engine and drivetrain Help me diagnose trunk mount battery / wiring issue

[kris]

I am finally ready (after 18 months) to start my car, but I can't get any power to anything. I am an admitted wiring dweeb so hopefully someone can help.

The PO did the rear battery mod, and I did a refurb replacing the E30 battery ground, e30 terminal block and E30 starter cable. At the same time I replaced the front wiring harness with a new one from BMW...so that means I pulled everything from the fuse box etc and rewired. I picked up a new battery today to eliminate that as an issue. So for the starter I now have the E30 hot cable and the hot cable from the NOS harness...are they both supposed to be connected? What about the extra hot cable that would have originally been connected to the battery when it was mounted in the engine bay...do I just tape it off?

I also have not grounded the motor or alternator yet, will ground them to the frame today.

I figure I have a ground issue or the harness is not getting power. Help please wiring experts, I want to drive my car!!

New terminal block, red wire is the hot for my H4 conversion

Starter cable attached to the terminal block

E30 M3 starter, e30 Starter cable attached, harness hot attached as well, is this correct?

Extra hot cable from original harness...what do I do with it?

Battery relocation temporary setup - is this ground acceptable??

New wiring

[H_Krix]

1) Looks like you don't have a chassis ground to the block. Make sure you run a big wire (at LEAST 4AWG) from the block to the fender. I recommend the ground point coming off the harness ahead of the relays. That keeps it all in one place.

2) Where is your alternator (+) wire? I'm unfamiliar with tii wiring, but is that the big, fat wire with no connection? If so, run it to the same (+) wire on the starter, or get yourself a distribution block.

3) That ground doesn't look like the most optimal place. I'd try to find thicker metal. I used the rear subframe carrier bolts for my ground.

[kris]

1) Looks like you don't have a chassis ground to the block. Make sure you run a big wire (at LEAST 4AWG) from the block to the fender. I recommend the ground point coming off the harness ahead of the relays. That keeps it all in one place.

2) Where is your alternator (+) wire? I'm unfamiliar with tii wiring, but is that the big, fat wire with no connection? If so, run it to the same (+) wire on the starter, or get yourself a distribution block.

3) That ground doesn't look like the most optimal place. I'd try to find thicker metal. I used the rear subframe carrier bolts for my ground.

The alternator is wired in with the harness wire and plug - you can kinda see it all here:

The extra hot is the main feed for the battery.

[inkatouring]

If you're not getting ANY power to ANYTHING then it is most likely either an insufficient ground at the battery or something wrong between the battery and the main electrical connection (not starter). First make sure the battery is grounding correctly (test light from battery positive to body. Then start at the e30 terminal in the engine compartment. How about at the fuses: electricity there? Keep going. Wiring is simple and logical and the problem is usually something very simple; just a matter of finding it.