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Is it Positive/Negative Earth?

Tullamore

Donation Time
I am trying to get one of my new Alpines started. It hasn't ran in 5 years and did not come with a battery in it.

I checked spark and fuel last night but could not get it to fire, that got me to thinking maybe the car is no longer Positive Earth? I was wondering mostly because it has an Alpine stereo in it which would indicate it had been converted.

So what is the best way to tell if it is still positive earth, the engine is spinning the correct direction, would the starter turn the wrong way if I hooked the car up positive earth but had been converted to negative earth?
 

Bill Blue

Platinum Level Sponsor
Steve, the engine will spin in the correct direction, regardless of battery polarity. It also should start. But in order to be correct, check the battery, which post is grounded? If negative, the wire from the distributor to the coil should go to the negative coil terminal. If the car is still positive ground, hook it it too the positive terminal. As far as the engine is concerned, it is that simple.

Bill
 

Tullamore

Donation Time
But in order to be correct, check the battery, which post is grounded?

There was no battery in the car when I got it.

I was told that I would get a weak spark if it was hooked up backwards, which I am getting a weak spark, is there any truth to that?
 

Jim E

Donation Time
I would hook it up as a positive ground car far as the battery and coil goes, static time it check the points gap, fog it with some starting fluid and light it off. You can worry about charging the battery once yuo know if it goes.
 

sunbby

Past SAOCA President
Donation Time
Is this one of your Series IV's or a Series V? I believe all Series V's are negative ground. Can a Sunbeam guru verify that?

Does it have a generator or an alternator?

Is the radio still hooked up? If it is there will be clues there, plus there is a slight chance you could blow it up if power is reversed to it. If it is hooked up, does it seem isolated/reversed: with the radio ground going to the wiring harness and the radio power going to the car chassis?

Does it have an electronic tach? I believe it should be labeled positive or negative ground. Although it could be labeled positive and already converted to negative, but you could open it up to figure that out.
 

Tullamore

Donation Time
It is a Series IV with generator. I was able to get ahold of the PO and he told me it is still positive ground and that he had isolated the radio and just wired it direct to power.

The PO says if I replaced the points and condenser it should start right up. I was just surprised I never even got a sputter.
 

Bill Blue

Platinum Level Sponsor
Reversed polarity will give a somewhat weaker spark, but not enough to keep it from running. I hate to sound like a broken record, but make sure the ballast resister is good or has been bypassed.

Bill
 
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