Tranny ground strap

[kenpolives]

Hi, If the ground strap is not connected, will the car start or would the starter not even engage?

Also what effect would the bad ground strap have on battery charging (if any)

Last, how easy is it to put the new strap in,
Thanks

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

The starter might engage the ring gear on the flywheel, or it might not.
The starter would crank very slowly if at all.
The battery would charge poorly if at all.

The ground strap is the primary grounding path for everything that is attached to the engine. It is absolutely vital that it be in good working order! It's easy to replace--just one nut on each end holds it on. Cleaning the area is a good idea, too. Access isn't great, but it's no worse than lots of other 914 chores.

Without a ground strap, the electricity will try to find its own ground. We have heard stories of the throttle cable welding itself in the center tunnel because the starter and alternator grounded through it!!

--DD

[bd1308]

I have one attached to the engine fan shroud too.

so I have two in total.

b

[Scrappy]

Originally posted by bd1308
I have one attached to the engine fan shroud too.

so I have two in total.

b

But...but, your's doesn't run!

Signed

Your Crazy Neighbor

[mike mueller]

not sure of the reason, I'd have to find the article, but too many ground straps is actually a bad thing....

[bd1308]

ron! lol

mike i would like to see that article.

b

[kenpolives]

I have orderer the new strap (PP) but how do you get that bolt out on the tranny end. I can hardly touch it, how do you get a wrench in there of the correct size without dropping the tranny?

Please don't say practice

[kconway]

I had this problem last week. Car would turn over very slowly. I checked and no ground strap. Picked one up at FLAPS for $8 and the car works great. You gotta remove left rear wheel and get a 13mm wrench on that nut. Not much room before I hit the muffler (Bursch) but was able to get it off in a few minutes.

Kevin

[rcrgrl]

so do you think that is why when i hooked up the tranny ground strap on my 2.0 (didn't realize somebody had already grounded the battery to the engine shroud), and turned the key i burned the insulation off the condenser wire? would've started a nifty little fire if the rear window wasn't conveniently missing alerting me to the oh so bad smell of smoking wire !

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

Kenpo, I was able to use a small open-end wrench to remove the retaining nut from both ends of the ground strap. Access is a pain, true, but once you have the back end of the car up in the air you can worm your way in there.

Racer Girl, I would guess that the wire was shorted to ground already. Then the full current going to the coil went through it, causing it to burn up. But that's just a guess...

--DD

[kenpolives]

Well it wasn't easy but I got the new strap on. The trunk bolt was easy, the tranny not so. That back drivers tire must come off. I am glad I checked the strap before my local mechanics went through everything at $80 a hour.

[bandjoey]

I moved the battery into the trunk. I ran the battery ground cable to the same bold (trunk floor bolt) on top of the tranny ground. Is there any reason not to do this?? - body bolt, then tranny strap, then battery cable, then nut.

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

Nope, no real reason not to do that.

--DD