Message from Chris_C who can't get to a computer:

Don't cut your earth straps, if they're corroded, replace them. Chris tried to join a new bit onto his earth strap using a ring connector, but although it looks great, the conductivity wasn't good enough and the resultant arcing caused corrosion within a few days causing poor starting, weak spark etc etc.

pettaw wrote:Message from Chris_C who can't get to a computer:

That's what you get for living in the third world (IOW)...

Except he's in Swindon atm

I had a bad earth ( the main earth strap connecting the battery -ve to the body ) on a recently restored volvo 66. When the owner went to start it, the starter earthed through the earth cable ( very skinny cable ) on the altenator. That cable starting smoking and melted most of the insulation

correcting the earth strap sorted the problem

Yep - my Dad had this problem on his old 345.

hey man , if we arent careful we will all have a "bad earth " soon ,
due to global warming , over fishing and to much use of fossil fuels
lol

Shut up Mick...........

Lol, Cheers Nick...

Yeah, the actual terminal when on mine, so I stuck a new length of industrial gauge wire on, attached the terminal to that. I Used a hefty ring terminal to attach this to the earth point next to the battery, and cut the old strap to the same point. Tis useless, gonna try soldering the lot up, otherwise will pinch a new earth strap from a scrappy, as Mr V doesn't have any anymore.