earth strap where and what does it look like

I have told people in my earlier posts that I am a real novice. My 1978 B GT is a non runner but hopefully not for long. I have seen many posts with similar symtoms about starter motors which I believe mine has. Nearly all of them have the advice to check the earth strap. I have no idea where to find this or what it looks like. Any clues?

Many Thanks

Look at the right side motor mount. You should see a braided cable about 1/2" or so wide.

Also check around transmission mounts at crossmember.

Also check (or replace) the battery cables. I had one break while driving and the car just died. Since then the connection at the battery almost broke and I had to replace the connection. If you replace the cables, make sure that they are color coded correctly. If you hook up the battery wrong, you can damage the starter and/or alternator.

Good luck.

I am about to replace my mounts and saved this thread - it shows the cable......

http://www.mgexperience.net/phorum/read.php?1,1124997,1124997#msg-1124997

That would be the "right side" if you are standing in front of the car looking at the engine. Actually it is across the motor mount on the driver's or left side of the engine.

Do not trust that things are "tight". Remove the bolts at each end and clean both the ends themselves and the areas of contact with the frame and the engine plating with sand paper until they shine. Then, when going back together, use new or very clean lock and flat washers.

BTW: You can usually tell if that ground strap is not doing its job if you can feel the heater water valve cable becoming warm or hot after a slightly longer than normal period of starter use.

Jack

thanks for the advice, I should ask are the engines laid out back to front to a US car if mine is a RHD compared to your LHD ones?

also the throttle cable can heat up real good.

The grounding strap for My 78 is on the transmission mount.
I get another grounding cable and added it to a spare bolt hole in the block on the left side and run it over to the left fender behind and below the fuse block.

You can also add a ground if you don't see it. Use a battery cable with the ring terminals on both ends and ground the engine to the frame anywhere that 's convenient.

NAPA has all kinds,,and the length yo need.

(click on image to enlarge/hosted offsite)

[URL=http://img530.imageshack.us/i/motormountdrqp1.jpg/][/URL]

If you suspect a bad earth cable for a slow starter speed.

Firstly check at battery voltage by post to post and note

Set a multimeter to 12 volt reading usually 0 - 20 VDC)
.

A static resting battery not having been running or charged for an hour should read 12. 6 volts..

Hook multimeter between starter motor post where positive battery lead joins and block.


Disconnect coil wire to distributor (and place somewhere it won't spark to earth). to stop engine starting.

Wind engine over. voltage should drop no lower than 10.6 volts.

Note voltage.

Change multimeter from block to chassis.

Repeat winding over and note if any change in voltage reading.

As mentioned above, also check for heating of choke/accelerator cable of any other ways for current to flow back to battery.

Voltage is not a be all and end all of diagnosis of a bad starter earth but it is guide.

Current flow is better, but the average guy ain't got the right gear to check a large current draw.

Probably a more hands on way is to have a heavy jumper cable ready at hand and clamped to block and have it so it can clamped to chassis while winding starter over.

If the starter speeds up when jumper is touched, you have pinpointed a lousy earth.

as noted...you list your car as a '78. The ground strap will be on the transmission crossmember...not on the front motormount.

oops!
Disregard my photo - it's from a 74 cbb.