valve covers 2 firewall, braided ground? - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

sactoC10 · 08-30-2004, 02:41 PM

Do all 350's have these two "braided" type wires that attach from the rear of the valve cover to the firewall? Are they necessary, or can they be tossed when valve covers are swapped out?

Sweet72 · 08-30-2004, 02:45 PM

Definitely reinstall or get a new set of ground straps. You'll have all sorts of intermittent/phantom problems without them, not to mention the possibility of current trying to find a ground through your transmission/driveshaft consequently causing erosion of internal parts. These straps keep the engine at the same electrical potential as the cab, and the cab should also be grounded to the frame. Oh, and the bed to the frame too. Most of the vendors carry them.

**Yukon Jack** · 08-30-2004, 02:54 PM

My engine was grounded from a lower position on the block to the frame rather than off a valve cover to the firewall, shouldn't matter where it is attached on the engine, but should have a ground strap to the frame, a frame to cab ground and a bed to frame ground as mentioned above.

sactoC10 · 08-30-2004, 03:15 PM

Thanks, on they go...

cdowns · 08-30-2004, 03:25 PM

better to have more grounds (shiney metal to shiney metal) than not enough

sactoC10 · 08-31-2004, 02:44 PM

Maybe someone can tell me how this grounding issue is resolved in some of these show vehicles that have super clean engine bays and very few noticeable wires here, there and everywhere... anyone?

Davy · 08-31-2004, 02:55 PM

covered car trailer :p

Longhorn Man · 08-31-2004, 03:15 PM

That's easy, and you can duplicaqte it on a stree driven truck too. All you have to do is run all your wires from down low up to where they need to go...example, the small wires that go to your starter...they ride up top of the firewall, right? Re route them so they are actually INSIDE the truck, poke a hole on the lower end of the passenger side firewall and route the wires inside the frame to the starter. As far as anyone can tell, they are gone. A nifty little cover for the fuse box bulk head wire harness and routing all the other wires in the same manor, and you'll have a clean-ish engine compartment. Then you'll want to get rid of the heater box and all that good stuff.
As for the ground straps, all you have to do is run them from the oil pan bolts to the cab...just keep it low. IMO, this is a strap that is not needed. If you ground the battery to the engine, then just ground the engine to the frame with a ground strap of large size...or large wire (like a small section of battery cable). Then ground the cab to the frame. Since the frame is the main ground through the whole truck...all you need to do is ensure your frame is grounded to the engine, and everything else is grounded to the frame.

sactoC10 · 08-31-2004, 04:45 PM

OK, so there is an alternative. Knew that there had to be. As I was hooking these back up to the valve covers yesterday I could not help but think there has to be at least one plan "B" for these...plan C, D, E, etc... So often I do not see them installed.

Yet after removing my A/C evap core last year, replacing the heater core and then having no fan turn on after re-assemly (only to find out that one grounding nut was not tightly in place!)...messing with these things make me a little bit nervous.

The straps going "up" to the firewall are definitely ugly though, and I'd like to do something else with them.

Thanks Longhorn Man!

Sweet72 · 08-31-2004, 05:51 PM

They are most often not re-installed after engine repair or replacement, so that's why so many trucks don't have 'em. Sounds like you have a handle on the situation now. No such thing as overkill on grounds. I've seen welding cables used on race cars to ground body to chassis, chassis to engine and for battery cable.

08-30-2004, 02:41 PM	#1
sactoC10 71 DELUX Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Northern CA / Sac Posts: 1,056	valve covers 2 firewall, braided ground? Do all 350's have these two "braided" type wires that attach from the rear of the valve cover to the firewall? Are they necessary, or can they be tossed when valve covers are swapped out? __________________ 5/4 drop LWB wood bed - 15x8 front 235/60 - 15x10 rear 295/50 2003 FORD Escape 1998 Honda VTR1000

08-30-2004, 02:45 PM	#2
Sweet72 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Alexandria, VA Posts: 1,534	Definitely reinstall or get a new set of ground straps. You'll have all sorts of intermittent/phantom problems without them, not to mention the possibility of current trying to find a ground through your transmission/driveshaft consequently causing erosion of internal parts. These straps keep the engine at the same electrical potential as the cab, and the cab should also be grounded to the frame. Oh, and the bed to the frame too. Most of the vendors carry them. __________________ '72 GMC SWB C1500 Custom, frame-off in progress. 383 SBC, 9:1CR, Comp Cams XE262H, Scat internal balanced crank, Eagle SIR 6" rods, Keith Black dish pistons, Dart Iron Eagle 72/180 heads, Weiand Stealth intake, Stewart stage I water pump, Holley 4bbl vac sec, TH350 with B&M Shift Improver Kit. 12 bolt positraction. Last edited by Sweet72; 08-30-2004 at 02:49 PM.

