Big Blue's Transformation

[Gary Lewis]

I picked up on three.

Do I get a star????

Jim - You get a star! I'd actually forgotten to mention the weird connection on the coil until Bill mentioned it. (Yes, Bill, the EFI coil has that same male connection, but I have the coil.)

I forgot to say that I found a #2 cable today that I'm going to use as the ground from the auxiliary battery to the engine. But I haven't found where I want to connect it on the engine end, and I may wait until I get the headers on to do it since I want to steer far away from the exhaust.

Any suggestions?

[ArdWrknTrk]

Jim - You get a star! I'd actually forgotten to mention the weird connection on the coil until Bill mentioned it. (Yes, Bill, the EFI coil has that same male connection, but I have the coil.)

I forgot to say that I found a #2 cable today that I'm going to use as the ground from the auxiliary battery to the engine. But I haven't found where I want to connect it on the engine end, and I may wait until I get the headers on to do it since I want to steer far away from the exhaust.

Any suggestions?

Is there any reason you wouldn't use the same bolt on the right front of the block that the start/main battery connects to?

[Gary Lewis]

Is there any reason you wouldn't use the same bolt on the right front of the block that the start/main battery connects to?

I don't think I have that much cable. I've though about going to the frame on the driver's side, which then goes to that stud. Thoughts?

[ArdWrknTrk]

I don't think I have that much cable. I've though about going to the frame on the driver's side, which then goes to that stud. Thoughts?

I think you have to ask what current needs to take that path.

Seems your two big draws are going to be the winch and inverter.

And those both have dedicated cabling.

I think everything else could be handled by the truck's stock wiring.

Maybe I'm overlooking something?

Maybe I like to keep it simple?

I think if you get a solid connection to the chassis, all the electrons have the same fair chance of finding their way home

[Gary Lewis]

I think you have to ask what current needs to take that path.

Seems your two big draws are going to be the winch and inverter.

And those both have dedicated cabling.

I think everything else could be handled by the truck's stock wiring.

Maybe I'm overlooking something?

Maybe I like to keep it simple?

I think if you get a solid connection to the chassis, all the electrons have the same fair chance of finding their way home

Yes, save for when I hit the button to the battery isolator and parallel the batteries for starting. Then current will cross the radiator support via the #4 yellow wire to the PDB and thence to the starter. But it needs to find its way back, and right now there's no good path. However, if I tie the aux battery's negative to the frame the current can come back via the short #2 wire from the block to the frame on the passenger's side.

If I tied the aux battery's negative to the block then I'd have two routes to the block. But I don't see a good place to go to the block, and going to the frame looks easy. And that #2 ground I installed the other day is a good one. Guess I'll rely on it.

[kramttocs]

I don't think I have that much cable. I've though about going to the frame on the driver's side, which then goes to that stud. Thoughts?

Since the block is grounded to the frame on the passenger side, I think grounding to the frame on the driver side is valid and equivalent or better to any other option. I ran a 1/0 cable for ground between the two purely for the Boost option but I have also thought about putting a cable to one of the steering box bolts outside the frame. There may be a better location though. Interested to see what you decide as I may follow suit.

[Gary Lewis]

Since the block is grounded to the frame on the passenger side, I think grounding to the frame on the driver side is valid and equivalent or better to any other option. I ran a 1/0 cable for ground between the two purely for the Boost option but I have also thought about putting a cable to one of the steering box bolts outside the frame. There may be a better location though. Interested to see what you decide as I may follow suit.

I think a steering box bolt is a good idea. They are small enough that I should have the right connector.

Another option is just to drill and tap the frame or crossmember like the passenger's side ground is done. I took it a step farther and used a bit longer bolt with a serrated nut underneath, and plenty of aluminum-based anti-seize to ensure there's no corrosion.

Thinking back to the spacers for the DS-II modules, I think I may have some aluminum that I could use. That stainless is just so hard.

[kramttocs]

I think a steering box bolt is a good idea. They are small enough that I should have the right connector.

Another option is just to drill and tap the frame or crossmember like the passenger's side ground is done. I took it a step farther and used a bit longer bolt with a serrated nut underneath, and plenty of aluminum-based anti-seize to ensure there's no corrosion.

Thinking back to the spacers for the DS-II modules, I think I may have some aluminum that I could use. That stainless is just so hard.

I did the same - put a normal bolt and then a nut on the passenger side. Using a serrated nut is a good call Will have to swap mine out.

If one doesn't want to make any real modifications at all on the drivers side they could possibly replace that fuel line retainer with a bolt and another style retainer or just drill out the plastic retainer to use a bolt. Then ground using that bolt.

Or is grounding near a fuel line a bad idea?

[Gary Lewis]

I did the same - put a normal bolt and then a nut on the passenger side. Using a serrated nut is a good call Will have to swap mine out.

If one doesn't want to make any real modifications at all on the drivers side they could possibly replace that fuel line retainer with a bolt and another style retainer or just drill out the plastic retainer to use a bolt. Then ground using that bolt.

Or is grounding near a fuel line a bad idea?

Not sure where my fuel line is going to go. I may run the FDM's and, if so, the fuel line goes up over the back of the transmission and then to the backside of the intake. Then I'll put the return-style regulator there and have my own hot-fuel handling system, but with regulated pressure to the carb.

Then, when I go EFI the fuel lines are right there and I just swap out to the lines to the rail and regulator. Tada!

But, if I go back with the original setup the lines would come right down the frame rail and then have to go up to the carb. And I might want that hold-down. But, I'm not averse to drilling another hole in the crossmember. Hmmm....

However, I don't think you need to drill the plastic retainer out. I think it is one of the pin-style where you drive the pin through and it comes off. I changed the one on the passenger's side as it was way too small to hold the #2 ground. I have a bin of the plastic retainers I've gathered and had one that held the ground nicely.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Not sure where my fuel line is going to go. I may run the FDM's and, if so, the fuel line goes up over the back of the transmission and then to the backside of the intake. Then I'll put the return-style regulator there and have my own hot-fuel handling system, but with regulated pressure to the carb.

Then, when I go EFI the fuel lines are right there and I just swap out to the lines to the rail and regulator. Tada!

But, if I go back with the original setup the lines would come right down the frame rail and then have to go up to the carb. And I might want that hold-down. But, I'm not averse to drilling another hole in the crossmember. Hmmm....

However, I don't think you need to drill the plastic retainer out. I think it is one of the pin-style where you drive the pin through and it comes off. I changed the one on the passenger's side as it was way too small to hold the #2 ground. I have a bin of the plastic retainers I've gathered and had one that held the ground nicely.

I (personally) wouldn't mess with the steering box.

I try to avoid piggybacking anything, and see drilling another hole to hold the ground lug as a completely valid solution.

I also think keeping it out in the open, where it's easy to see at a glance is a big plus.

.... but I'm a bit dim witted and obviously lazy about maintenance!