Earth cable to chassis at engine mount

Earth cable to chassis at engine mount

Author
Discussion

taylormj4

Original Poster:

1,589 posts

280 months

Sunday 1st June
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Been looking at removing and cleaning up earths and found a large-gauge earth cable joined to one of the offside engine mount bolts.

The bond has even been fitted to the bolt head end of the engine mount bolt so to remove the earth cable, would require complete removal of an engine mount bolt.

Is this the normal location for an earth bond to be terminated (i.e. at the engine mount)?

Can a single engine mount bolt be removed without supporting the engine, to clean up this earth cable connection? Or is that a bad idea?

Belle427

10,465 posts

247 months

Monday 2nd June
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Im struggling to remember if it was originally there on on a bolt on the engine timing cover.
I would leave it alone or just cut it off and add a new ground from the chassis to a starter motor bolt.

Loubaruch

1,322 posts

212 months

Monday 2nd June
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The earthing points on a 1996 Griffith are here:

https://www.bertram-hill.com/body-lift-single-hand...

Scroll down to the bottom photos

Badgerchim

147 posts

149 months

Monday 2nd June
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Hi. That's where mine is too. A 97 face-lift 4.0



Photo taken part way through 2 inch body lift

taylormj4

Original Poster:

1,589 posts

280 months

Tuesday 10th June
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Loubaruch said:
The earthing points on a 1996 Griffith are here:

https://www.bertram-hill.com/body-lift-single-hand...

Scroll down to the bottom photos
Useful reference thanks. Didn't know about two of those !

taylormj4

Original Poster:

1,589 posts

280 months

Tuesday 10th June
quotequote all
Badgerchim said:
Hi. That's where mine is too. A 97 face-lift 4.0



Photo taken part way through 2 inch body lift
Great pic! That's the one! If they'd run the cable to the nut-end of the bolt, you could clean it up without removing the bolt.

Your chassis is very sunny for a 2-inch lift. Did you find that was enough to clean up and paint or did you go more than 2 inches in the end?

Badgerchim

147 posts

149 months

Tuesday 10th June
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Hi. Probably nearer 3 to 4 inches and on my mum's drive. In the end took the engine out for the fun of it!



Engine went back in last week


Badgerchim

147 posts

149 months

Tuesday 10th June
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taylormj4

Original Poster:

1,589 posts

280 months

Thursday 12th June
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That looks a cracking job!
You using eposy paints? I've been experimenting with those on the wishbones and looking good so far. It used to be a daily driver so the chassis would get a battering. Work from home now so no need for that so not sure whether this paint is performing better than the other paints I tried (e.g. POR15 - awful) as not really a fair test.

Belle427

10,465 posts

247 months

Friday 13th June
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The problem with POR 15 is that it likes seasoned rusted metal so to speak to bond to.
Not sure if the formula has changed over the years but the last time I used it 10 years ago and I had to clean up the metal again the only thing that would shift it was the grinder!
It's a pita to work with though, try opening a used tin of it!

PabloGee

606 posts

34 months

Friday 13th June
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POR-15.
I'm not fully convinced by it.

I used it on a few bits including the track rods (careful not to get it on the threads).
when I came to alignment, I could just use a wire brush and it came off very easily, and the surface rust on the metal below was like a well preserved powder preventing the paint from really sticking.
I would not advocate brushing back the rust, as far as you can, using a couple of coats of Renolite rust converter spray (which is the best rust converter I've used), then lightly sanding that for a key, then paint. I haven't used epoxy paint but have read very convincing things, which stand to reason when you understand the effect of two part mixes.

My chassis was refurbished and powder coated in a full body off a decade ago, and was garaged for 7 years. It now lives outside and small rust spots are appearing on the chassis, including a more aggressive patch on one of the wishbones where the powder coat has entirely failed. All of which I chase down with converter, but it turns black and looks messy. So I got some cheap E-Tech silver chassis paint, and have gone over that with a high temp lacquer aerosol.

Time will tell, but I sense that we will constantly be keeping an eye on the state of the chassis!

Badgerchim

147 posts

149 months

Friday 13th June
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My process was
mechanical wire brush
Ruster buster rust treatment
Rust buster light grey epoxy
Plastikote protector White
Clear epoxy to finish.


PabloGee

606 posts

34 months

Friday 13th June
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Belt.
And braces.
Nice.

taylormj4

Original Poster:

1,589 posts

280 months

Friday 13th June
quotequote all
Belle427 said:
The problem with POR 15 is that it likes seasoned rusted metal so to speak to bond to.
Not sure if the formula has changed over the years but the last time I used it 10 years ago and I had to clean up the metal again the only thing that would shift it was the grinder!
It's a pita to work with though, try opening a used tin of it!
Exactly that. Adheres well to the rusty bit but where you clean the paint off back to bright metal (to make sure you treated all the rust) it doesn't stick. I had a 2" body lift and had it painted in POR15. The paint on the chassis rails has held well but the paint on the new outriggers that they welded on has failed within 5 years and back to square one!

taylormj4

Original Poster:

1,589 posts

280 months

Friday 13th June
quotequote all
Badgerchim said:
My process was
mechanical wire brush
Ruster buster rust treatment
Rust buster light grey epoxy
Plastikote protector White
Clear epoxy to finish.
Nail gun on a compressor is amazing at shifting old flaky paint, corrosion and getting back to solid stuff. Also good at finding holes! Definitely needs ear defenders though! I was told to be careful with wire brish in a drill as you can change the surface metal by polishing it too much apparently and can cause problems with the paint and increase change of future corrosion. I still use one but try not to use it too long in the same place and lower speeds.