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EFV-8 Club Forum / General Ford Discussion / grounding

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Discussion Topic: grounding

slow trot

03-25-2018 @ 3:33 AM

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My sister in law has inherited her grand fathers 1933 coupe. I am the designated family mechanic. All systems appear to be original. I got it running!

But it is negative ground. What should be done to get back to standard positive ground or does it matter? Cables look to be original and will not reach posts as configured. Someone in the past seems to have changed the grounding.

It has been about 50 years since I touched a generator system.
Thanks

Sal

03-25-2018 @ 4:46 AM

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Negative ground was used by Ford up to '56. So the ground is correct on the car. You must make sure all the connections are clean and tight to avoid problems, use a good 6 volt battery. Good luck!

nelsb01

03-25-2018 @ 6:21 AM

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NO...............positive ground was used up to 1956.

The first question is, does it run?

Yokomo99

03-25-2018 @ 6:42 AM

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My 53 is positive ground. I though Fords were positive ground till the mid 50's???

Slow trot, if the car is running and charging I really wouldn't worry about it. The starter motor will run the same way no matter how it is hooked up so to check if it has been properly set up for negative ground just turn on the headlights and see if the ammeter needle moves to the discharge side. If it does then you should be OK, but if it moves to the charge side someone might have just hooked up the battery backwards. Another indication of a backward battery would be no charging. The generator won't charge if the regulator is hooked up backwards. You would need a negative ground regulator and the generator might need modification as well as the field would need to be flashed for the different current flow.
In the later model cars the oil pressure and the water temp gauges don't care which way the battery is hooked up because the gauges are thermal in nature using a bi-metal strip wound with a heating element to move the needle and a variable resistor as the sender.
Hope this helps

Matt

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CharlieStephens

03-25-2018 @ 12:45 PM

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Was it also converted to 12 volts? If it is 12 volts I would definitely leave it negative ground. If done properly I would leave it in either case. You should add your general location your profile.

Charlie Stephens

This message was edited by CharlieStephens on 3-25-18 @ 1:50 PM

03-25-2018 @ 1:16 PM

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Does it have a voltage regulator on the firewall or a cutout relay on top of the generator???

slow trot

03-25-2018 @ 4:42 PM

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The 1933 runs. I pulled oilpan ,cleaned it, cleaned encrusted oil pump, pulled intake, removed plugs, Soaked pistons for a year in oil, used crowbar on fly wheel to finally turn motor over, filled with half diesel and oil, spun for hours with plumber drill, changed oil, new battery hooked up like old and she fired up. Valves were good and I only had to tweak one that was a hair tight. Carb is clean. New water pumps.

The car had been rebuilt around 25 years ago and then left sit with no prep . Have not checked compression. Amp meter fell apart.

The battery cable on the car is a positive to the starter switch and the negative is a woven strap to ground. The battery is charging at around 6.4

Will have to replace rusted gas tank. Is now running from coffee can tank.

Thanks

Sal

03-26-2018 @ 8:28 AM

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My Bad had a senior moment! Brain doesn't function like it used to. At least I got the up to date right.

Yokomo99

03-26-2018 @ 11:31 AM

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That was a lot of work I am glad you got it going. If it is charging I would expect to see at least 6.8 or 7 volts. Do you have a regulator on the fender or fire wall? If it is still on the generator then it hasn't been converted.

Matt

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slow trot

03-27-2018 @ 6:00 AM

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The 1933 has a traditional cut out on the generator and no electrical devices on the fire wall. I installed a new wiring harness and everything seems to be working as far as lights. The amp meter is dead and bypassed. Don’t know if fuel sending works or not but I took out the gas tank and removed it and soaked it in cleaner and will install it in a new tank and try it.

I had forgotten how much fun older standard cars can be because they have no computers and relays scattered all over. I have a 2000 Bmw Z 3 that I do maint. on. Had the diff out the other day and put in new pinion bearings and tighten up the bearing loads to make it quieter but when I get to the electronic stuff I take it in. There is nothing on a Bmw that is easy to get to.

None of the transitor equipped cars will run after the first low air nuke pops. Thinking of getting a Ford A model .. something that will last.

Thanks for the help. I’ll be back with lots of questions as this 1933 gets on the highway.

Slow trot

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