Engine to Chassis ground?

[hl26 10+ year member]

Alright im doing the big three and wanted to make sure i understood this right.

Do i just find a bolt on the engine somewhere and run 1 gauge from the bolt to a groung on the frame or chassis?

Click to read more...

 

[Supergumby5000 5,000+ posts]

pretty much. make sure you sand the area underneath the bolt so there is a clean connection

 

[jco1385 5,000+ posts]

pretty much. be as short as possible. make sure the bolt you use is a part of the engine. i used an alt mounting bolt

 

[stuckinok 5,000+ posts]

engine block not just anywhere on the engine and look for the stock engine to frame ground and just replace that one

 

[hl26 10+ year member]

what is the best way to find the stock connection? is it usually from the alt - to the frame? Could i just go from a bolt i know is on the engine to a place on the frame somewhere as long as i make sure its bare metal? or should i find the stock one?

 

[jco1385 5,000+ posts]

trace your neg battery cable back to the block

 

[duece212 5,000+ posts]

trace your neg battery cable back to the block

neg from batt goes to frame

engine ground goes to frame on the cars I've seen.

 

[jco1385 5,000+ posts]

neg from batt goes to frame
engine ground goes to frame on the cars I've seen.

when i swapped my engine, there were ground cables (braided) from the frame (or unibody if you will...) to the block. then my neg cable goes straight to the block. pos goes straight to the starter

guess it depends on the car

 

[hl26 10+ year member]

ya i found the flat braided ground but theres no way i could get a run of 1 ga in there so i just neeed to pick a bolt from a part of the engine and make the connection there right?

 

[IgnoreMe 5,000+ posts]

1) alt positive to battery positive

2) battery negative to chassis

3) alt bracket to battery negative

many people do 1 and 2, and then for 3 go engine block to chassis....why??? i mean really. just go from the engine block (ie, just take an alt bolt out, put the bolt through the ring terminal, and bolt it down again) straight to the negative terminal of the battery. why use the chassis, when you can get the best possible and most straight forward connection by going straight to the battery neg? i dont get it.

 

[hl26 10+ year member]

if the alt bracket is about 3 feet from the neg terminal is that ok?

 

[duece212 5,000+ posts]

1) alt positive to battery positive
2) battery negative to chassis

3) alt bracket to battery negative

many people do 1 and 2, and then for 3 go engine block to chassis....why??? i mean really. just go from the engine block (ie, just take an alt bolt out, put the bolt through the ring terminal, and bolt it down again) straight to the negative terminal of the battery. why use the chassis, when you can get the best possible and most straight forward connection by going straight to the battery neg? i dont get it.

I would guess outta ease some people just run the same path as the stock motor to frame ground. I know people run neg runs back to front when running alot of power and it helps, I wouldn't think the motor ground passes anywhere near the current in comparison so not sure its that critical (just my thought here, not fact by any means).

If its convenient to reach the neg terminal on the batt, hey why not.

 

[skrilla22 10+ year member]

1) alt positive to battery positive
2) battery negative to chassis

3) alt bracket to battery negative

many people do 1 and 2, and then for 3 go engine block to chassis....why??? i mean really. just go from the engine block (ie, just take an alt bolt out, put the bolt through the ring terminal, and bolt it down again) straight to the negative terminal of the battery. why use the chassis, when you can get the best possible and most straight forward connection by going straight to the battery neg? i dont get it.

took his advice and it works great. a little easier doing the big 3 too..

thanks //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[IgnoreMe 5,000+ posts]

I would guess outta ease some people just run the same path as the stock motor to frame ground. I know people run neg runs back to front when running alot of power and it helps, I wouldn't think the motor ground passes anywhere near the current in comparison so not sure its that critical (just my thought here, not fact by any means).
If its convenient to reach the neg terminal on the batt, hey why not.

believe it or not, electricity flows from negative to positive //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

 

[hl26 10+ year member]

those are pics of my alt, and my question is will that black bracket do anything as long as i have it and the bolt down to shiny bare metal? or does it need to go between the body of the alt and the bracket?

 

[IgnoreMe 5,000+ posts]

those are pics of my alt, and my question is will that black bracket do anything as long as i have it and the bolt down to shiny bare metal?

i would take that bolt out, get a ring terminal to slide onto the bolt, and then put bolt back in with the ring terminal touching the alt and the black bracket on top. then just run to the chassis, if you want, or go to the batt negative (which is what i would do)

 

[duece212 5,000+ posts]

believe it or not, electricity flows from negative to positive //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

I'm just curious how much would flow over that engine ground that would make a frame ground insuffient if used.

I agree on most vehicles its probably just as easy to go to the neg terminal, just my curious self asking questions //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

 

[duece212 5,000+ posts]

if the alt bracket is about 3 feet from the neg terminal is that ok?

F150?

 

[hl26 10+ year member]

ya its a f150....

so the ring terminal should be between the alt and the black bracket and not the black bracket and bolt correct?

 

[IgnoreMe 5,000+ posts]

I'm just curious how much would flow over that engine ground that would make a frame ground insuffient if used.
I agree on most vehicles its probably just as easy to go to the neg terminal, just my curious self asking questions //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

oh im not saying the chassis wouldnt work or is insufficient, i just always try to go straight to the battery negative, because you cant get any better than that. i like the piece of mind.

i have used the chassis before, and its worked fine //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif.