Where to ground engine?

[360DartGT66]

Oh, mighty FABO, bless me with thy knowledge!

I've got a 360 that's currently completely isolated from the chassis. I've got the ignition and starter all wired up for the virgin startup but no ground yet.

Wherever I look, there's a gasket. Maybe I'm over thinking this, but where is the best, most common or stock place to ground the engine?

Since the starter is the biggest load by far, I'm thinking one of the starter mounting bolts would be a good place.

Can anyone advice me?

 

[Bulldozer]

You should have 2 grounds, one from the battery to the block and from the back of the engine to the firewall. There are bolt holes in the heads that you can use

 

[ssba]

Back of head to voltage regulator mounting bolt on firewall.
Braided copper strap that has been plated.
Negative side of the battery to front of head

 

[360DartGT66]

Thanks, guys!

For now, I won't be connecting the voltage regulator, I just want to get the engine running. I'll just bolt on the battery negative terminal directly to the engine.

Front of the head, eh? Driver's side, I assume. Same on the rear? Passenger's side cylinder head?

I'll go down and have a look.

 

[360DartGT66]

Well, This will work!

Perfect. Problem solved! Thanks again!

 

[Bad Sport]

That's what that ^^ hole is for, lol. When you get it up and ready for the road I would suggest one from battery negative to the core support too (8 -10 gauge is enough).

Clean paint etc down to bare metal before attaching.

 

[1967 'cuda]

I was talking with Mike from MRL the other day and he recommended tying the back of both heads together with a ground and then continuing the ground to the firewall on the passenger side. That picture you show of the front of the driver's side head is where most people run the ground from the battery. I've realized that the more electronics I've installed, - the more critical good grounding became. I run my ground to the frame from my right motor mount with a flat braided connection.

 

[Matts440]

I have ran a ground from the battery in the trunk to the firewall, and then used one of the through firewall grommets, then grounded heads to it, bolt on the alternator, just to make sure everything is good

 

[360DartGT66]

Once the rest of the car is done, I plan on having the battery in the trunk. I've been debating with myself whether to ground the battery to the chassis right there in the trunk or to run a wire up front.

I believe your solution sounds best, Mats440.

 

[BillGrissom]

In my 1965 SB, I used the ground battery cable from an 80's Dodge truck w/ Magnum. It has multiple ground wires and I used them similar to the truck - main wire to engine front (forgot where), other wires to body, radiator support, maybe even alternator case (forget). I took the battery cables when I got the mini-starter. They were a bit long for my car.