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EFV-8 Club Forum / General Ford Discussion / Puzzled by ground cable

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Posted By Discussion Topic: Puzzled by ground cable     supereal 09-09-2012 @ 10:50 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 6819 Joined: Oct 2009 On the hot side of the circuit, there should be a heavy yellow colored wire from the battery side of the solenoid to a junction point where the voltage regulator battery terminal also is connected. This feeds the ignition switch thru a yellow/black wire. This wire also passes thru the ammeter. If this part of the circuit is missing, there is no way the system can function properly. If your ground strap is attached to the cylinder head, you also need to have a ground strap to the car body to provide an adequate connection. jayd 09-08-2012 @ 5:30 PM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 26 Joined: Jan 2010 My original '50 coupe has a braided flat cable from the battery to a bolt on the drivers side forward head area. The other battery cable goes to the solenoid. A cable goes from the solenoid to the starter. There are no other cables to the frame or any other ground source. Stroker 08-15-2012 @ 5:21 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 1460 Joined: Oct 2009 A good way of thinking about grounds is that they are the "rest of the circuit". It doesn't make a lot of sense to increase the size (over stock) of power leads if the return path to the system is compromised by poor grounds. For a number of years I worked on municipal vehicles (salt spreaders, brine applicators, snow plows, etc.) in a cold Midwestern climate. I would run separate grounds to all lights, pumps, valves etc. When our Fords were new, they were clean, corrosion free, and often painted very sparingly. Today, we tend to detail frames, fenders and other components with much better (read better insulating) coatings. If there are insufficient pathways for current to return to the system, then it becomes a "choke point". So....In an effort to make our Fords last longer, and look even better than they did when they rolled off the assembly line, we often impose barriers to the vital "return path". In a perfect world, all the stock Ford grounding points would suffice. Today, we have "improved" our cars to the point that these are often insufficient. I am aware that the addition of supplemental ground wires/straps is contrary to restoring to "as Henry built it", but the use of high quality enamel and powder coat finishes to undercarriage parts is not as "Henry built it" either. Henryat1140 08-15-2012 @ 1:57 PM reply profile send p.m. New Member Posts: 110 Joined: Nov 2009 A common practice with today's Early V8's is to run multiple grounds. When the car was new and everything new metal-to-metal contact the grounding circuit worked fine. Over the years as crud, rust and whatever creeps into the car it pays to beef up the ground system. It's not expensive and doesn't take a lot of time or effort. The idea is to electrically connect the frame, the engine and the grounding (usually positive) terminal so they are electrically perfectly connected. If you decide to use the original grounding point on the engine, you could run a braided strap from that point to a secure, clean bolt on the frame. Many electrical gremlins can be traced to bad grounds so it really pays to keep them clean, shiny and tight. jaxV8carz 08-14-2012 @ 5:45 PM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 19 Joined: Oct 2009 My '51 8BA has a cast boss on the front of driver's side cylinder head. It is tapped for 5/16" ( I think). The braded ground strap cable is attached there. '50 may be different. The bolt wrung off and I had to have it drilled and tapped. I went to enough trouble and $$$$'s to cause me to remember. Big Red 51 08-12-2012 @ 6:03 PM reply profile send p.m. New Member Posts: 192 Joined: Oct 2009 The positive battery cable on mine goes direct to a bolt on the front of the engine block. Most have a cable from the block to the body. spqr67 08-12-2012 @ 10:22 AM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 43 Joined: Jul 2012 After deciding to keep the 6v system, I'm doing my best to get my 50 Fordor back to life. I'm stuck on something simple...where does the ground cable attach as it was designed? The shop manual gives vague instruction at best (though frame?). I've spent an hour looking for a hole or mounting point. I could certainly pick a spot on the frame, but would like to use the designed spot.

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