Silly question, but how do you...?
 

So, I'm working through a fuel supply issue (car won't start and can't hear the fuel pump sound w/ ignition on) and I'm going through the Bentley manual to isolate the problem. It says to, "check for ground at 85...." I know how to check voltage, but how does one check for ground?

Thanks,

T.

I don't have an SC, but as I recall the fuel pump only comes on when you are trying to start the car or you lift the sensor plate. To check for ground you would use an ohm meter.

Kurt, I have one of those multi-meters and it checks ohms as well, but I have no idea how to actually check whether a ground exists. I know if you're checking for voltage, you plug the red pin from the meter into one hole and the black into another and it'll give you a reading. But, don't know the process to check if a ground exists. If I'm checking for ground at 85, do you only plug one of the pins into hole 85?

What you are looking for is continuity. Touch one lead to the connector on 85 and then touch the other end to a good ground. You should read infinite ohms just like you had touched the two leads of the ohm meter together.

Gotcha! Thanks Kurt.

Actually it will not read infinite ohms... that means open. It should read 0 ohms, which would be a good path to ground. You want little/NO resistance from a ground on a device to the chassis ground.

I think Matt has it right. 0 ohms. Also, most meters have a little speaker icon that creates a continuous tone when you have continuity.
David

My bad, yes it is zero ohms.