ground strap question.

[golfyellowrob]

im going to be rewiring my car soon and was wondering if you need the groundstrap to be an actual strap or if you can use battery cable. trying to clean up the look and if you do have to use an actual groundstrap, what sources are the cheapest for replacement?

thanks a ton,

rob

[Napes]

If you have a CarQuest in Bend, they can get it for you. If not, try other auto parts stores in the area. You need the type with two straps joined at the battery post clamp - a larger strap that goes to the block and the smaller one to the tab that protrudes into the engine bay area just in front of the brake fluid reservoir.

By using woven straps instead of a cable it lets you see any corrosion that may be building up and makes it easy to remove the straps and soak 'em a solution of H2O and baking soda to clean 'em up.

With a cable, with insulation around the wire, you can not see the corrosion or clean it up as above.

There is also this source:

http://www.autohausaz.com/search/product.aspx?sid=xjt0oqy2hajzl2j42hrk1cah&pn=W0133-1630015,

Bob Napier

Oregon native, and UO grad

[gracer]

You can get by with aftermarket ground straps. Just be sure to ground the battery to the chassi and the chassi to the engine. I would go to Blunt for prices on the stock strap. G

[02for2]

Tricky answer...

You CAN use a #2, #4 or so Shielded Copper cable such as a Battery Cable and be OK 99% of the time.

But, there is a reason Ground Straps are made of braided wire. Braided Ground Straps compensate for linear expansion, contraction, lateral motion and possess greater vibration reduction. In addition to reducing ground loop noise or electrostatic discharge, braided Ground Straps provide a low resistance path to ground.

The physical properties of braid allows for greater ampacity thus creating greater heat dissipation over other materials used such as a shielded battery cable.

In short, you'll not likely grenade your car using a Battery Cable, but BMW chose to use braided Ground Straps and that would be my personal preference too.

Cheers!

[Collinster742002]

When I replaced mine, I just got a cheapo ground strap from Advance or something, then ran a sort of heavy gauge wire from the battery post to the grounding point on the inner fender by the brake fluid reservoir. A year later it's still doing great. No more finnicky gauges.

[golfyellowrob]

Thanks guys! I will go with a strap then. I'm trying to really clean up the wiring by using only white wires(labeled of course). I am a airplane mech and am used to clean engine bays and white wires... Haha

[bnam]

IMO it does not really matter. Even BMW uses a cable on newer cars. I don't buy the argument that it makes corrosion visible -- well the positive cable is a cable and could "Hide" corrosion just as well. The positive cable is also connected to the engine and has to handle the expansion, motion, etc. As do many other cables.

[Napes]

That is one of the problems with the positive cable on '02s - the insulation can hide corrison, resulting in less current reaching the starter motor. I've seen '02s that have been having starter problems cut the insulation away from the stranded wire only to find it full of corrision. New cable and the problem disappeared.

Bob Napier

[golfyellowrob]

Electrical newb question, (really hate electrics) when I relocate my bat to the trunk, what will I do for grounding the block?

[bnam]

Cable or strap from the block to the body. Same locations as when battery is in front --except instead of the Y-strap, you just use a direct one.

B

[golfyellowrob]

And then just run a ground from the bat in the trunk to a good chassis ground? I think I'm getting it.

[bnam]

Exactly.

B

[cbesing]

anybody have a good location on the chassis to ground the engine block?  I was thinking of using the bolt hole on the passenger side of block for engine connection.

 

Thanks

 

Chris