Battery earth cable question

Ped

Club Member
I am looking to get a new battery earth cable made up. Does anyone have a supplier source for this?
 

AliK

Vehicle Dating Officer
Staff member
Club Member
I am looking to get a new battery earth cable made up. Does anyone have a supplier source for this?

Have you looked on rock auto? I’ll have a measure up for you later.
 

jonbills

Membership Secretary
Site Administrator
Rockauto can be just a few days. often quicker than tardy UK Ebay sellers.
 

Rob Gaskin

Treasurer
Staff member
Site Administrator
Does your car have a second smaller cable to the body from the battery post?

Whilst you are at it check you have a connection from the engine to the body block/ bellhousing to the body.

I've discovered that neither of my 2 cars are 'grounded' properly from the battery -ve! One was relying on an earth strap from the engine and the other one .... I just don't know, so assume alternator earth.
 
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Ped

Club Member
Does your car have a second smaller cable to the body from the battery post?

Whilst you are at it check you have a connection from the engine to the body block/ bellhousing to the body.

I've discovered that neither of my 2 cars are 'grounded' properly from the battery -ve! One was relying on an earth strap from the engine and other on .... I just don't know, so assume alternator earth.

The battery negative clamp broke ages ago, so I soldered on a Halfords-in-a-packet replacement one. It works, just doesn't look great.

As far as I can see the earth is a single thick Black/Yellow wire running from battery post to the starter motor mounting bolt. Not sure if there is another earth somewhere... and yes I have repainted the starter motor thanks for noticing. :smash:

g-installed.jpg
 

Paul_S

Club Member
The battery negative clamp broke ages ago, so I soldered on a Halfords-in-a-packet replacement one. It works, just doesn't look great.

As far as I can see the earth is a single thick Black/Yellow wire running from battery post to the starter motor mounting bolt. Not sure if there is another earth somewhere... and yes I have repainted the starter motor thanks for noticing. :smash:

g-installed.jpg
That's what was missing on mine so I fitted one.

Rob - should there be a wire direct from GND from the battery to the body?
 

Bazzateer

Club Member
Mine (76 260Z) only has the cable from the battery -ve terminal to the engine, nothing straight to the body from the battery. There may also be a shorter one from the engine to the body but I haven't looked that far.

I may fit one tomorrow as I'm doing an oil/filter change.
 
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AliK

Vehicle Dating Officer
Staff member
Club Member
Mine (76 260Z) only has the cable from the battery -ve terminal to the engine, nothing straight to the body from the battery. There may also be a shorter one from the engine to the body but I haven't looked that far.

Same as mine - ‘77 260z.
 

Rob Gaskin

Treasurer
Staff member
Site Administrator
That's what was missing on mine so I fitted one.

Rob - should there be a wire direct from GND from the battery to the body?

Yes.

However if you have a good earthstrap from the engine to the body that will help greatly.

Don't forget that your engine/transmission is mounted on rubber. So if you don't complete a circuit for the current to flow from say your lights it will have to use whatever it can - the starter is ok because it's mounted on the engine that the battery -ve lead is bolted to.
 
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toopy

Club Member
I have the main cable to the starter mounting bolt as above, it also has an earth from an engine mount bolt that feeds into the engine bay loom, no idea if that's original or not, it could have always been there or 4 ways could of done it when they restored it.
 

Rob Gaskin

Treasurer
Staff member
Site Administrator
The main point is that the -ve of the battery should be connected to the body because the body is used as a return path. The alternator -ve is connected to the body on the brake junction on the inner wing.
 
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