right, ive recently built a dash from alluminium for the van, ive also replaced and added a few more switches. The battery has been off the car the whole time (been doing the odd bit of welding) ive tested it all with the multimeter beforehand and all appears to work a treat! so, i fitted the batt, then went to start it, all good except from the smoke that billowed out... bugger. quickly disconnected the battery, and found this-




obviously somethings wrong, but i cant figure out the point in this wire, any ideas? it just goes from negative on the batt to the bulkhead...

dunno but that whole lot looks like a bodgers dream
bin it and do it properly

the smaller earth from the shell to the battery is the return for all the dash stuff and lights etc

and is the other end of the big cable secured to the gearbox? if not the starter current would have returned through that wire as the box and engine are insulated due to the rubber mountings and the current would have found its own way home via other parts of the loom and any other connections such as heater cables and lnkages

batt was deffinatly the right way, ive not touched anything except different connections to the new switches... wheres spanners (original re-wirer) when you need him? hahahah

ha ha "bodgers delight" that'll be Jon not speaking to me again

anyway the (-) terminal of the battery has the big black cable running to one of the gearbox lid studs. Originally a short yellow cable ran from the post clamp to the battery tray bulkhead screws

in the really olden days there was a short earth from the gear lever clamp to the big black cable too.

if the main cable makes good to the gearbox then the problem lies somewhere else with your dash modifications.

I'd imagine the main earth from that terminal has a high resistance connection in it, making the thin bit of wire the main earth connection. And as you've just found out it ain't big enuf for the job....

Cheers guys, twofifty- I'll start with your idea, I didn't realise there was a secondary earth wire, anyhoo I've only just finished work but I'll use the morning to investigate!

All the earth connections need to be clean. Somehow the circuit will try to complete. If the earth is bad you can easily end up with a red hot choke wire or some such.

Another thong to investigate. I did the sam thing. Burnt an earth put. I shorted the loom out, and it all wen up in smoke !!

having spent years investigating thongs, my conclusion is:....

they aren't always a good idea!

Immeditaly to the left of the main buttock is enough distraction for me !