check your ground straps! - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

BUXMAN66 · 11-20-2002, 04:17 AM

to any and all of you experiencing electrical prob.'s check both of the grounding straps on your trucks.searched high and low for a very simple problem that happened to be staring me square in the face! check the engine block to frame strap and also the cab to frame straps.took care of a "gremlin" i've been trying to track down for months!anyone w/ a battery that seems to not be able to keep it's charge,very likely it my be that the alt.is not being grounded through the engine block back through the frame.so basically you're battery isn't being recharged or kept at optimum power,and you're running on your battery all the time. these straps seem to be forgotten sometimes when doing an engine change or just plain getting old and brittle and breaking down over time.not exactly something you check very often!

Southpa · 11-20-2002, 04:53 AM

Had a draining battery a few years ago. All the ground straps were solid but still got inadequate voltage going back to the battery. I rebuilt the alt, replaced the battery and voltage regulator and was still reading about 10 v across the battery. My solution was to cut out the middle man and run a heavy wire directly from the alt to the pos. battery terminal. Worked like a charm and haven't looked back.

Ackattack · 11-20-2002, 12:24 PM

good advice. I just installed my engine, and forgot to hook up the ground straps that go from the block to the cab. I noticed the other day that the dash lights were doing some funky things, maybe getting around to hooking up the straps will help out.

Long Knight · 11-20-2002, 03:31 PM

Right now one of my ground straps is holding my plug cables off the exhaust maifold! Guess I should get some cable holder things and hook up my straps.

MStokes · 11-22-2002, 03:39 PM

A few months ago there was a post about ground straps and if I remember correctly, there are a total of 5 straps on 67-72's.

11-20-2002, 04:17 AM	#1
BUXMAN66 go bucks! Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: MIAMISBURG OHIO USA Posts: 803	check your ground straps! to any and all of you experiencing electrical prob.'s check both of the grounding straps on your trucks.searched high and low for a very simple problem that happened to be staring me square in the face! check the engine block to frame strap and also the cab to frame straps.took care of a "gremlin" i've been trying to track down for months!anyone w/ a battery that seems to not be able to keep it's charge,very likely it my be that the alt.is not being grounded through the engine block back through the frame.so basically you're battery isn't being recharged or kept at optimum power,and you're running on your battery all the time. these straps seem to be forgotten sometimes when doing an engine change or just plain getting old and brittle and breaking down over time.not exactly something you check very often! __________________ '68 swb 1/2t 350/350th '86 lngbd 3/4 TON parts getter '49 gmc 1/2 t 5 window 350/350th '96 gmc sonoma sle ext-cab. hey it's a 4cyl. 5 spd and good on gas y'know?

11-20-2002, 04:53 AM	#2
Southpa Registered User Join Date: May 2000 Location: Victoria, BC, Canada Posts: 2,410	Had a draining battery a few years ago. All the ground straps were solid but still got inadequate voltage going back to the battery. I rebuilt the alt, replaced the battery and voltage regulator and was still reading about 10 v across the battery. My solution was to cut out the middle man and run a heavy wire directly from the alt to the pos. battery terminal. Worked like a charm and haven't looked back. __________________ 1970 GMC 1500 Custom Original 350/TH350 Victoria, BC, Canada You can wish in one hand and crap in the other. See which one gets filled first.

11-20-2002, 12:24 PM	#3
Ackattack Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Valley Center KS Posts: 3,525	good advice. I just installed my engine, and forgot to hook up the ground straps that go from the block to the cab. I noticed the other day that the dash lights were doing some funky things, maybe getting around to hooking up the straps will help out. __________________ Project Bruiser: 68 Pro-Touring C-10 5.3L / 4L60E Project Ironhide: 97 GMC Crew Cab 4x4 Cummins SOLD: '69 GMC 1/2T SWB TBI'd: Project No Buck Assembly Manual Index Sign up Thread!!! Factory Service Manual Index

11-20-2002, 03:31 PM	#4
Long Knight Spank 'em if you got 'em! Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Kansas City Posts: 628	Right now one of my ground straps is holding my plug cables off the exhaust maifold! Guess I should get some cable holder things and hook up my straps. __________________ Long Knight '71 C-20, 350ci, TH350, Edl. 1406 Carb w/elec.choke, Ignitor ignition, Viper Tires, Orange Dipstick

11-22-2002, 03:39 PM	#5
MStokes Registered User Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Meridian, Idaho Posts: 164	A few months ago there was a post about ground straps and if I remember correctly, there are a total of 5 straps on 67-72's. __________________ 1972 C-10 LWB, 400/350, 2WD 1972 C-20 Custom Camper, 350/350, 4WD (Converted)

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