Please Help! Negative Battery Cable Question
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Boostedpimp
Dirt-Old 20+Year Member
cenok is family
15 Year Member
"it's just a ground" like it isn't important, can be a very misleading statement. In automotive systems, the ground is the return path for electricity. No ground, no power flowing through the circuit.
There are 3 connections on the ground cable.
1.) A 4 gauge cable to the engine block down near the oil filter. That is the starter ground. Do not connect the starter ground to the water pump or timing cover bolts. They tend to corrode and would make a poor connection.
2.) A 10 gauge wire to the body up near the windshield washer filler cap. That is the body ground for everything but the starter and computer.
The picture shows the common ground point for the battery & alternator
Picture courtesy timewarped1972
3.) The computer has its own dedicated power ground that
comes off the ground pigtail on the battery ground wire. Due to
it's proximity to the battery, it may become corroded by acid
fumes from the battery. It is a black cylinder about 2 1/2" long
by 1" diameter with a black/lt green wire. You'll find it up next to
the starter solenoid where the wire goes into the wiring harness. Forget this ground and the computer will not work properly.
There are 3 connections on the ground cable.
1.) A 4 gauge cable to the engine block down near the oil filter. That is the starter ground. Do not connect the starter ground to the water pump or timing cover bolts. They tend to corrode and would make a poor connection.
2.) A 10 gauge wire to the body up near the windshield washer filler cap. That is the body ground for everything but the starter and computer.
The picture shows the common ground point for the battery & alternator
Picture courtesy timewarped1972
3.) The computer has its own dedicated power ground that
comes off the ground pigtail on the battery ground wire. Due to
it's proximity to the battery, it may become corroded by acid
fumes from the battery. It is a black cylinder about 2 1/2" long
by 1" diameter with a black/lt green wire. You'll find it up next to
the starter solenoid where the wire goes into the wiring harness. Forget this ground and the computer will not work properly.
Thanks, I'll have to follow it and see. I'm pretty sure the ground on the drivers side near the oil filter is the one that comes up to the negative side of the starter solenoid, not the one that goes to the battery. The starter doesn't have a ground right at the starter though right? I mean, one that is connected to one of the starter mounting bolts?
ID89GT
10 Year Member
Hmmm... Mine only has the cable that goes by the oil filter... I don't have no 10 gauge wire to the fender, but I haven't had any problems with anything? Should I be worried?
Copper wire is expensive. Ford won't waste money on the other ground connections if they weren't needed.
voodoo
Founding Member
thanks jrichker that will help me find a better ground. the idot that had my car put the ground from the battery on a metal hose clamp where the rubber power steering hose goes to the metal hose below the battery tray. thanks again
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