Electronics Need help wiring something up? Thinking of adding an electrical component to your car? Need help troubleshooting that wiring glitch?

LG4 Grounding and wiring problems?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 03-14-2018, 08:35 PM
  #1  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
 
chevydrvr's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Stoughton, MA
Posts: 817
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: 1985 camaro Z28
Engine: 305 5.0 V8 carburated
Transmission: 700r4
LG4 Grounding and wiring problems?

I took apart my LG4 Z28 a while ago and am currently trying to get all the wiring back together. The only thing I cannot figure out is what grounds go where, and whether or not I'm missing any straps. Can anybody tell me what grounding locations come out of the harnesses and what they connect to? Also, where I need ground straps?

I did google this and search on here, but I didn't find anything that really answered my questions.


Also, I'm not sure if this is related or not, but I cannot get the engine to crank over. I hooked up a battery to it and it just clicks and wont turn. Tried jumping it and still nothing. What's going on there???
Thanks!
Old 03-14-2018, 09:07 PM
  #2  
Supreme Member

iTrader: (58)
 
Drew's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Salina, KS
Posts: 20,309
Received 1,052 Likes on 748 Posts
Re: LG4 Grounding and wiring problems?

You could dig out the service manuals and look at all the illustrations, but the beauty of ground wires is that for the most part, they can go to any common ground.

Without having laid hands on an LG4 since about 2003, I can only take an educated guess, but you should have a wad of ground wires to the back of one of the heads. And you should have a braided ground strap from the back of one head or the other to the firewall.
Old 03-14-2018, 10:12 PM
  #3  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
 
chevydrvr's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Stoughton, MA
Posts: 817
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: 1985 camaro Z28
Engine: 305 5.0 V8 carburated
Transmission: 700r4
Re: LG4 Grounding and wiring problems?

Thanks, that at least gives me a direction to go.
Old 03-15-2018, 07:41 AM
  #4  
naf
Supreme Member

iTrader: (7)
 
naf's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Lexington, SC
Posts: 5,291
Likes: 0
Received 58 Likes on 52 Posts
Car: 1987 SC/1985 TA
Engine: 350/vortec/fitech
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: 3.27 9-bolt
Re: LG4 Grounding and wiring problems?

grounds from the ECM harness go to the rear of the passenger head, as does the ground strap from the head to the firewall. each set of head lights is grounded to the body near the rad support. there are others as well. post if you come across one that you can't figure out.
Old 03-15-2018, 04:48 PM
  #5  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
 
chevydrvr's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Stoughton, MA
Posts: 817
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: 1985 camaro Z28
Engine: 305 5.0 V8 carburated
Transmission: 700r4
Re: LG4 Grounding and wiring problems?

Originally Posted by naf
grounds from the ECM harness go to the rear of the passenger head, as does the ground strap from the head to the firewall. each set of head lights is grounded to the body near the rad support. there are others as well. post if you come across one that you can't figure out.

Thank you so much that makes it a lot clearer.


Any idea if this will clear up the cranking issue?
Old 03-15-2018, 08:14 PM
  #6  
Supreme Member
iTrader: (1)
 
NoEmissions84TA's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Meriden, CT 06450
Posts: 4,034
Received 517 Likes on 431 Posts
Car: 84 TA orig. 305 LG4 "H" E4ME
Engine: 334 SBC - stroked 305 M4ME Q-Jet
Transmission: upgraded 700R4 3200 stall
Axle/Gears: 10bolt 4.10 Posi w Lakewood TA Bars
Re: LG4 Grounding and wiring problems?

I have a few pictures taken with a crappy digital camera from my 84 TA showing the grounds at the back of the heads. But I have to post from a different computer. I will do it ASAP for you.
Old 03-16-2018, 02:25 AM
  #7  
Supreme Member

iTrader: (15)
 
Tibo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Desert
Posts: 5,025
Received 76 Likes on 66 Posts
Car: 1991 Z28 Vert
Engine: 383 single plane efi
Transmission: T-56
Axle/Gears: 8.8 with 3.73s
Re: LG4 Grounding and wiring problems?

