Odd power issue (1 Viewer)

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OK, per multiple recommendations, I connected a ground from the negative battery post to the body. The positive, which mainly goes to the starter, is grounded to the frame, per usual. I did not ground the frame to the body.

So, when I did this, there is a noticeable difference in my starter motor's strength and the speed with which it turns the engine over.

I disconnect the negative ground, the starter is back to full virility; reconnect it, it take three times as long and almost struggles, sort of like it is not fully glowed (this is a 2H), only different.

Battery: new and well charged.
No other electrical issues except a bad water temp gauge, and the starter's brushes need replacing (1-20 or so tries, it needs a little "percussive adjustment").

Any ideas? Weird, huh?
 
Not really weird, its very common for old starter cables to corrode internally, so by applying fresh cabling whether it be earthing or positive supply will make a massive difference. I'd replace all and leave your additional earthing cable installed.
 
Hmmm. That's an interesting take, except that all my cables are new, except my harness and the fusible links, etc. The cables themselves were new when I did this motor swap 5,000 miles ago.

Next guess?
 
So your ignition switch is grounded to the body and the starter is grounded to the frame right? And bot hare not grounded to each other...is this correct?
 
Current equals voltage divided by resistance. Assuming constant volts (good battery), if your current decreases (experienced as starter turning more slowly) then the circuit resistance increased. Did you try your experiment more than once? You don't explain how you connected the negative terminal to a body ground, but in doing that could you have ended up with a poor connection at the battery thus increasing the resistance? Were the battery terminals and connector clean and tight? Otherwise I would clean the rest of the connections on the grounds and battery cable.

The body, frame, engine should all be electrically connected to the negative battery terminal (ground).
 
So your ignition switch is grounded to the body and the starter is grounded to the frame right? And bot hare not grounded to each other...is this correct?

Explain "bot hare". You talking about those parasitic flies that lay a larva on an hair, which then crawls into your skin, which later erupts in a gory display?

Current equals voltage divided by resistance. Assuming constant volts (good battery), if your current decreases (experienced as starter turning more slowly) then the circuit resistance increased. Did you try your experiment more than once? You don't explain how you connected the negative terminal to a body ground, but in doing that could you have ended up with a poor connection at the battery thus increasing the resistance? Were the battery terminals and connector clean and tight? Otherwise I would clean the rest of the connections on the grounds and battery cable.

The body, frame, engine should all be electrically connected to the negative battery terminal (ground).

The experiment was repeated a few times, yes. Positive goes to starter, among other places. Starter is grounded to the frame. Battery connections are good, clean and tight, unlike yo mama (forgive me, it was too tempting). The body, frame and and engine are all grounded to the negative post, yes.
 
It may be additional resistance in one of your "new" cables, or its connector, or the grounding area.
 

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