Also, how did you handle the positive battery connection which has small power connections on each side ... don't recall seeing any connectors like it.

IceShark

If you are just doing the supplemental ground from block to left headlight ground and then over to right ground, 10 feet should be plenty. Make sure you leave some slack for vibration flex between the block and ground. Otherwise the wire will work harden pretty quick. Think nice smooth curves.

In my rewire, I took the whole light load off the fuse/relay board and fed the positive off the alternator so didn't mess with that unusual positive battery connector.

If you are going to redo that, which wouldn't be a bad idea, a standard marine battery post connector might work *IF* the top of the wingnut stud will clear the hood. Otherwise, I suppose you could concoct something like cutting a marine terminal in half and re-soldering the wingnut stud on the horizontal. There isn't a lot of excess clearance there so be careful you don't dent your hood experimenting.

BTW, soldering on the terminals with this heavy gauge wire is a slight challenge you might not be used to. Wire will suck away the heat rather remarkably. As a result the solder wants to wick down the wire strands way past the terminal. Avoid this at all costs because you will put a hard spot in the formerly stranded wire that will want to fracture given half a chance. So practice a bit ... soldering the terminal on "upside down", against gravity, helps.

Doug

Guys, did you know that electrons moving through a copper wire only move on the OUTSIDE surface of the wire, and not in the inside? That is why welding cord and expensive monster speaker wire have lots of fine strands. Same diameter wire with more strands has far greater surface area. I would think when you solder the ends. you might be creating resistance? Vs. not soldering the ends and just crimping. Are any factroy connections soldered? just my .02 DougF