Positive Ground

I was under the impression that the junction block on the firewall was all positive.

yeah I think hes just implying that the engine block is not grounded, as in the ground wire is missing, corroded or broken.

then the test light is the source of ground, lighting up the incandescent test light.

grab a multimeter.

Hipster said:

It most certainly is or the ground strap is missing.

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It most certainly is, or should be, if the starter is going to function.

Look for that big, black cable that runs to the battery from the engine.

Check for the smaller ground wire from the battery to the fender, nearby.

Check for the ground strap from the engine to the frame. It often attaches to the engine using a bolt into a boss on the head, typically at the back of the engine but may attach to the engine elsewhere. It might be corroded and *look* ok, but isn't.

Check for the ground strap that goes from the frame to the body at the firewall. It might be corroded and *look* ok, but isn't.

Get a DVM (they're cheap) and make measurements with it. Light bulb testers, while useful in certain situations, can be misleading.

1998_K1500_Sub said:

Light bulb testers, while useful in certain situations, can be misleading.

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Agree

thegawd said:

yeah I think hes just implying that the engine block is not grounded, as in the ground wire is missing, corroded or broken.

then the test light is the source of ground, lighting up the incandescent test light.

grab a multimeter.

Click to expand...

gotcha

Dingo said:

I have a 12v light tester connected to the negative terminal on the battery and when I touch the engine block my tester light lights up. And as soon as I try to start the truck, all inside power cuts out.

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kennythewelder said:

Not trying to argue, but yes 5ue engine block is very much grounded. On my 97, there is a ground wire...

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YOUR block is grounded. They're supposed to be grounded. Dingo's block is not grounded.

Hipster said:

It most certainly is or the ground strap is missing.

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More likely loose, corroded, damaged rather than missing.

1998_K1500_Sub said:

It most certainly is, or should be, if the starter is going to function.

Look for that big, black cable that runs to the battery from the engine.

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But his starter DOES NOT function.

That big, black cable is likely faulty.

thegawd said:

Man, I have heard of, but never seen a battery that has reversed its polarity. I dont know how or why and cant understand it. I almost dont believe it but maybe this has happend?

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This didn't happen in this case. But it is possible.

kennythewelder said:

We had that happen to a set of cart batteries at the shop. It usually happens from improper charging cycles. Battery drains to low, is over charged, ext.

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Battery goes dead. REALLY dead.

Then someone connects a battery charger with the cables reversed. Battery charges "backwards".

Most modern chargers won't allow charging if the polarity is backwards, or if the battery voltage is too low to establish proper polarity. MOSTLY, reverse-charged batteries are a thing of the past.

Schurkey said:

This didn't happen in this case. But it is possible.

Battery goes dead. REALLY dead.

Then someone connects a battery charger with the cables reversed. Battery charges "backwards".

Most modern chargers won't allow charging if the polarity is backwards, or if the battery voltage is too low to establish proper polarity. MOSTLY, reverse-charged batteries are a thing of the past.

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No, you got that all wrong. This happens on things like fishing boats, Golf carts, carts used to trans port equipment, ECT. Where you use a marine type battery, and drain it down to far, as an example. And no, you don't hook up the charger backwards. By pulling a charged battery down that low, what happens in very rear situations, it the electrons on the plates in the battery, switches polarity. So what is the positive plates, become negatively charged, and vise versa. It is very rear that this happens, but it does happen. I have seen this happen before but only once. The owner of our shop, says he has seen it a few times, but it is very rear that this happens.

Thanks Kenny. That other one has been on a power trip lately

Lately??? Perpetually.

And not too bothered by it.