Different kind of clicking at startup, need advise

[FuryCharger]

Re: Different kind of clicking at startup, need advise

Maybe I have the wrong gauge power wire?

[Mogobs30th]

Re: Different kind of clicking at startup, need advise

Battery in trunk is grounded on the quarter panel.

You're not serious? You're telling me that the negative of the battery is directly grounded to the quarter panel of the car?

[FuryCharger]

Re: Different kind of clicking at startup, need advise

yes. It is grounded on the metal behind the black felt crap. Its grounded on bare metal but yea its grounded right behind the battery on the rear left side of the car. Could that be my problem??

[Mark42]

Re: Different kind of clicking at startup, need advise

yes. It is grounded on the metal behind the black felt crap. Its grounded on bare metal but yea its grounded right behind the battery on the rear left side of the car. Could that be my problem??

It should be grounded right to the car at the battery. But I doubt you are actually grounded to the outer fender sheet metal, right...... right?

A good location for a ground is the boxed in area that forms the rear sub frame. Clean and reconnect, use a batter cable anti-corrosive.

[FuryCharger]

Re: Different kind of clicking at startup, need advise

I am grounded to the outer fender sheet metal. What makes that a bad ground? You think that would cause the clicking on startup??

What boxed in area?? The well in the trunk?

[Mogobs30th]

Re: Different kind of clicking at startup, need advise

I am grounded to the outer fender sheet metal. What makes that a bad ground? You think that would cause the clicking on startup??

What boxed in area?? The well in the trunk?

The battery should be grounded to the engine block, period. You have to remember, that the sheet metal in the car is painted, and even in place you may put it that isn't painted, the connections that the electricity needs to be will be painted. This is why the main negative is on the block, where it was stock. It sucks running the cable from the trunk BACK to the block, but it needs to be on the engine block, more so for a car that is computer controlled.

For example, the spot where you put the ground, you might have scuffed the paint off, BUT, the K-member of the car is bolted to a painted frame rail, decreasing the connectivity because paint is a better insulator than a conductor. Where you have the negative grounded now is a bad conductive path to the electrical components.

Something else you have to understand is the concept of electron flow. The VERY COMMON misconception is that electrons flow in a DC environment from positive to negative, which is false. Electrons flow from negative to positive. This is the reason why most manuals tell you to disconnect the negative battery cable, because the electron flow starts from the negative post of the battery, flows thru the engine block to the electrical components, thru the harnass, and eventually back to the positive battery cable. You've given the electrons a bad path to begin with, giving you unidentifiable problems with your car, especially when it comes to the starter. The starter needs a clean path of electrical flow to run from the battery, and the painted sheet metal parts of your car are a bad conductor.

Replace your ground, and run it back to the engine block, to where it was originally placed by the AC compressor on the passenger side of the engine block. Your problems should go away.

One more thing, Im going to go out on a limb and say your car is a 3.8l. For some dumbass reason, these engines need a ton of cranking amps to turn, even more so than the LT1 or LS1's. I can almost be certain you have a bad connection, and should run the negative back to the engine block.

[FuryCharger]

Re: Different kind of clicking at startup, need advise

Appreciate your response. I thought for a minute that it may have been my ground strap but your point makes more sense. To test it I will take my jumper cables and run it from the negative to the engine block. Then go out and buy a new ground wire. What size should I use for the trunk to block ground?

My ground strap is pretty dirty and the connections I am guessing are corroded. Would this have any effect as well?

yes my car is a 3.8L.

[Mogobs30th]

Re: Different kind of clicking at startup, need advise

Appreciate your response. I thought for a minute that it may have been my ground strap but your point makes more sense. To test it I will take my jumper cables and run it from the negative to the engine block. Then go out and buy a new ground wire. What size should I use for the trunk to block ground?

My ground strap is pretty dirty and the connections I am guessing are corroded. Would this have any effect as well?

yes my car is a 3.8L.

To an extent, yes, its the corrosion and dirt. But I still believe you should be grounding that thing to the engine block.

I can't remember the gauge wire that the stock is, I want to say its a 4 or so, but if you're running it from the trunk back to the engine, I would go with a 2 gauge or maybe even 0.

[FuryCharger]

Re: Different kind of clicking at startup, need advise

Ran the jumper cables from the negative post to the block and voila, it started right up. I think I have found my problem. I will get the proper gauge wire, 2 or 0 and run the ground back to the block.

Thanks for everyones help.

[Blizzard242]

Re: Different kind of clicking at startup, need advise

Good job Mogobs! I knew you were good for something. :D Whenever you figure out what my use is, let me know.

[FuryCharger]

Re: Different kind of clicking at startup, need advise

Hey quick question about the cable gauge. The jumper cable I used was a 12fdt. 10 gauge and it started fine. Do I really need a 2 gauge? or can I used a 12ft. 10 gauge cable?

[Mogobs30th]

Re: Different kind of clicking at startup, need advise

2 gauge and 10 gauge is a HUGE difference. Its a 4 or 6 gauge going to the block from where the battery sits stock, and thats only about 3 ft. A 10 gauge is a definite no. You'd smoke that wire at some point if you use a 10 gauge. Go with the 2 or 0.

[FuryCharger]

Re: Different kind of clicking at startup, need advise

Bought 14 ft. of 2 gauge cable and routed it from the battery to the block for the ground. $4 a foot.....holy smokes thats expensive.

Car starts right up now.

[tkoforpresident]

Re: Different kind of clicking at startup, need advise

nice....

what's a good ground point on the engine block?

I've got mine (4 gauge) bolted to the alternator support bracket but i'm not sure if that's getting good ground from the block (the bracket is bolted onto the pass. side head)

I wouldn't mind buying some longer wire and routing it somewhere i know will work better (from the stock ground point on the pass. side fender well to the block)

[Bandit127]

Re: Different kind of clicking at startup, need advise

Practically any spot directly contacting the block.