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engine to frame is the one you have to find or install. i think it is not there at all. you should see a battery cable sized wire going from the block right by the starter to the right frame horn the motor mount is installed on. if you find one, pull it and inspect both ends. if the least bit questionable, it is about 6 to 12 bucks. nothin fancy just eyelet on both ends and less than a foot long.
engine to frame is the one you have to find or install. i think it is not there at all. you should see a battery cable sized wire going from the block right by the starter to the right frame horn the motor mount is installed on. if you find one, pull it and inspect both ends. if the least bit questionable, it is about 6 to 12 bucks. nothin fancy just eyelet on both ends and less than a foot long.
my visibility is limited because I can’t get under it completely, I don’t think we can get enough force to push it up on ramps. But I don’t see a battery cable anywhere along the edge of the frame or along my engine block.
So cheat. I was joking when I said water pump to the back of the car. But anywhere on the block, or something big attached to the block. And anywhere on the frame, or something big attached to the frame. Alternator bracket to the radiator support SHOULD work. Rad sup bolted direct to vacuum tank-front crossmember. It is bolted direct to frame. That is 2 more possible fail points for the ground path. But it is a short distance and easy to do. Do you have access to GOOD jumper cables? The kind that will start a car with no battery in it? Clamp one on neg terminal and other end on clean spot on engine. Alt bracket should work. That should also complete the circuit.
So cheat. I was joking when I said water pump to the back of the car. But anywhere on the block, or something big attached to the block. And anywhere on the frame, or something big attached to the frame. Alternator bracket to the radiator support SHOULD work. Rad sup bolted direct to vacuum tank-front crossmember. It is bolted direct to frame. That is 2 more possible fail points for the ground path. But it is a short distance and easy to do. Do you have access to GOOD jumper cables? The kind that will start a car with no battery in it? Clamp one on neg terminal and other end on clean spot on engine. Alt bracket should work. That should also complete the circuit.
so
1. engine block to frame.
2. Water pump to frame/block?
3. Alternator bracket to radiator support - if cross member is connected to drone?
4. ?
i would like to have all the wires I need listed so I only have to make on trip there. I know I need 1 foot for the block/frame. And unfortunately I don’t think I can just buy a whole bunch and cut it here
and I don’t know about the cables, I’ll see what my dad says about them(he’s had them for years)
sorry, having them listed and clean tk read makes it easier.
Last edited by Samuel’s 74; May 31, 2021 at 10:02 AM.
So cheat. I was joking when I said water pump to the back of the car. But anywhere on the block, or something big attached to the block. And anywhere on the frame, or something big attached to the frame. Alternator bracket to the radiator support SHOULD work. Rad sup bolted direct to vacuum tank-front crossmember. It is bolted direct to frame. That is 2 more possible fail points for the ground path. But it is a short distance and easy to do. Do you have access to GOOD jumper cables? The kind that will start a car with no battery in it? Clamp one on neg terminal and other end on clean spot on engine. Alt bracket should work. That should also complete the circuit.
And if it would be possible for you to post pictures of the grounds that I need?.?. That would be so greatly appreciated, and I know that you’re kinda spelling this out for me but I don’t have the skill/experience to think independently yet so I have to have it spelled out.. sorry
The noise you heard “in the back right” was the fuel pump coming up to pressure. Once pressurized, it stops until the engine starts.
Are you using the tilt function when you get in and out of the car? If I was you before I started taking crap apart I would turn the key to start and if it does nothing, hold the key in the start position, pull the tilt release and move the steering wheel up and down several times and see if the starter engages at any particular position. I’m all for easy checks that you can perform in short periods of time prior to the pain of taking things apart.
By the way, where are you located? There is only so much we can do typing troubleshooting tips. Perhaps someone is close. You would be surprised at how much an experienced Corvette enthusiast can discover in an hour of poking around your car.
The noise you heard “in the back right” was the fuel pump coming up to pressure. Once pressurized, it stops until the engine starts.
Are you using the tilt function when you get in and out of the car? If I was you before I started taking crap apart I would turn the key to start and if it does nothing, hold the key in the start position, pull the tilt release and move the steering wheel up and down several times and see if the starter engages at any particular position. I’m all for easy checks that you can perform in short periods of time prior to the pain of taking things apart.
By the way, where are you located? There is only so much we can do typing troubleshooting tips. Perhaps someone is close. You would be surprised at how much an experienced Corvette enthusiast can discover in an hour of poking around your car.
I’m in NC, right in the middle of Waxhw/Monroe/Miner springs (30 minutes from Charlotte)
and I did not take apart my steering column or anything. I already know that’s way out of my capabilities.
