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Earthing starter


Varsas

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After my throttle cable melted after the car decided to earth the starter through it, I thought I'd better check my earths.

Obviously the engine -> chassis earth needs cleaning up, I will be doing this.

I have discovered that the starter is supposed to have it's own earth to the chassis. Mine does not. Can someone point me to the correct earthing point on the starter? I think it is point A on the attached image, but would like to be sure. I've seen enough sparks and smoke to keep me going for a while.

Also my engine earth goes through an engine mount, is that how it's supposed to be?

Cheers.

post-22662-0-16385500-1298305441_thumb.jpg

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I have discovered that the starter is supposed to have it's own earth to the chassis. Mine does not. Can someone point me to the correct earthing point on the starter? I think it is point A on the attached image, but would like to be sure. I've seen enough sparks and smoke to keep me going for a while.

It doesn't really matter where it is connected, providing it is in good electrical contact. Yours would be the first starter I've seen with an earth connection. To my knowledge it's normally the engine block that's earthed.

My earth goes from battery to engine block and engine block to chassis with no problems.

When you say your engine/chassis earth goes through an engine mount, is there a cable around this, or are you relying on the engine mount for electrical contact. If it's the latter, that would probably explain your melted throttle cable - an engine mount is not designed for electrical contact.

However, using an engine mount bolt hole on the engine going to a chassis bolt hole on the chassis mount with a cable between the two would be acceptable.

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You'd normally connect the earth to one of the starter motor bolts, all the others you have marked on your diagram are not big enough or serve a higher purpose, like holding springs in or being the positive terminal!

This is the ideal place, however as long as you have it well attached it should make little difference, and personally I would earth it straight to the battery, that way you have less potential connection problems due to corrosion.

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The engine earth is through a bolt into the top of the mount, and then to the chassis. I'll see about placing it round one of the bolts which goes straight into the engine, althrough from memory the cable wouldn't reach. I was also worried about it chafing on the edge of the mount.

Thanks for the feedback re: the starter earth. I'll use a starter fixing bolt then.

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