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Relocated battery - now have starting / power issues


sam1904

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Hi all,

I used a kit relocate the battery to the trunk.

Here is what I did:

  1. Moved the battery into the brace.
  2. Grounded to one of the bolts anchoring the brace to one of the rear strut towers
  3. Ran the positive under the car to the same terminal on the starter that the +ve was originally attached to. Also added any other connections that were hooked into the positive terminal up front.

 

Here is what I am no sure about -  I then removed the engine ground entirely and grounded any connections that had originally been to the negative terminal to the body.

 

Car now wont start and has a very weak turnover.

  • Firstly I am obviously charging the battery, although it also wont jump
  • Next I will check the ground through the rear strut tower (by check I mean grind to bare metal)
  • My main question is does the motor itself need to be grounded - what should I have done with the original ground cable from battery -ve terminal to block?

 

Many thanks

Sam

2022 Defender 110 30th Edition

1976 BMW 2002 - Evolving...

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Yes you'll need a block to chassis ground cable the same size as the battery feed and yes all grounds should be to bare metal. 

If everybody in the room is thinking the same thing, then someone is not thinking.

 

George S Patton 

Planning the Normandy Break out 1944

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Get out your Electrical meter and start testing the battery and then forward all the way to the starter. I'm betting one of your connections to ground is crappy.

 

You can also jump the car directly to the starter to see if the problem is 'behind' the starter. Take your relocated battery out of the loop as well. Should be easy to locate the issue.

Edited by NYNick

1974 2002 Tii-SOLD

1978 911SC Coupe

1988 Landcruiser

2020 M2 CS

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49 minutes ago, sam1904 said:

Thanks grounded the motor and that is working better. Still won't start, now chasing fueling issue!....

 

Thanks all!

Make sure you can hear the fuel pump run when you turn the key but don't engage the starter. Maybe another electrical issue.

1974 2002 Tii-SOLD

1978 911SC Coupe

1988 Landcruiser

2020 M2 CS

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I used positive and negative terminal posts mounted on the fender to make everything simpler.

 

My negative terminal post is a through post that makes direct metal contact with the fender for a good ground.

 

image.png.1be8e5cb41103564ef17542a2d2cbbe3.png

 

image.png.d3bf79ef93941164661e6c1807f00b22.png

 

image.png.0fdd07983057369a70fad7303d333d38.png

  • Like 1

1976 BMW 2002 Chamonix. My first love.

1972 BMW 2002tii Polaris. My new side piece.

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Do I understand correctly that you grounded the battery to ONE of the strut tower bolts?. That could be your problem....it may not be in the engine compartment. Electrically the chassis ground may not be sufficient if there is a low capacity connection to the battery.  One solution is to weld a stud to the floor/wall in the trunk  area and use a large , short conductor. Make sure there is sufficient bare metal in contact. I now have a new much shorter ground than the one in the photo . Also a good idea to run a smaller conductor forward to the engine compartment for a separate direct battery ground for accessories.  Make sure you can easily remove the battery without having to climb into the trunk with whatever you wind up with electrically. ( A compendium of all the mistakes I’ve made over time)

C66BC662-F4D8-49FA-B931-373A03B2A422.jpeg

Edited by Mike A

73 Tii stock build, Porsche Macan   , E46 330i Florida driver, 

….and like most of us, way too many (maybe 30 at last count) I wish I hadn't sold ?

 

 

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I think its fairly common to use of the strut brace mounting bolts as a ground termination for the battery. It is in my case and other photos I've seen of similar installations. I don't believe Sam means that he used of the strut tower bolts securing the shock to the top of the tower.. that would be a no-no.

 

I second Steve with the use of properly mounted terminal posts in the engine bay. When I acquired my '02 last year, I found the positive "terminal' consisted of an unmounted and uninsulated bolt/nut clamping the bundle of wire spades together; The ground was a straight run cable (no flex provisions) between the bell housing and brake booster mounting bracket with loose connectors from the repeated engine movements/vibrations. Needless to say, both deficiencies were quickly corrected.

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I may find one such post. 
For now I ground on and grounded to the Sub-frame up front and as mentioned had already grounded through one of the 'strut' mounting bolts in the rear. I also found the 'fueling issue' that was causing my carb spitting - it was actually a cracked dizzy cap.

With that all taken care off it turns over like a champ, fires right up ad runs fine.

Thanks
Sam

 

 

file-12.jpeg

file-13.jpeg

Edited by sam1904

2022 Defender 110 30th Edition

1976 BMW 2002 - Evolving...

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