Waxhaw? Do you know the bike painter Crazy Horse? Joann? Taught her how to paint in 80-81. And she and her man are both pretty good wrenches. I was building starters for her dad in that era.
Waxhaw? Do you know the bike painter Crazy Horse? Joann? Taught her how to paint in 80-81. And she and her man are both pretty good wrenches. I was building starters for her dad in that era.
edit, I’m sorry for my late responses! My notifications are coming way late!
i do not, but there is a crazy horse paint shop that’s close to my area - Crazy Horse Custom Paint (link at bottom)
and that’s the ground for the alternator? That right there is easy for me. Is that also a 2 gauge?
that is her. ok these 2 pics. ist pic. index finger on frame, middle finger on air tank-vacuum tank whatever it is called. second pic. index finger on bottom of the red support. middle finger on the air tank. this is just to show the (hopefully) ground path from the rad support to the frame itself. and tjis is a totally bubba butcher version of that ground wire, but it should show if that wire is the problem and hopefully get it running to get it up on the ramps so a correct wire can be installed.
Last edited by derekderek; May 31, 2021 at 12:08 PM.
that is her. ok these 2 pics. ist pic. index finger on frame, middle finger on air tank-vacuum tank whatever it is called. second pic. index finger on bottom of the red support. middle finger on the air tank. this is just to show the (hopefully) ground path from the rad support to the frame itself. and tjis is a totally bubba butcher version of that ground wire, but it should show if that wire is the problem and hopefully get it running to get it up on the ramps so a correct wire can be installed.
so ground my engine block to frame, and then temporarily my alternator to the top mount of my radiator.
wait, you want me to ground my alternator to my radiator.. then my radiator to my frame?.
or were you just telling me where I should permanently mount my alternator? If so, can you guess how long the cable needs to be?
I think I’m ready to run to the store.
Last edited by Samuel’s 74; May 31, 2021 at 12:22 PM.
you want a real paint job on your car go see her. i doubt she will give you a "i know your old boyfriend" discount though...
actually, I’d love to get it painted. Gotta be orange to me, but painting corvettes are just so expensive, and I’m so broke.
and depending on how much money it’ll bring her it might!! Gotta be orange and black, hopefully my interior will get to be black too
Last edited by Samuel’s 74; May 31, 2021 at 12:17 PM.
there are small grounds all over this car. they are irrelevant to the starter. just hook a wire from the alternator bracket to the top of the radiator support. pretty much as i showed in the pic make sure the wire isn't near the fan. the alternator is grounded to the block by being bolted to it. i am showing it's mount as an easy place to add an outgoing ground to let all the amps get back to the battery. and it uses the frame to do that. every car with the battery under the hood runs the ground straight to the engine. which is also the ground for the starter.
ok. it is still one of those 6 contacts that are intermittant.
i don’t understand how my battery can be hooked up and I’m literally getting nothing. I’m at a point where I’d send it to a mechanic and say “fix my ****”, but a) I don’t know any and b) I probably wouldn’t even trust them.
there are small grounds all over this car. they are irrelevant to the starter. just hook a wire from the alternator bracket to the top of the radiator support. pretty much as i showed in the pic make sure the wire isn't near the fan. the alternator is grounded to the block by being bolted to it. i am showing it's mount as an easy place to add an outgoing ground to let all the amps get back to the battery. and it uses the frame to do that. every car with the battery under the hood runs the ground straight to the engine. which is also the ground for the starter.
ill go to Lowe’s, get a 13 inch long cable for correct engine/frame ground. And I’ll get a cable for the alternator/radiator ground.
so small grounds don’t matter?. Just the big gauge cables?
Last edited by Samuel’s 74; May 31, 2021 at 01:36 PM.
alt to rad support is a temp half *** to get it running so you can get under it to do the wire correctly. it does not belong there. i just dug that wire and a couple of bolts out to show how to run a quickie...
alt to rad support is a temp half *** to get it running so you can get under it to do the wire correctly. it does not belong there. i just dug that wire and a couple of bolts out to show how to run a quickie...
so in the process of having it cut, and it’s technically the same size, but it’s much smaller and it has more or a plastic feel to it.
edit, there’s no way this is the same 2 gauge that the battery cables are. There’s barely any copper in this.
Edit, is it really going to matter for the temporary fix? I’m so tired of this simple thing being such a nightmare.
**** it it’ll work. Copper is copper right
is pure copper of course, I made sure of that
Last edited by Samuel’s 74; May 31, 2021 at 02:41 PM.
