need for grounds?, help please

[WVBearcub]

1994 K1500 350 tbi nv3500
During the process of changing my clutch I noticed that a ground strap is broken, but looks like it comes out of the harness.
I've never seen a ground strap coming out of a harness and was wondering the repercussions of not having one.
I've looked everywhere on the engine and there's not one there either. I can add one there, that's not an issue.
I've read about grounding kits and was wondering where all the points I need to ground are.
I am running a self exciting alternator and I'm running at 17v with headlights and blower motor on high and 19v with everything off, could this be a grounding issue also?
Sorry about all the questions in one post.

 

[454cid]

I would think the high voltage would be a regulator issue, but I've never had to troubleshoot it before.

 

[magimerlin]

That's charging WAY to high. 14 volt range is about max charging.. anything more and you are going to be replacing alot of electrical stuff soon. What alternator are you running? Sounds to me as your voltage regulator is dead and not controlling things like it should.

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[PlayingWithTBI]

Voltage sounds high, what is the amperage? Do you have a clamp on meter? Check amps with lights off and then with them on. If amps are high too, you'll cook the battery.

 

[WVBearcub]

I had an issue with the brown exciter wire that runs from the cluster and had no charge, so I installed an self exciting voltage regulator after trying three new alternators. The only wire is coming from the battery, which is why I'm wondering about the ground. Amps I'm not too sure on as I only have the factory cluster, which is the equivalent of dummy lights.

 

[Schurkey]

1994 K1500 350 tbi nv3500
During the process of changing my clutch I noticed that a ground strap is broken, but looks like it comes out of the harness.
I've never seen a ground strap coming out of a harness and was wondering the repercussions of not having one.
I've looked everywhere on the engine and there's not one there either. I can add one there, that's not an issue.
I've read about grounding kits and was wondering where all the points I need to ground are.

All that info is in the GM service manual.

Short story: The battery negative terminal is connected directly to the engine. The body and frame and certain accessories will also need to be connected to the engine, and thus to the battery.

Not having proper grounds can turn transmission shift cables or speedometer cables into "ground straps" which then weld themselves to nearby metal and cause no end of problems.

I am running a self exciting alternator and I'm running at 17v with headlights and blower motor on high and 19v with everything off, could this be a grounding issue also?

I had an issue with the brown exciter wire that runs from the cluster and had no charge, so I installed an self exciting voltage regulator after trying three new alternators. The only wire is coming from the battery, which is why I'm wondering about the ground. Amps I'm not too sure on as I only have the factory cluster, which is the equivalent of dummy lights.

You may have already damaged the battery--if possible, verify proper electrolyte level.

Headlights are intended to be supplied with 12.8--13.2 volts. They're rated for brightness at 12.8 volts, and rated for service life at 13.2. Voltage above 13.2 will shorten the life of the bulbs...a lot.

The various circuit-boards in a modern car are also somewhat allergic to that much voltage. Cruise control, ignition module, digital dash, ECM, etc.

You MUST fix that over-voltage issue. Screwing with the alternator is not a proper substitute for fixing the wiring issue.

 

[WVBearcub]

The self exciting regulator was supposed to be set at 14.7v, it's been running the high voltage for 2 months. I don't know if the cluster is even right. I need to put in an actual gauge.

That brown exciter wire that didn't work I could not figure out and neither could the guy that had the truck before me, which is how I got the truck for $500. I thought it would be an easy fix and couldn't pass it up, but I was wrong.

I know that the voltage is way too high, not sure how to fix it. The truck doesn't have a stereo (afraid to put one in until issue is fixed), no shift cable because it's a 5 speed and doesn't have cruise control. The ecm part worries me tho.

My battery ground is going to the frame. There's no grounds to the engine.

 

[magimerlin]

94 grounds...

--Batt to engine(by thermostat or down by where a mech fuel pump would normally go)
--Batt to frame
--Batt to fender(right next to battery)
--rear of passenger side head to firewall(should be a braided ground strap)

Side note- there are a few smaller ground wires coming out of the wire harness by the tbi. They MUST be grounded, bolted down to the intake. A couple of the are actually the grounds for the gauge cluster.

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[c1500deathtrap]

It's a bad voltage regulator. Should never exceed 15 volts.Ever.

 

[WVBearcub]

94 grounds...

--Batt to engine(by thermostat or down by where a mech fuel pump would normally go)
--Batt to frame
--Batt to fender(right next to battery)
--rear of passenger side head to firewall(should be a braided ground strap)

Side note- there are a few smaller ground wires coming out of the wire harness by the tbi. They MUST be grounded, bolted down to the intake. A couple of the are actually the grounds for the gauge cluster.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

Thanks this is what I needed, none of these grounds are there. The person that had the truck before me replaced the engine and didn't hook anything back up it seems.