510 stock grounding strap?

[69dime]

I think the 521s had a grounding strap from the factory, but I can't find them on the 510s, even in the manual. Was there one, and where was it located?

[Boaty]

I'm pretty confident the 510 didn't use a "grounding strap" per-se, but I do see most people running their ground cable from battery to engine, right behind where the fuel pump mounts. Believe it's also where the front engine slinger mounts.

 

I ran a ground cable from battery to the engine there, and from battery to the strut tower. The factory 510 wiring harness grounds out in many places in the dash and engine compartments. As long as you have one good ground to the chassis and engine, you're golden.

[DanielC]

If the "one good" ground from the engine to the car body goes bad, the accessories on the car will try to ground through the throttle linkage, and cause many other wacky electrical problems. For example, where does the headlight switch ground, and how does the electricity get back to the battery?

 

Extra grounds is a good idea.

[Shagy]

actually...from the looks of it, there is a ground strap that does from one bolt of the VR to the Battery. I say this based off looking under the hood of a unmolested 71 wagon.

[datzenmike]

Run a flexible cable from the rear exhaust manifold mounting stud to the fire wall. Only has to be 6" long or so. Or from the Battery neg to the body.

 

Back in the '70s my 521 battery fell over and the positive touched the body. The only way for current to flow was down the throttle cable as shocks, springs, tranny/motor mounts are all rubber isolated. The throttle cable heated up and melted the plastic sheath. I got the fire out, got in and the cable was 'welded' in the idle position.

 

1:30 in the morning, 15 miles home on the fast idle cam, stopped by police, yada yada yada.

[Stupid_fast]

Stock ground point was from the battery to the lower starter mount bolt.

 

 

I have this setup, I also have a smaller cable going from the battery negative to chassis.

[69dime]

Stock ground point was from the battery to the lower starter mount bolt.

 

 

I have this setup, I also have a smaller cable going from the battery negative to chassis.

 

I have the negative cable from the battery to the engine. I don't have one from the battery to the voltage regulator or from the engine to the body or frame. Is there really supposed to be one to the voltage regulator? I was wondering what was stock to see if I'm missing anything before going forward.

[Shagy]

I'll see if I have any photos of it.

[DanielC]

I think there should be a separate black wire from the frame of the alternator to one of the bolts that hold the voltage regulator. Nissan did this, so the voltage regulator had a better idea of the voltage the alternator was putting out.

[69dime]

I think there should be a separate black wire from the frame of the alternator to one of the bolts that hold the voltage regulator. Nissan did this, so the voltage regulator had a better idea of the voltage the alternator was putting out.

 

Seems like these cars have had so many modifications over the years. It would be nice to know what Datsun did stock, for reference, then we can do our mods from there. I've had 2 521s and those seemed to both have grounding straps, seems funny they would do that on the 521s and not on the 510s. Although it wouldn't surprise me, if the 510 was grounded in a better way, since everything else was done better stock on the 510s than the 521s.