Houston_t

iTrader: (2)

I'm prety much redoing most of my under hood wiring and was wondering what's the best wat to go about running my ground wires. Engine and chassis what gauge should I go with, should I ground to the heads or block ( both are aluminum ), should I buy those braided grounding straps or is battery cable sufficient, is from battery to head and head to frame all I need or is there a better way? Please school me to the ways of the wise, thanks

Pop N Wood

iTrader: (1)

I have the negative battery cable connected to the block, then a separate grounding wire from the battery itself to a ground on the firewall. I have the MSD harness ground connected to the same firewall ground. That is it.

Unlike some American made stuff my Japanese car does a good job of running two wires to every load. Saves me from having the spider web of ground wires I am sure someone is going to tell you that you need.

Houston_t

iTrader: (2)

was this a dumb question ?

Rocketrod

iTrader: (2)

No, this is a pretty common question and the answers you receive will vary.

speedtigger

iTrader: (16)

What model car do you have? Uni-body or body over frame car?

Houston_t

iTrader: (2)

It's a 71 Cutlass, full frame car. When I got it the wiring was allready hacked to death so I'm trying to do my best at fixing it the right way without purchasing a new harness

speedtigger

iTrader: (16)

I can only tell you how I do it. I run number #8 wire to the frame and to the firewall from the negative battery terminal. Then I just ground everything else locally.

I also run the factory braided ground from the back of the engine to the firewall.

mr.beachcomber

I've had good luck with the braided grounding straps in the past although Lectric Limited makes some great grounding cables too (thicker than the battery cables).

I'd go braided strap (because it's more flexible that a grounding cable) to the engine block if there isn't a clear path to the head (don't want chaffing to eventually sever the grounding strap) from the battery and use a grounding cable from the neg battery post to the frame. Just be sure that the braided strap to the engine has enough slack to accommodate any movement of the engine due to rotational torque while running.

Good Luck!