Starter Bolt/Stud

[JT56]

My battery is mounted in the trunk. Looking to bring the same size cable from my connection on the frame in the rear of my car to the front and mount on the starter. Has anyone heard of a stud for this application? I have been told there is less resistance since its mounted on the starter and will provide a mounting point to other grounds. The two ground wires from the Vintage Air Gen IV is supposed to connect directly to the battery. This would be a shorter run for that application. When I rewired the car (AAW) I put in (3) ground straps one on the front engine block to frame, one on the rear of engine to the frame and one on the transmission crossmember. Furthermore, I ran a ground wire from the rear of the housing on my chrome alternator to the frame too.

[Rick_L]

The real concern here is getting a good connection and making it stay that way.

The way I'm doing mine is this. I'm going to weld a half length 3/8" pipe coupling into the frame. Then I'll modify a brass pipe plug to accept a 3/8" bolt. The brass pipe threads will make good contact with the welded coupler. The ground cable from the battery is connected to the modified pipe plug with a 3/8" bolt. Perhaps even a brass bolt.

[chevynut]

Personally JT I think you're over-doing it if I understand what you're wanting to do. Not that grounding everything isn't okay, but it's unnecessary. I would ground the battery to the frame, and to the body. A battery cable with a second ground wire (6 gauge?) would do the job. That's what I'm doing in my Nomad. Then in the front of the car ground the starter to the frame also, and ground the body again. I don't think a ground on the alternator is going to do anything, if it's solidly grounded to the engine. I also don't think an additional cable is necessary, as long as your connections are good. I like Rick's idea, and I may use it on my Nomad. The ground studs are one of the last few things I have to do on my frame.

[Rick_L]

A battery cable with a second ground wire (6 gauge?) would do the job.

What does the second 6 gauge wire do?

Are you saying that the battery would be grounded to the frame? And you have a 6 gauge wire grounding the body to the frame?

[chevynut]

No Rick, my battery cable connector has a 1/0 cable AND a 6 gauge wire on it. I have the 1/0 cable going from the battery (mounted behind the passenger rear tire) to the frame, and the 6 gauge wire going from the battery to the body. I will also ground the body up front to the frame with another wire to the front ground stud, along with a cable from the frame to the engine.

[JT56]

Personally JT I think you're over-doing it if I understand what you're wanting to do. Not that grounding everything isn't okay, but it's unnecessary. I would ground the battery to the frame, and to the body. A battery cable with a second ground wire (6 gauge?) would do the job. That's what I'm doing in my Nomad. Then in the front of the car ground the starter to the frame also, and ground the body again. I don't think a ground on the alternator is going to do anything, if it's solidly grounded to the engine. I also don't think an additional cable is necessary, as long as your connections are good. I like Rick's idea, and I may use it on my Nomad. The ground studs are one of the last few things I have to do on my frame.

This all started with my VA install and noticing the Classic Instrument Gauges were showing my water temperature running warmer than it actually was. I was talking with Sachse Rod Shop and Mike was telling me about this conference he just got back from with VA, AAW and others. They discussed running another wire from the rear of the car to the starter. Apparently this was better on the starter. He also mentioned that it would be better on the alt, if I had it grounded. This was due to the aluminum heads, intake ect...That wasn't that bid of a deal to do, just wondering if I should run the ground up to the starter as they suggested? The car starts fine. I guess will have to run the two ground wires for the VA back to the battery. Thanks

[JT56]

The real concern here is getting a good connection and making it stay that way.

The way I'm doing mine is this. I'm going to weld a half length 3/8" pipe coupling into the frame. Then I'll modify a brass pipe plug to accept a 3/8" bolt. The brass pipe threads will make good contact with the welded coupler. The ground cable from the battery is connected to the modified pipe plug with a 3/8" bolt. Perhaps even a brass bolt.

Rick, I cut a hole in the frame and then welded a nut on it. Then used a brass fitting for my connections.

[chevynut]

This all started with my VA install and noticing the Classic Instrument Gauges were showing my water temperature running warmer than it actually was. I was talking with Sachse Rod Shop and Mike was telling me about this conference he just got back from with VA, AAW and others. They discussed running another wire from the rear of the car to the starter. Apparently this was better on the starter. He also mentioned that it would be better on the alt, if I had it grounded. This was due to the aluminum heads, intake ect...That wasn't that bid of a deal to do, just wondering if I should run the ground up to the starter as they suggested? The car starts fine. I guess will have to run the two ground wires for the VA back to the battery. Thanks

The fact that the car starts fine tells you that you don't need another ground wire for anything on the engine, imo. I don't know what they mean by "better on the starter". The starter is going to turn in proportion to the voltage applied to it. Aluminum is a much better electrical conductor than iron so blaming aluminum heads is BS.

If anything, I would say that your body gounds could use improvement. It sounds like your engine is grounded well to the frame and battery. If your instruments are grounded to the body, and the body isn't well-grounded to the engine or frame, you may have discrepancies in readings. You could check between the engine and body with an ohm-meter. The gauges take very little current.

What are you seeing wrong with the VA?

[JT56]

The fact that the car starts fine tells you that you don't need another ground wire for anything on the engine, imo. I don't know what they mean by "better on the starter". The starter is going to turn in proportion to the voltage applied to it. Aluminum is a much better electrical conductor than iron so blaming aluminum heads is BS.

If anything, I would say that your body gounds could use improvement. It sounds like your engine is grounded well to the frame and battery. If your instruments are grounded to the body, and the body isn't well-grounded to the engine or frame, you may have discrepancies in readings. You could check between the engine and body with an ohm-meter. The gauges take very little current.

What are you seeing wrong with the VA?

In the instructions and a followup phone call, they insist on going back to the battery!

[chevynut]

Well I still think they're FOS unless they can offer a good explanation as to what problem that solves. I can't imagine that a wire is better than the whole body and frame as a return path. What they're proposing can't hurt, but I really don't see how it can help.

[Rick_L]

The AAW tech guy has differed with me on similar things in the past. Simply put, his way is not wrong, but he also tells people not to do things that will work correctly if executed correctly. I.e., they are just not "his way".