Update 6 volt ground

However, I still haven't figured out why it sparked and heaedt up the oil gauge tube when you hit the starter.

You posted:

"I went out and hooked up the battery ground, Holy crap!!!!! No sparks. Turned the key on, pressed the started button and smoke started from the starter relay. I disconnected. I touched the steel tube connector for the oil pressure gage and it burnt my F'in fingers. I mean it was hot. I hope this new info helps. To me it's a dead short, but where I don't have a clue."

Normally, the ammeter connections would be "HOT" at all times, and "hitting the starter" shouldn't have only then made things spark and smoke!

Its not a big deal that needs to be corrected

Hope This Helps,

I ALREADY posted (in the other thread) the fact that the dash was not properly grounded, causing current to flow through the steel oil line... that fact ain't "brain surgery", and you're not telling me anything I didn't already know.

What is ODD is that the short to ground at the ammeter didn't "let the smoke out" BEFORE he hit the starter switch. As you know the ammeter would have power to it, before and after the starter switch was activated. WHY did the short at the ammeter only show up AFTER the starter button was pushed?

My other post from last night:

"Here's another thought... Is the "ground strap" from the battery connected to the "dash board support/battery box"?
If so, there may be paint and rust insulating the battery box from the flywheel housing/engine, and the current drawn by the starter MAY be flowing from the dashboard to the engine block/starter using the steel oil gauge tubing as a conductor.

This WOULD NOT be the first instance of that happening, and IIRC, there is a post somewhere in the archives of that very thing happening to someone else!"

• Link

Soundguy