ST OWNERS: need a little help with a ground wire Options

[GriffGirl]

Here's a fairly recent pic of my engine bay that I found - see the wire that I put a square around? Yesterday I found this wire disconnected on the other end and tucked away to be out of the way of whatever the hell we were doing. I think this is left over from the clutch job a little while back. Can someone with an ST find this wire and tell me where the other end of it connects to?

Edit: PS, also I have a battery bracket now, not that tacky bungee. But I never did figure out how the bracket goes on correctly. A pic or description of this would sure be fabulous too! Thanks guys




This post has been edited by GriffGirl: Jan 12, 2009 - 4:38 PM

[DEATH]

Stephen got you fixed up on this now tho right?
The battery bracket just clips by the little "J" jogs in the all-thread to two holes drilled underneath the battery tray - look down there - you will see them

[WWSideWinder]

HI Griffgirl

That cable goes to your engin block (I have rewired it with 8 guage to my earth distributer, see my Curren update thread) the point it goes to is directly under th emain water pipe just to the left of the radiator cap.

Hope this helps

PS, Have you finished your power windows?

WWSideWinder

[stephen_lee]

it goes it a engine-tranny bolt towards the top-front. its the easiest to see looking from infront of the car. i'll take better pics soon

[GriffGirl]

THe pix from Stephen were of the passenger side and something else I couldn't really tell what.


WHERE on the block does that wire connect? Does it go to where the intake manifold bolts onto the block? Like a mirror to the one on the passenger side one that has the stupid plastic connector?

[GriffGirl]

PS: Please and thank you

[WWSideWinder]

Hi Griffgirl

It is on the front next to the starter motor.

See red rings in below pics.





I hope this helps

[stephen_lee]

PICs, a little late though. I took pictures of all my grounds w./ the cell phone, i guess only a few made it sorry!

[stephen_lee]

you ever get this fixed??

[GriffGirl]

Dude - I've worked like I don't know HOW many hours this week so far... it's sunny and dry out though, so Saturday morning is my day to fix this one. That pic is PERFECT - thank you!

And DEATH before you bust my proverbial balls again NO I haven't added that ground to the alt bracket but WILL ALSO DO SO SATURDAY MORNING!!!!


fcuk I need a really BIG can of Rock Star...

[stephen_lee]

OK, in addition to your stock grounds ADD:
1 Battery to chassis (4 ga atleast)
1 chassis to block
1 battery to tranny (4 GA too, so you don't starve your starter)
1 chassis to head(alt bracket you're already adding lol)

I KNOW this is overkill, but since we can't figure out your problem, just make sure these are present, and that will take care of your grounding issues

You may also want to add alt+ to battery + just in case

4-6 dollar Walmart battery cables are cool and any kind of generic ring terminals. Sand the areas under where you plan to ground, to make sure you have great connection

[stephen_lee]

PIC 1
PIC 2
PIC 3
PIC 4


Hope this helps

[GriffGirl]

Here's an added bonus:


This morning when I went to start my car to go to work, it was DEAD AS A FCUKING DOORNAIL. Not even enough juice to power the little flashing LED that says "don't mess with my car" or "I have a wicked alarm system". NOTHING.

Got it jump started; started on the first shot but reluctantly

So new theory: ground issues are because alt is surging and all the extra electricity is looking for a ground, hence the airbag light while driving - it's grounding out at the sensor I bet.

Of course after jump starting, no battery light on the way to work. My guess is it'll come back on MONDAY MORNING when I don't have time to take it to get it checked. It'll be fine all weekend and stupid Schuck's won't give me a new alt. I will BITCH to high heaven until they give me one. I really think that's what the culprit is.

Thoughts? Suggestions?

[DEATH]

MF - I really hate persistent problems like this - only thing I can say is do Stephen's list promptly this weekend so we can rule grounding out completely.
Call me if you need anything
Seriously tho - just do it [Sorry - not trying to bitch but that alt to chassis one really is the most important one]

This post has been edited by DEATH: Jan 16, 2009 - 2:59 PM

[WWSideWinder]

BUMP

Griffgirl di you get sorted on this yet?

[GriffGirl]

Saturday I added a 6 awg wire from the alt bracket to the chassis and disconnected the + amp and power window (no it's not done yet - I need to get w/you on that diagram, WW) to eliminate one more factor, but the battery light still came on immediately upon startup.

I drove to have the amp checked, but the battery output wouldn't stabilize - at 16.9 volts (volts, not amps, right?) Anyway I know that's WAY too high. The small draw from the amp probably saved my car from cooking all the way crispy! So I went back to where I got the alternator and basically intimidated my way into getting a replacement one under the warranty. Mind you I'd been there 2 hours prior, alternator in hand, to have it bench tested, which it passed. It's my theory at this point that under any RPMs higher than the bench tester thingie produces, the alt was failing to regulate.

So as of today at least, it's running normal with the replacement alternator. It took a week or so for the other one to act up though, so I'm not out of the woods yet and haven't ruled out an electrical short somewhere. What else would regulate the power flow though, other than the regulator in the alternator? I don't object to taking my car to a shop that has a scope so I can try to pinpoint this, should it occur again, it's just very difficult for me to get to a shop while it's open is the problem.

[stephen_lee]

Saturday I added a 6 awg wire from the alt bracket to the chassis and disconnected the + amp and power window (no it's not done yet - I need to get w/you on that diagram, WW) to eliminate one more factor, but the battery light still came on immediately upon startup.

I drove to have the amp checked, but the battery output wouldn't stabilize - at 16.9 volts (volts, not amps, right?) Anyway I know that's WAY too high. The small draw from the amp probably saved my car from cooking all the way crispy! So I went back to where I got the alternator and basically intimidated my way into getting a replacement one under the warranty. Mind you I'd been there 2 hours prior, alternator in hand, to have it bench tested, which it passed. It's my theory at this point that under any RPMs higher than the bench tester thingie produces, the alt was failing to regulate.

So as of today at least, it's running normal with the replacement alternator. It took a week or so for the other one to act up though, so I'm not out of the woods yet and haven't ruled out an electrical short somewhere. What else would regulate the power flow though, other than the regulator in the alternator? I don't object to taking my car to a shop that has a scope so I can try to pinpoint this, should it occur again, it's just very difficult for me to get to a shop while it's open is the problem.

the battery would be the next closest thing to "regulate" your voltage, but since it was high that wasn't your problem.

[GriffGirl]

Looks like Batman may be the winner here w/his original bad alt theory. Almost a week w/replacement alt and it's running great.

Fingers crossed!

Beefed up ground wires sure don't hurt either I'm sure. Makes me wanna go out and buy those plastic wiring cover thingies to make the wiring all look more tidy and official and what-not!