Gearbox Earth strap !?

[Nick]

i've heard about a mythical gearbox earth strap !? that conencts the box to the chassis ?

i don't have one, my car is a mk2 1.2 carb, should i ?

[General Baxter]

does it work?

yes, well its ok then :lol:

[Nick]

yes it works..

but it runs a bit "odd" now and again ! just wondering if this would help

[Riggy]

yes you should have one

look through the wheel whell at the end of the gear box and it should go to one of the top bolts of the end plate and then bolt onto the chassis

[Nick]

nope i don't have one, i've replaced the G'box a few times due me shafting the original. my mate did the first one, so maybe he forgot to put it on ?

i've only ever undone the linkage UJ, clutch cable e.t.c to remove it, never an earth strap ?

can this be bought from vaux ?

it starts first time, every time, but is a bit lumpy now (noticeably after the g'box was done the firsttime)

[epo]

when i didnt have one my car would have starting problems only in the summer

winter it was fine changed the starter motor no ends of times till a mate of me dads said about this strap

so i fitted it and never had a problem

[Nick]

you got any pics of it ?

where did you purchase it from !

cheers epo (the problems have been more promenant in summer for me too)

[Aragorn]

u may find another strap has been fabricated from the starter motor body to battery negative (afaik the later mk2's had this instead of the engine strap)

if this is too thin then it will overheat when trying to start, this means the wire will cause a voltage drop, which causes the motor to draw more current which heats the wire more causing more voltage drop etc ;)

in the winter u MAY find that the extra coldness stops the wire from overheating as quick

quick way to check is get a beasty jump lead, clamp one end to battery neg and the other end to the block somewhere and see if it improves the situation, if it does the strap is at fault if it does nothing then its summat else or your jump lead is shite/not making good contact (shite jumpleads will get hot so you'll know if its that)

[Philsutton]

ive always put the strap on my engines although it doesnt need it if the engine is earthed at the starter motor

[mowgli]

they are available from most good parts shops, if you don't have one, the current will find a way through, via cables & linkages, but you should fit one for reliability

[Nick]

mine is a 1992 Mk2 1.2, but has a carb engine still :-) (think it was a case of using up all the old parts) so it's a late'ish mk2.

Definetly has no "Strap" connecting the G'box to the chassis !

i'm not too sure what everyone means, so i'l run it down to vaux and get them to tell me, after all if it's a simple job then they can't charge extortionate amounts for it.

[Gunzi]

"I'm not too sure what everyone means, so i'l run it down to vaux and get them to tell me, after all if it's a simple job then they can't charge extortionate amounts for it"


don't kid yourself there, vauxhall is usually around ?50 per hour labour.

Go to a scrappy find any old vauxhall (got mine from a Carlton when my earth strap snapped) take it off (13mm nut I think!) pay for it then bung it on yer car.

[Nova_Newbie]

I Had a similar problem with my earth strap, it was on the gearbox but the engine wouldn't start, starter motor just clicked, as someone said I put a jump lead from the negative on the battery and then the other end on the alternator mounting bracket, started first time. I think it cost about a fiver for an earth strap from the local car bits shop. Works evry time now.

[te17@novasgonemad]

i have one on my td and when it snapped it wouldnt start and the car filled with smoke so i shit my self :) later found that the car was trying to earth on the throttle cable as it entered through the firewall