While you're fiddling with grounds do yourself a favor and ground the passenger side head and block together and then ground the block to one of the inner frame rails. Iirc that ground strap to the firewall may be the only thing grounding the engine. Great source for inexpensive pre made grounding cables are the pre wired lengths at Walmart. They're cheap, come in varying lengths and have the ends on. My local store usually has 8/6/4 gauge.
Old 03-16-2018, 03:40 PM
  #8  
Supreme Member
iTrader: (1)
 
NoEmissions84TA's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Meriden, CT 06450
Posts: 4,034
Received 517 Likes on 431 Posts
Car: 84 TA orig. 305 LG4 "H" E4ME
Engine: 334 SBC - stroked 305 M4ME Q-Jet
Transmission: upgraded 700R4 3200 stall
Axle/Gears: 10bolt 4.10 Posi w Lakewood TA Bars
Re: LG4 Grounding and wiring problems?

I looked, no pictures, but my notes say (3) grounds on the back of PASS cylinder head under a 3/8" bolt.
And I believe Tibo is correct about the grounds. Make sure you have a proper ground to the block, frame and body - even if the factory didn't put them there.
Old 03-16-2018, 07:13 PM
  #9  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
 
chevydrvr's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Stoughton, MA
Posts: 817
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: 1985 camaro Z28
Engine: 305 5.0 V8 carburated
Transmission: 700r4
Re: LG4 Grounding and wiring problems?

Thanks everyone I will just make sure everything is grounded and bonded together.
Old 03-20-2018, 04:10 PM
  #10  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
 
chevydrvr's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Stoughton, MA
Posts: 817
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: 1985 camaro Z28
Engine: 305 5.0 V8 carburated
Transmission: 700r4
Re: LG4 Grounding and wiring problems?

If anybody has pictures that would help a lot. I have a ground connection with 2 black wires coming out of the harness closer to the alternator. Where would that go?? And how would I go about Bonding the block and heads together? Where would I attach them?
Old 03-20-2018, 08:59 PM
  #11  
Member
 
JA411's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 106
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Re: LG4 Grounding and wiring problems?

Just to get running, a ground is a ground just as long it is grounded! All black, black w/ white trace and tan gounded. Ground to block to frame and fender support/radiator support. Get it running then get in the right location.
JOE
Old 03-22-2018, 07:13 PM
  #12  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
 
chevydrvr's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Stoughton, MA
Posts: 817
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: 1985 camaro Z28
Engine: 305 5.0 V8 carburated
Transmission: 700r4
Re: LG4 Grounding and wiring problems?

Alright so I have everything bonded together and grounded but it still won’t crank over. It just clicks a lot. I even tried jumping the large post and small post on the starter and it still just clicks a lot. Bad starter? If I do it out of the car it seems to work fine.
Old 03-22-2018, 09:04 PM
  #13  
Supreme Member

iTrader: (1)
 
sofakingdom's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 26,123
Received 1,688 Likes on 1,283 Posts
Car: Yes
Engine: Usually
Transmission: Sometimes
Axle/Gears: Behind me somewhere
Re: LG4 Grounding and wiring problems?

Sounds like a bad batt or batt cable. Assuming of course, that the black batt cable is where it needs to be: as close to the block, electrically, as it can get. NOT to the "frame", NOT to the chassis, NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT. To the BLOCK or as close as possible, such as a big fat bracket that's bolted to the BLOCK.

Once you get that settled, if it still has trouble, use your DMM to see where the voltage is going away.
Old 03-28-2018, 05:47 AM
  #14  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
 
chevydrvr's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Stoughton, MA
Posts: 817
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: 1985 camaro Z28
Engine: 305 5.0 V8 carburated
Transmission: 700r4
Re: LG4 Grounding and wiring problems?

I bought a new battery and everything works great. I'm so glad I finally got it all settled.

Now I can move forward with my project.
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
blakecharles
Electronics
5
05-15-2011 07:25 PM
thetaman85
Carburetors
17
09-15-2010 10:07 PM
Tony89
Tech / General Engine
3
04-24-2005 11:50 PM
KnightWarrior
Exhaust
2
11-28-2004 09:48 PM



Quick Reply: LG4 Grounding and wiring problems?



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:24 AM.