Battery Connections

[brainbug007]

Can anyone post a pic of how they've got the wires connecting to the batter done? It's mainly the negative side that I'm having problems with as there's the thick black wire but then that wire has a smaller black wire coming off it and from the bad picture I took when stripping it looks like there should be another two smaller wires connected on somehow?

[twinturbo]

One black wire goes to the chassis, one goes to the engine head, And a thick one to the Gearbox.

TT

[brainbug007]

took some pictures so can you check I've done this right? I tried connecting up the instrument cluster and the clock ticks away when the keys are removed but when I turn the key part way no dash lights come on, and when I try turning it all the way to start the engine there's a spark and a bit of smoke off the negative battery terminal (bit greasy), and a sort of short clicking sound from either the battery or possibly the starter motor?

head strap


battery positive terminal


battery negative terminal (note the red circle is the strap to chassis which was tapped on temporarily and the blue circle is the chassis to gearbox strap)

[twinturbo]

No - The black wire at the alternator should be on the gearbox, The thin one on the head.

TT

[baz-r]

the thick starter black is not right it goes to the mount bolt to the bell housing this makes the motor main neg bond or earth and the little black (in red ring) one was bonded to the chassis at the battery tray on my sierra thats the body or frame bond to neg or chassis earth
if you get the solinoid to pull in its going to be a dead short and fry it to bits!
as your making a loop from main pos to neg! not safe

[brainbug007]

Ok so I've got the start connections right now I think and the thin black wire in the red circle above bolted onto the chassis now. I'm still a bit unclear though which wire goes to the back of the head? Should it just be a strap like the one in the blue circle above or is it a wire that comes off the loom somewhere?

[baz-r]

it would only be a secondery bond as the motor is conected through itself so you can go to chassis or to bat neg as the idea is to keep everything at equal potential
ford probably put it in to reduce radio interferince pickup off ht side (from coil,plugs,dizzy) unless it is a neg for the loom
it is a bit hard to tell from memory

[brainbug007]

So here's how I've got the battery negative looking now. I've got a wire rivnut'd to the chassis, then a second rivnut on the chassis to take an strap from the chassis to the back of the head.



strap to head


what else will I need to connect to be able to start the engine? So far I've got the crank sensor, edis, coil pack & ht leads, starter motor, & alternator connected.