I could use some help.
I need help with the original battery wiring in an SII. I'm looking for practicality, not necessarily historic correctness. Some owner before me ran 6 ga jumper cable between the battery box and the engine. He cut off the large alligator clamps and attached standard battery terminals. The car has been converted to negative ground with an alternator. He (I assume it was a he) then ran the cables out the holes in the battery box without grommets (+ and -) under the car up into the engine compartment where he attached them for subsequent distribution. UGH, what a horrible way to butcher a beautiful car! I cannot find any info in the Workshop Manual on how the battery cables got to the engine compartment from the battery box. Did they go under the car (beneath the floorboard), beneath the carpet, through the side wells, etc? I plan to get some real 4 ga wire and ground the negative lead to the frame near the battery box. Or, I could run the negative lead up front as well, and ground it to the frame there, as well as to the engine.
I plan to put a large fuse in the line before the wire leaves the battery box (with grommets, of course) . This will protect against a short in the line on the way up to the engine. Not sure what value to use, but somewhere around 150 A "feels" right. I need to check on the current draw of my starter. I wonder if anyone else has done this for protection against short circuits. I plan to use a Littlefuse Mega fuse holder and the corresponding fuses.
I would appreciate any input/guidance.
Thanks
Fred
I need help with the original battery wiring in an SII. I'm looking for practicality, not necessarily historic correctness. Some owner before me ran 6 ga jumper cable between the battery box and the engine. He cut off the large alligator clamps and attached standard battery terminals. The car has been converted to negative ground with an alternator. He (I assume it was a he) then ran the cables out the holes in the battery box without grommets (+ and -) under the car up into the engine compartment where he attached them for subsequent distribution. UGH, what a horrible way to butcher a beautiful car! I cannot find any info in the Workshop Manual on how the battery cables got to the engine compartment from the battery box. Did they go under the car (beneath the floorboard), beneath the carpet, through the side wells, etc? I plan to get some real 4 ga wire and ground the negative lead to the frame near the battery box. Or, I could run the negative lead up front as well, and ground it to the frame there, as well as to the engine.
I plan to put a large fuse in the line before the wire leaves the battery box (with grommets, of course) . This will protect against a short in the line on the way up to the engine. Not sure what value to use, but somewhere around 150 A "feels" right. I need to check on the current draw of my starter. I wonder if anyone else has done this for protection against short circuits. I plan to use a Littlefuse Mega fuse holder and the corresponding fuses.
I would appreciate any input/guidance.
Thanks
Fred