Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting Groundstraps???

A little back round I just got done doing my Header and tranny swap. I am having some Voltage issues and I didn't do anything that messed with the alternator so I wanted to check the straps to see if they are right. So I have a quick question about some groundstraps. There are 2 located on the right hand side (if you are facing the vehicle), one dirctly to the body and one off of a hard line that connects to the back of the starter and one on the left on the motor mount. My question is I need to know the location of the 2 on the right side if possible. I thought I had them hooked up right but now I am second guessing it. The one on the left I just need to know the position of it. Whether it is on the top of the PS line bracket and the bolt or underneath it on the mount directly. Please help I have been messing with this thing for about a week and am getting very agrivated

I don't know of ANY ground straps that go to the starter.

There is one to the transmission bellhousing, one to the fender right next to the transmission,
One from the passenger side motor mount bracket to the firewall,
One from the PCM harness to the right front fender.


There is a positive cable going to the back of the starter, that is all I know of.

Sorry, I don't think I was being specific enough. The one I was referring to that ran off of the starter, it just runs behind the starter in a hard line then mounts to the bellhousing. The ones that I am more curious about are the ones that run off the drivers side fender and the Passenger side motor mount. I didn't take the one off of the PCM so that ain't an issue.

The one on the fender


Where does this one go, I have it mounted to the bellhousing. I wasn't sure exactly where it went when I was putting it back together and couldn't find anything online when I was doing it, so I just slapped it on the bell.

Also the passenger motor mount strap, does the strap go on the bottom of the bracket or inbetween the the bolt and the PS line

Crap I just went back and looked I forgot to strap on a small bracket that I am pretty sure hooks onto the starter. But I don't know the purpose of it. It is strapped on the line with a zip tie. What the hell is its purpose?

Okay I am slowly figuring this crap out as I go along. Throw in the info when you guys get the chance.



Here is the bracket off of the starter (the bracket is off to the left of the starter in the pic).



I am trying to position it to make it work. This is what I came up with. It was the only that I could see it working. Let me know if it is right.



Here is the strap off of the driver fender. I am not sure where it goes so some info would help.

Okay, whatever you do, Don't hook anything else up to the starter but the battery cable with the little metal tabs on it!!!

The ground strap under the air cleaner tube should just go to the negative battery terminal tab if I recall correctly. It has been more than two years since my battery was up front so give me a break on that.

The ground strap on the motor mount in the one picture goes to the firewall above the PCM plug, passenger side. Just screws to it.
The one off the fender just bolts somewhere to the transmission, there was a bolt near the hydraulic clutch line access port that was perfect for that ground strap that I used.

THe bracket you are talking about is not something I remember, but I know that it doesn't go to the electrical hookups of the starter. I think you'll have to wait for someone with a relatively stock intake area to take a look for it and report back. Leaving that bracket off versus having a positive electrode sticking out from the starter would be better.

Thanks Tom I appreciate it. Now all I need is for someone to chime in and confirm that the groundstrap that runs under the air cleaner does actually go to the negative battery terminal. And that should hopefully cure my problems.

Oh and BTW to add insult to injury the front header is leaking Oh well atleast its not the back.

Come on guys a brother needs a hand. All I need is to know if the Ground strap goes to the battery or just snap a pic of your CSVT Battery if possible. I would appreciate it.

Okay these pics can help you out.

The bracket to the side of the starter with nothing attached, you can see the strap coming off the starter.


Different angle.....


(The pic was taken at an angle, the one on the left is actually on the bottom of the bellhousing and the one on the right is on top) With that being said here is the straps. The one clear on the left runs and connects to the fender. The one that is blurry and on the right, it connects to the top of the bellhousing connects to the neg. battery terminal..


Pic of the strap that runs from the neg. battery to the top of the bell. It is the blurry one in the last pic.

Okay, in the starter picture, the bracket is hooked up correctly. I should call it the positive terminals on the cable. Those are right. THe little braided steel strap hanging off the starter is the starter motor +12v source and needs to go to the larger post (bolt) right above it in the picture, not the one the bracket is bolted to.
There should be another nut that looks just like the larger one holding the bracket on.

As far as the ground straps, the one on the upper bell housing bolts should not be there. Take that down and put it on the same bolt that the small ground strap is running to. It is bigger, put it on the inside and put the smaller strap on next.

After you reattach the starter wire and move that upper ground you should be good.