08-30-2004, 02:54 PM	#3
Yukon Jack Post Whore Join Date: Feb 2000 Location: Rose Hill, KS, USA Posts: 12,684	My engine was grounded from a lower position on the block to the frame rather than off a valve cover to the firewall, shouldn't matter where it is attached on the engine, but should have a ground strap to the frame, a frame to cab ground and a bed to frame ground as mentioned above. __________________ 1970 Blazer with a 400 sbc and 4" lift 1980 Pontiac Trans Am, 455 Oldsmobile 2012 Kawasaki Concours 14

08-30-2004, 03:15 PM	#4
sactoC10 71 DELUX Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Northern CA / Sac Posts: 1,056	Thanks, on they go... __________________ 5/4 drop LWB wood bed - 15x8 front 235/60 - 15x10 rear 295/50 2003 FORD Escape 1998 Honda VTR1000

08-30-2004, 03:25 PM	#5
cdowns Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: daytonabeach Posts: 22,956	better to have more grounds (shiney metal to shiney metal) than not enough __________________ 71c-10 350/2004r/4:11 lowered3/4 longbed/dead by hurricane MEANING OF DEATH::::: SOMEBODY ELSE GETS YOUR STUFF DONT BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU THINK TAKE MY ADVISE;I DON'T USE IT ANYWAY

08-31-2004, 02:44 PM	#6
sactoC10 71 DELUX Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Northern CA / Sac Posts: 1,056	Maybe someone can tell me how this grounding issue is resolved in some of these show vehicles that have super clean engine bays and very few noticeable wires here, there and everywhere... anyone? __________________ 5/4 drop LWB wood bed - 15x8 front 235/60 - 15x10 rear 295/50 2003 FORD Escape 1998 Honda VTR1000

08-31-2004, 02:55 PM	#7
Davy Registered User Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Rice, Minnesota Posts: 370	covered car trailer :p __________________ 1970 Blazer CST Looking for NOS items for my CST restoration.

08-31-2004, 03:15 PM	#8
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,693	That's easy, and you can duplicaqte it on a stree driven truck too. All you have to do is run all your wires from down low up to where they need to go...example, the small wires that go to your starter...they ride up top of the firewall, right? Re route them so they are actually INSIDE the truck, poke a hole on the lower end of the passenger side firewall and route the wires inside the frame to the starter. As far as anyone can tell, they are gone. A nifty little cover for the fuse box bulk head wire harness and routing all the other wires in the same manor, and you'll have a clean-ish engine compartment. Then you'll want to get rid of the heater box and all that good stuff. As for the ground straps, all you have to do is run them from the oil pan bolts to the cab...just keep it low. IMO, this is a strap that is not needed. If you ground the battery to the engine, then just ground the engine to the frame with a ground strap of large size...or large wire (like a small section of battery cable). Then ground the cab to the frame. Since the frame is the main ground through the whole truck...all you need to do is ensure your frame is grounded to the engine, and everything else is grounded to the frame.

08-31-2004, 04:45 PM	#9
sactoC10 71 DELUX Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Northern CA / Sac Posts: 1,056	aaaa-ha! OK, so there is an alternative. Knew that there had to be. As I was hooking these back up to the valve covers yesterday I could not help but think there has to be at least one plan "B" for these...plan C, D, E, etc... So often I do not see them installed. Yet after removing my A/C evap core last year, replacing the heater core and then having no fan turn on after re-assemly (only to find out that one grounding nut was not tightly in place!)...messing with these things make me a little bit nervous. The straps going "up" to the firewall are definitely ugly though, and I'd like to do something else with them. Thanks Longhorn Man! __________________ 5/4 drop LWB wood bed - 15x8 front 235/60 - 15x10 rear 295/50 2003 FORD Escape 1998 Honda VTR1000

08-31-2004, 05:51 PM	#10
Sweet72 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Alexandria, VA Posts: 1,534	They are most often not re-installed after engine repair or replacement, so that's why so many trucks don't have 'em. Sounds like you have a handle on the situation now. No such thing as overkill on grounds. I've seen welding cables used on race cars to ground body to chassis, chassis to engine and for battery cable. __________________ '72 GMC SWB C1500 Custom, frame-off in progress. 383 SBC, 9:1CR, Comp Cams XE262H, Scat internal balanced crank, Eagle SIR 6" rods, Keith Black dish pistons, Dart Iron Eagle 72/180 heads, Weiand Stealth intake, Stewart stage I water pump, Holley 4bbl vac sec, TH350 with B&M Shift Improver Kit. 12 bolt positraction.



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