1965 Dodge Dart 225 Slant Six Battery cables.

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Bills65Dart

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Hi, I have been looking at a lot of pictures here in the forums to find one that shows how the plus and minus battery cable are supposed to be routed. But no luck.

The minus cable I have is an inch or so over 2 feet, and is routed sort of the shortest way from the battery to a crew towards the front of the block. Not fastened anywhere.

The plus cable I have no idea how long it is but it lays loose from the battery and past the brake pipe (but not attached to it) and then along the firewall over to about above the starter and then down to the starter.
On the plus clamp on the battery there is a small wire coming out of the clamp itself, but it has been cut at around 3 inches. Then it goes a heavier wire from that little 3 piece wire, connected with a yellow tube clamp or whatever you call it here. It goes all the way to the starter relay on the firewall.

Is this the correct routing for these cables ? I ask because I am not too happy with the plus cable passing the brake pipe so close.

Does anyone know how they were routed from the factory ?



Bill

1965-Dodge-Dart-battery-cable-minus.jpg


1965-Dodge-Dart-Battery-Cable-plus.jpg
 
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There should be an insulated clamp that’s attached IIRC to one of the bolts holding the intake manifold to the exhaust manifold that the pos cable is routed through. I will dig out my parts book and see if they have an illustration to go by
 
Here is my 64 Valiant. You'll notice I have two large ground cables. One to the block from the batree and one from the block to the fender well. I'm sorta particular about having grounds.

POSITIVE BATREE CABLE.jpg


NEGATIVE BATTREE CABLE.jpg
 
Here is my 64 Valiant. You'll notice I have two large ground cables. One to the block from the batree and one from the block to the fender well. I'm sorta particular about having grounds.

View attachment 1715386583

View attachment 1715386584

oh thank you very much. That make sense, I have to look for that clamp between the in and out manifold. Gives a more sensible routing. I like good grounds too. And I have low voltage many places on the car, so that might come from missing ground between engine and body. The way you put it, it sounds like the ground is something you put on. Does this mean the car did not have a ground wire between the engine and body from the factory ? If I didn't know any better I would have guessed that they had a braid somewhere.

Bill
 
oh thank you very much. That make sense, I have to look for that clamp between the in and out manifold. Gives a more sensible routing. I like good grounds too. And I have low voltage many places on the car, so that might come from missing ground between engine and body. The way you put it, it sounds like the ground is something you put on. Does this mean the car did not have a ground wire between the engine and body from the factory ? If I didn't know any better I would have guessed that they had a braid somewhere.

Bill

It does, but it's a small metal braided strap. I did add the large one. I prefer to to strengthen my ground connections wherever possible.
 
That itty bitty body to engine ground strap is at the right side of the firewall to the block or head.
 
oh thank you very much. That make sense, I have to look for that clamp between the in and out manifold. Gives a more sensible routing. I like good grounds too. And I have low voltage many places on the car, so that might come from missing ground between engine and body. The way you put it, it sounds like the ground is something you put on. Does this mean the car did not have a ground wire between the engine and body from the factory ? If I didn't know any better I would have guessed that they had a braid somewhere.

Bill

You're most certainly welcome. Also, remember too, to scrape any paint or rust off right down to the bare metal when attaching grounds. I would even remove the original ground strap, if it's there and clean its connections too. I always do that and then paint back over them with black paint after I reattach them. It's not done in those pictures yet, because I'm lazy and haven't done it yet. lol
 
You're most certainly welcome. Also, remember too, to scrape any paint or rust off right down to the bare metal when attaching grounds. I would even remove the original ground strap, if it's there and clean its connections too. I always do that and then paint back over them with black paint after I reattach them. It's not done in those pictures yet, because I'm lazy and haven't done it yet. lol

Yes, it is on "Honey Do" list... lol.

Bill
 
I found it, but it is not a braid, it is a regular cable, and very very stiff.

Bill
Every 65 I’ve ever pulled apart had a regular cable - probably 10 or 12 gauge; some stiff from age, some not to stiff. When I assemble my modified 65, I will use both the firewall to engine ground and also from the negative cable to the core support as RRR has done
 
Here is my 64 Valiant. You'll notice I have two large ground cables. One to the block from the batree and one from the block to the fender well. I'm sorta particular about having grounds.

View attachment 1715386583

View attachment 1715386584

I assume the isolated clamp is under the rear vertical bolt that keeps the intake and exhaust manifold together, like in the second picture, and not fastened in any of the what on the planet it is down on the exhaust manifold.

Bill

1965-Dodge-Dart-exhaustmanifold.jpg


1965-Dodge-Dart-intakemanifold.jpg
 
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