Stupid Ground Question

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mopowers

mopowers

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My 68 Dart currently has a ground cable from the battery to the front of the drivers side cylinder head along with the small pigtail to the radiator core support. There is no ground wire or strap from the rear of the engine to the firewall. My questions are:

1. Is a ground strap/wire necessary from the engine to the firewall if one exists from to the radiator core support?

2. If so, what size wire/strap is adequate for this?
 
mopowers said:
1. Is a ground strap/wire necessary from the engine to the firewall if one exists from to the radiator core support?
Click to expand...

I say yes, others may disagree.

mopowers said:
2. If so, what size wire/strap is adequate for this?
Click to expand...

My 74 has a braided strap from passenger head to firewall, along with battery to head and battery to core support.

The braided strap is like this, I would guess you might find one locally at NAPA.

Dorman Products 60213: Ground Strap Universal | JEGS
 
IIRC there was/should be one... 12g?
Image stolen from EBay - claims to be repo
s-l500.jpg


63-69 Mopar A B C Body Small Block 273 318 340 Engine Ground Strap. New reproduction that mounts to the cylinder head to the firewall. Fits all 1963-1969 Mopar A, B and C body Small Blocks without a/c. 16 Inches long.
 
Is it necessary, no, would it hurt, no.
Chrysler changed from the firewall to the core support, early 70's (not sure what year).

Alan
 
I don't believe there was "change" from one place to the other. The battery ground to radiator support was added around 1970. The ground firewall to engine block remained, at least in every up to 75 that I have owned. That firewall to block jumper was pretty much the only ground path for the headlights, etc., for previous models. Dang long way around too. The added jumper from radiator support directly to battery greatly shortened the front lightings ground path.
 
mopowers said:
My 68 Dart currently has a ground cable from the battery to the front of the drivers side cylinder head along with the small pigtail to the radiator core support. There is no ground wire or strap from the rear of the engine to the firewall. My questions are:

1. Is a ground strap/wire necessary from the engine to the firewall if one exists from to the radiator core support?

2. If so, what size wire/strap is adequate for this?
Click to expand...
You can't get enough grounds. Put them on there. It's all good. And it will start better.. The whole electrical system will love it
 
Mine was just the opposite. It had the negative cable from battery to block and had the small ground from a transmission bellhousing bolt to the firewall and nothing else. I recently added a large cable from the block where the negative battery cable is to one of the bolts holding the driver's side inner fender to the radiator support.
 
The only issue with lots go ground wires is when electronics start picking up noise from circular grounds.

Most of the stuff on our cars is not affected by this.

Running a ground from engine to firewall or trans case to chassis is not a bad idea. Ever seen a speedo cable that is melted? Guess what likely did that... probably turned the cable into a ground path.

Run a 10ga wire (min) or the braided straps if you have one.
 
crackedback said:
The only issue with lots go ground wires is when electronics start picking up noise from circular grounds.

Most of the stuff on our cars is not affected by this.

Running a ground from engine to firewall or trans case to chassis is not a bad idea. Ever seen a speedo cable that is melted? Guess what likely did that... probably turned the cable into a ground path.

Run a 10ga wire (min) or the braided straps if you have one.
Click to expand...

Yeah, isn't that called like a ground feedback loop or some such? I've read about it before.....even here but never seen it happen.
 
Saw a grand prix melt 2 shift cables due to a missing ground.
 
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