Hello fellas I am in need of some feedback. I was fiddling wih my car( 87 2.8 ) and I have a unique problem. When engaging the ignition switch there is a ground wire that heats up. Its the short wire leading from the negative battery terminal that grounds to the firewall right beside it. Now I can do anything else and the wire never gets hot. I checked everything from top to bottom and all seems fine. Double checked the wires at the starter and it looks good.

Could really use some help with this 1.

Thanks in advance,

DerickAB

 

hook up a dvm to it & verify voltae & polarity

 

Have you checked the negative battery cable where it connects to the engine?

 

Sounds like the engine ground has gone bad. I'd replace the cable since it's super easy and gets rid of any problems with internal corrosion that you might have.

 

Well I just put in a new battery and the ground is connected at the smog pump and block ( maybe I shoudl move it). I also replaced the ground cable and hot cable. The hot as you know is at the starter so I'm not sure whats backwards. So I will get out the dvm and get busy after work tomorrow.

 

Check that main ground wire that bolts to the smog pump bracket. I had one come loose once and it wreaked all kinds of electrical havok!

 

OK! Moved the ground wire and put it to the frame and all is good there. No I'm not getting any oil pressure. If it isn't 1 thing its another i guess. Took off the valve covers and started up the engine andno oil is coming up top. When first turn of the key before ignition gague goes up then once the car starts drops back to 0. Should have left it alone when I had it running good but you know you are never done. Just don't want to have to put on a new oil pump since this one is only a few months old.

 

AMEN to that

verify w/aftermarket oil gauge, jsut incase, and maaybe even cheaper than alternative

 

You'd better still hook up a good ground from the engine to the frame to get that starter current back to the battery easily. First your little ground strap to the firewall will burn and then...

87 and up 2.8s have high oil pressure well into the 200k mile range. What did you do to your engine?

 

Just did a rebuild a few months back and everything was fine. Just couldn' t leave well enough alone. Pull a code her change a part there, you know the routine. Trust me when I get it right this time I'm not touching a d**n thing.

 

Here is the wire that continues to get hot ( its the shinny copper wire) . Don't know what else to do. Just can't leave well enough alone. I guess its time to call in the pros b/c I'm done with it.

 

You have a bigger picture? I can't see what it is.

 

I'll have to get a better picture tomorrow but its the braided copper wire from the fire wall to the block at the rear of the engine.

 

If that's the ground that's getting hot, then you have one of 2 problems...either the ground from the body to the battery is bad(most likely cause) or the ground from the engine to the battery is bad. I would check the ground from the chassis to the battery and maybe even run a new one all together.

 

or there's a bear wire either against the body or engine. Ihad that problem too. it you were to take a normal test light and disconnect the battery and use the test light between the terminal and connecter, does it light up.....I did that to find the wire i busted puttin the dash back in

 

OK! Ground problem solved. I would guess that the ground cable I purchased was bad took it back to AZ and all is well now. No hot wires. As for the oil pressure issue, droppin the pan tomorrow and taking the oil pump back to Advanced. Sad thing is the warranty was up 5 days ago( only a year). Good thing is my buddy works there so hopefully he can do me right. Thats what I get for buying the parts ahead of time even b4 I thought of doing the rebuild. Its still in the computer so we'll c what happens. Half way there and then I'm leaving well enough alone.