'66 Valiant Factory Grounds?

[bob_o]

What ground wires/cables are there supposed to be going to the engine, head and/or firewall? I've found one going from the passenger side of the firewall to the aft, passenger side of the bellhousing and there's one going from the negative battery terminal to the fwd, driver side of the block. I'm chasing a couple of electrical/ignition issues that are all pointing at bad grounds, so descriptions or especially pictures of these factory grounds would be greatly appreciated.

Car is a 200 sedan, 225/904, no AC, no PS, no PB. Hope this helps. Thanks in advance!

 

[RustyRatRod]

Mine is a 64, but should be similar. It's a very original and complete car, so it should be a good example. It has the negative cable, of course, and only one large (6ga) ground wire from a bellhousing bolt to the firewall. That's all it had. These cars were no rolling electronics marvels, so they didn't need much. I did add an extra battery cable from the block where the negative cable attaches going to an inner fender bolt where the radiator support and inner fender come together just in front of the battery. I felt that since I did add some extra interior lighting and a modern stereo it could use the extra ground.

 

[67Dart273]

Don't be afraid to upgrade. You can buy "eyelet to eyelet" starter cables and bolt one end to say, the master cylinder mounting studs, and the other end to the engine. I don't know a "handy" place on a slant. Likely a bell housing bolt near the starter

 

[Professor Fate]

I don't know if slants were the same, but most all of the smallblocks I have seen also had a braided-cable type ground strap (or the remains thereof) going from the driver's side engine mount boss to the k frame, bridging the rubber isolator.

 

[67Dart273]

The K frame is actually a useless place for a ground. There can be poor connection between the K and the body, and there is nothing electrical "on the K." Ground the engine to the body

 

[bob_o]

Excellent info, as usual. Thanks gents, much appreciated!

 

[RedFish]

All of front lighting was grounded to the radiator support. Factory finally did add a ground jumper from radiator support directly to neg' battery cable/post. I dont know if front lighting needed a closer more direct ground path than the rear lighting or anything else that is chassis grounded but.. if the firewall to engine jumper was left off after engine swap, etc... a secondary chassis jumper was still in place.

 

[67Dart273]

The thing is, the newer the car the more current through the body ground "there is." With points ignition, for example, the ground path for ignition current is through the engine ground. The older alternators, the VR had very little ground path. The main current for the field was through the engine ground.

Now you come along into the 73--later with more smog devices, they were grounded to the BODY. The electronic ignition ground as well as the VR/ field current return is through the body. A couple of added smog devices ground through the body. There could easily be another say, 10A altogether added up. Any added accessories in the car ground through the body.

So all of this added body ground comes to one point.............where does it return to the battery!!