Starter connections / earth

[mitchelltjohn]

Changed my clutch at weekend. After putting all together when to start. Starter chugged veru slowly like a flat battery, but battery was good. In fact chaged over night ot confirm - headlights strong.
I'm thinking a may have poor connections to starter (could that produce such symptoms?) Also there was a think black earth wire, with tag, dangling near starter/ bell housing wheen I was putting everything back together again, which I can't remember undoing . Anyone know where this should connect this earth connection. I put on one of teh bellhousing bolts, but perhaps not best place and not getting a good connection...

Any other ideas, appreciated
John

standard 1981 DHC

[Marsu]

John,

On my car the other end of the thick black earth wire from the battery negative terminal is under a bolt on the water transfer housing at the rear of the head, but connecting to the bellhousing should also be fine.

You should also have another earth cable (in my case it's a flat unshielded woven cable) that connects to the bellhousing on the other side of the motor and then to the fire wall.

Suggest you check the condition of the positive cables and connections - they are subject to a lot of heat down there and can deteriorate.

[saabfast]

When I replaced the clutch a few months ago my car had an earth cable connection to one of the bolts by the starter (can't remember which one now). Sounds like the cable you have dangling should be connected to one of the bellhousing bolts, dosent matter which as they all provide a good earth path for the engine which is essential.

Alan
Saab 9000 Stg 1
Saab 9000 2.3 FPT Auto
'81 TR7 DHC

[Jez]

A good thing to do also, would be jointing paste on all your bolted connections - in fact all connections. We use the stuff for high voltage (11kV and up) powerline connections, it works, the single biggest powerline failure is bad jointing or bonding through lack of jointing paste. You can get at electrical wholesalers. Clean all connections - use a scratch brush to create a key and apply paste and bolt using a spring or belleville washer.
CheerJez

11/80 Inca Yellow TR7

[mitchelltjohn]

thnaks everyone for your replies. Gives me a few things to check and try out. will let you know how I get on...

standard 1981 DHC