1980 Corvette owners: Help again..
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 163
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From: Port Allen Louisiana
1980 Corvette owners: Help again..
I discovered that my negative battery cable was bad. It was eaten up internally and getting hard. When I went to replace it I went under the car just below the battery box and undid the cable that was grounded to the frame. The next week when I was installing the new negative cable, I noticed another cable/wire with a ring eyelet on the end. It seemed to be tucked away a little. It is just the right length to reach the ground spot for the negative battery cable. BUT, I don't remember taking that cable off or even seeing it when I first took my ground cable off. I'm pretty sure it was not connected. Does anyone have any ideal what or where this cable goes to? I tried to follow it but it looks like it might go into the harness. I don't know where it goes or really what it's for. I don't know if any other year model C3 has this, but my 1980 does. I don't even know if I should reconnect it.. I've tried to figure it out by looking in my Assembly Instruction Manual but I could not. It's not as heavy as the negative cable. I would guess it's about a 8 to 10 gauge wire with a ring eyelet. Would anyone know if they have this, and what it could be for? Thanks,
Last edited by 401KVette; Aug 11, 2014 at 08:56 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 3,050
Likes: 124
From: Wichita KS
I discovered that my negative battery cable was bad. It was eaten up internally and getting hard. When I went to replace it I went under the car just below the battery box and undid the cable that was grounded to the frame. The next week when I was installing the new negative cable, I noticed another cable/wire with a ring eyelet on the end. It seemed to be tucked away a little. It is just the right length to reach the ground spot for the negative battery cable. BUT, I don't remember taking that cable off or even seeing it when I first took my ground cable off. I'm pretty sure it was not connected. Does anyone have any ideal what or where this cable goes to? I tried to follow it but it looks like it might go into the harness. I don't know where it goes or really what it's for. I don't know if any other year model C3 has this, but my 1980 does. I don't even know if I should reconnect it.. I've tried to figure it out by looking in my Assembly Instruction Manual but I could not. It's not as heavy as the negative cable. I would guess it's about a 8 to 10 gauge wire with a ring eyelet. Would anyone know if they have this, and what it could be for? Thanks,
The wire is part of the battery charging circuit (negative wire). It starts at the alternator and ends where it shares a common ground location with the negative cable coming off the battery. Both positive and negative battery charging circuit wires are in a common harness that runs from the alternator into the frame rail and back towards the battery (exits the frame rail before the kick-up). The positive wire from the alternator connects to the positive terminal on the battery via a connection block next to the battery. (i.e. positive wire from alternator connects to an electrical block, also connected to that block is a short red wire from the positive battery terminal)
On the 1980 A.I.M. see UPC 12H sheets 24, 25, and 26.
Last edited by mapman; Aug 12, 2014 at 02:43 PM. Reason: added connection block comment
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 163
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From: Port Allen Louisiana
The wire is part of the battery charging circuit (negative wire). It starts at the alternator and ends where it shares a common ground location with the negative cable coming off the battery. Both positive and negative battery charging circuit wires are in a common harness that runs from the alternator into the frame rail and back towards the battery (exits the frame rail before the kick-up). The positive wire from the alternator connects to the positive terminal on the battery.
On the 1980 A.I.M. see UPC 12H sheets 24, 25, and 26.
On the 1980 A.I.M. see UPC 12H sheets 24, 25, and 26.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 943
Likes: 73
Where the ground wire goes thru the bottom of the battery box, is there a large grommet seal that has both wires passing thru it?
My 80 only has the negative battery cable passing thru the grommet and connecting to the frame.
My 80 only has the negative battery cable passing thru the grommet and connecting to the frame.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 3,050
Likes: 124
From: Wichita KS
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 163
Likes: 1
From: Port Allen Louisiana
Yes I do have the large gromment seal at the bottom of the box, but only the negative battery cable goes down thru it. The other smaller cable is already on the outside. Mapman found what it is and where it goes. Thanks.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 163
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From: Port Allen Louisiana
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 3,050
Likes: 124
From: Wichita KS
Your description of the negative battery to frame cable is correct. The negative wire that the OP was discussing, starts at the alternator and terminates at the same frame location as the negative cable coming from the battery. The negative wire from the alternator never enters the battery box - it splits off the wire harness after exiting the frame just before the kick-up. The positive wire (battery charging circuit) coming from the alternator (with the large grommet) is the one that goes into the battery box.
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Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 163
Likes: 1
From: Port Allen Louisiana
Your description of the negative battery to frame cable is correct. The negative wire that the OP was discussing, starts at the alternator and terminates at the same frame location as the negative cable coming from the battery. The negative wire from the alternator never enters the battery box - it splits off the wire harness after exiting the frame just before the kick-up. The positive wire (battery charging circuit) coming from the alternator (with the large grommet) is the one that goes into the battery box.