Neg battery cable

[brad smith]

Where is the correct mounted area for the neg battery cable. Thank you

 

[DirtDonk]

On most, if not all early broncos, it was mounted to the engine block, just under the cylinder head, at the front corner of the engine.
Basically behind the alternator on many models.
I can’t remember if it was a hole facing forward, or one facing the side. But I think it was facing forward.

However, an even better location on many engine blocks is a threaded hole that’s very close to the starter.
It’s along the oil pan rail and is usually empty.
If you clean up the threads and install a stud, or just a bolt, you can attach the battery cable there.
It’s not 100% necessary, but it’s generally considered better to mount the negative battery cable as close to the starter motor as is reasonable. Meaning some people actually attach it to a starter bolt.
But then it gets in the way sometimes when you’re changing a starter, so I prefer the threaded hole in the side of the block.
I’m sure Ford would’ve never done that because that extra 8 inches of battery cable over millions of vehicles costs a lot of money.

While you are choosing batteries, most of us have gone the opposite way of the factory.
Where Ford put the positive cable facing the passenger side and the negative cable facing the engine, that puts the positive lug right under the fender lip.
Too close to sheet metal for most of our comfort, so we reverse the battery terminals and put the negative under the fender.
So when buying a battery, instead of getting the “F“ model, we just go with the standard.
This also means you need a longer battery cable, so the perfect time to do it, is when you are changing battery cables. As long as you need a new battery too!

And speaking of battery cables, I think we’ve already talked about it, but don’t shortchange yourself.
If you’re buying premade cables from the store, it’s only a few dollars more to get 2-gauge, versus the 4-gauge or 6-gauge that are also readily available.
Choose your length based on measurements and enough extra cable to keep it out of the way of spinny thingies and go with the biggest gauge you can.

 

[brad smith]

On most, if not all early broncos, it was mounted to the engine block, just under the cylinder head, at the front corner of the engine.
Basically behind the alternator on many models.
I can’t remember if it was a hole facing forward, or one facing the side. But I think it was facing forward.

However, an even better location on many engine blocks is a threaded hole that’s very close to the starter.
It’s along the oil pan rail and is usually empty.
If you clean up the threads and install a stud, or just a bolt, you can attach the battery cable there.
It’s not 100% necessary, but it’s generally considered better to mount the negative battery cable as close to the starter motor as is reasonable. Meaning some people actually attach it to a starter bolt.
But then it gets in the way sometimes when you’re changing a starter, so I prefer the threaded hole in the side of the block.
I’m sure Ford would’ve never done that because that extra 8 inches of battery cable over millions of vehicles costs a lot of money.

While you are choosing batteries, most of us have gone the opposite way of the factory.
Where Ford put the positive cable facing the passenger side and the negative cable facing the engine, that puts the positive lug right under the fender lip.
Too close to sheet metal for most of our comfort, so we reverse the battery terminals and put the negative under the fender.
So when buying a battery, instead of getting the “F“ model, we just go with the standard.
This also means you need a longer battery cable, so the perfect time to do it, is when you are changing battery cables. As long as you need a new battery too!

And speaking of battery cables, I think we’ve already talked about it, but don’t shortchange yourself.
If you’re buying premade cables from the store, it’s only a few dollars more to get 2-gauge, versus the 4-gauge or 6-gauge that are also readily available.
Choose your length based on measurements and enough extra cable to keep it out of the way of spinny thingies and go with the biggest gauge you can.

Someone has mounted this neg cable on top of the engine near the valve cover. I guess it was easier to get to.

 

[DirtDonk]

Yeah, super common. Saves wire cost, saves aggravation of removing the alternator/air pump, and can be seen. Or they had just seen so many GM products with the ground cable to the alternator bracket that they thought that must be best.
I hesitate to call them all "Chevy people" but so many have seen under the hood of an old Chevelle or Camaro, that this location has become ubiquitous.

It's not the end of the world. It still grounds the system.
Just not as efficiently. Or cleanly if it's done poorly...

Paul

 

[Steve83]

Depends what you mean by "correct". The original went directly to the front right corner of the block.

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But Ford has modified that on newer vehicles because it wasn't very effective. First, a terminal was added in the middle to be bolted to the frame, which is cheap, easy, & worthwhile - especially if you have trouble with the fuel level (which grounds to the frame) or you have added accessories that ground to the frame (like a winch).

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Then a body ground was added since so many circuits rely on the body.

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But the newest vehicles have virtually eliminated "grounding" (using structural metal for electrical circuits) - they generally have dedicated return wiring embedded in the harness so that all circuits are complete through Copper wire (none use steel). That makes all circuits much more reliable; especially with delicate modern electronics.