jusplainwacky

Being an Electronics Engineer, I am embarrassed to ask for help on this one, but I'm twisting my brain on this...

I bought the "grounding wire" package from CC that includes all the grounding wires including the braded cables. Corvette Central includes a small "cheat sheet" that tells you were they go, which is "vague" at best...and unfortunately my assembly manual is missing pages, torn, and all mixed up over the 30 years I have had it. So if anyone has any pictures of where these wires go, I'm all eyes!

Ok...the problem...

As most of you know, two braided cables go from each front motor mount bolt to one of the bolts on the frame bracket (which one, not sure)...but the issue is, my water-pump bracket is powder coated and so is the black washer you see. If I run a cable to this bolt, all I'll be doing is grounding the bolt because the powder coating is acting like an insulator.

In case some of you may suggest that I just scrape off some of the powder coating...eeehhh...not going to work cause it's thick and still won't make contact.

I was thinking of maybe putting something like a very small BB under the washer and squashing it into the bracket, then I'd have to do the same and put one from the bolt to the washer. But then I'd be concerned my washer wasn't sitting nice and flush and tight.

The only other suggestion I can think of is just bolting into the block cause there is a bolt hole there (you can barely see it at the top of the picture)...but then it certainly wouldn't look original.

Suggestions??

jusplainwacky

I just thought of something...perhaps put these grounding wires on the motor mounts for "show" and connect up a nice big battery cable from the engine to the frame somewhere else that isn't readily visible.

Redbird

If I recall, there is one on each front motor mount, one on the accelerator linkage, one on each side of the exhaust mounts near the "X" frame, and one in the trunk from the antenna through the hole to the rear frame.
AIM Sect 102 Sheet 1.00 & 4.00.

jim lockwood

Powder coating can be removed if you are persistent enough. I'd chip away at the coating on the motor mount (in the area under the washer) and replace that washer with one which isn't powder coated. That washer looks more like a crankshaft balancer washer than an original motor mount washer, so you wouldn't be hurting originality if you get rid of it.

Jim

cbernhardt

Scrape or grind off the powder coating between the bolt head and the big washer and also between the big washer and the motor mount. Remove just enough powder coating to make space for a star washer and place one in both places to make electrical contact. The connector on the ground strap should cover the washer.
If the motor mount is powder coated, will you be connected (electrically) to the block?

thoyer

My understanding is that there is only one ground strap from the engine mount to the frame which is on the drivers side and attached to the frame mount upper rear bolt.

The negative battery cable should connect to the starter providing a good ground for the engine block. Other accessories connector to valve cover screws for their ground.

So if you want to keep your powder coated washer (which is not the way the factory did it), go ahead and install the ground wire to the engine mount bolt and the frame. Then under the car run another cable from the battery / starter ground to the frame.

Tom

jusplainwacky

Thanks guys for brainstorming with me on this.

RED....I looked online and there have been discussions if it was on one side or both. What I don't get is why have them on both sides?? Having two isn't going to really do much for you. The CC instructions say "both sides"...and I reached out to Jeff and he also said "both sides". And of course there are two cables they provide.
I'll double check to see if I have those pages, my guess is they are missing. Probably time to get a new AIM.

CB...I thought of that...but decided against it. I didn't think using a star washer would hold up and it would also not make the heavy washer sit flush.
As far as the bracket powder coated to the block. I think that is because the bolts have "lock washers" on them that "bite into the metal. Not sure if it is even necessary to ground the bracket...but maybe it might have to do with the water pump and belt building up static electricity. I was actually thinking of taking one of the water pump bolts out and grinding off some of the power coating just to make sure the washer was hitting the metal...but then again, I'm not sure it's that big of a deal.

Thoyer....
The reason I like the powder coating is that it won't rust and they look great. That's another reason I really don't want to scrape it off...cause then you expose the metal and than rust can get under the powder and then your powder will just peel off.
I like your idea and I think it ensures that the battery, starter, frame have a good ground. I have some #6 cable (welding cable) that I could use...it's got a rubber shield on it and solid copper.

AZDoug

A double ring tab ended battery cable from motor to frame, anywhere you like that can't be seen, will work. Battery cables are thicker than #6, typically, but #6 should work for your purposes.

Doug

jusplainwacky

I think this is probably going to be the answer...the next question would be...where is a good place to connect to the frame? I haven't gone under there and looked...but not sure there are any bolts around the starter/battery area.

thoyer

Found this a while back, just remembered it.

Take a look at the starter and battery section. There are descriptions and images for the ground straps near the back.

http://www.earlycorvettes.com/corvet...TechGuide.html


Interesting note, my 60 is a pretty original car having only 1 owner besides me. That car was ordered without a radio but the dealer installed one. The car does not have any of the braid grounding straps nor the little spring things in the front wheel bearing caps. These items only got installed on radio equipped cars to reduce the AM radio noise pickup from the ignition.

Tom

jusplainwacky

Yea, that would be from the battery to the starter, but nothing to the frame. But I did find this....but this isn't a good (heavy duty) ground.

Wow...never seen that document before. Lots of information!

I think they made a mistake in saying the "passenger side".

jusplainwacky

BTW...what where the...

??

John McGraw

Yep, radio delete cars got none of the braided straps. The straps were not for electrical grounding, they were just there in an attempt to get rid of some of the static buzzing and crackling on the old AM radio. These straps were also at the exhaust pipes near the center hangers, as well as at the throttle linkage at the firewall. Don't worry about whether they are making good connection, as they really were pretty ineffective anyway!


Regards, John McGraw

Frankie the Fink

The wheel bearing gizmos were supposedly to disperse static electricity - sort of a novelty at this point. Originals show up on eBay occasionally...

jusplainwacky

Interesting topic and again, some of the things you forum members know boggles my mind.

I guess this answers about one or two grounding straps in the front...

jusplainwacky

I just want to get a good ground to my engine and frame...well, actually I guess the engine is pretty much grounded from the starter cable to battery...so that just leaves the frame.

Frank....If you find a picture of these "springy things"...I'd be interested in see them. I haven't a clue what they are.

jusplainwacky

Speaking of "springy things"...why are there springs around the front wheels? Is that for heat dissipation?? If so, can't believe they had much affect.

John McGraw

Nope, just for noise control. They dampened out some of the vibration in the drum. They even had two different types of springs. Later model C1 cars had coiled flat springs, not the round wire ones used on earlier cars.



Regards, John McGraw

John McGraw

They were used in the front hub to collect static from the wheels/tire assembly, and transfer that charge to the spindle. The thought was that if they did not permit any static to ever build up anywhere on the car enough to spark to an adjacent component, that they could minimize the "pops" and "cracks" that the AM radio would amplify. Same reason that they used capacitors under the dash. If you can either absorb the spikes like capacitors, or ground them out like the ground straps, that radio would have clearer reception.

The little spring things in the front wheel hubs were usually removed at the first bearing service, and never reinstalled. If you put them in wrong, they would wad up and could make the bearing fail.

All the ignition shielding was for the same reason. It was only used on radio equipped cars, and it kept the ignition noise out of the radio.

No real need for a good "heavy duty" ground to the frame, as no real loads used the frame. There are plenty of connections between the drivetrain and the frame to carry what little loads were routed through the chassis.


Regards, John McGraw

jusplainwacky

Thanks John....excellent information! (As usual).