Viva HA - Positive or Negative Earth?
Posted: Wed May 05, 2021 10:01 amHello
I have a LHD parts car that perhaps could be saved and to see if that makes any sense I'm trying to check if the engine will turn over. The car has no battery, water pump or dynamo fitted. But if I put a spanner on the crank pulley bolt there seems to be some movement.
So the plan is to attach a battery and see if I can crank the engine. The problem is that I can't tell if the car is positive or negative earth. According to the chassis number it should be positive earth. However the battery cable that goes to the body has a '-' symbol and although there is no aerial there is a hole in the door card for a speaker. So perhaps the car was converted to negative earth to fit a radio at some point.
Please see the attached photos. From the battery one side goes to earth, the other goes to the solenoid. On the coil there is a black wire from the distributor to the +ve terminal, a white wire to the negative terminal and a white and blue wire which is loose but I think should also attach to the -ve terminal? All of which seems to line up with the wiring diagram for a 1965 +ve earth car.
So can anyone, help, is there enough information there is tell if the car is positive or negative earth? If I take a chance and get it wrong, how much damage could I do?
Many thanks.
Mauro
I have a LHD parts car that perhaps could be saved and to see if that makes any sense I'm trying to check if the engine will turn over. The car has no battery, water pump or dynamo fitted. But if I put a spanner on the crank pulley bolt there seems to be some movement.
So the plan is to attach a battery and see if I can crank the engine. The problem is that I can't tell if the car is positive or negative earth. According to the chassis number it should be positive earth. However the battery cable that goes to the body has a '-' symbol and although there is no aerial there is a hole in the door card for a speaker. So perhaps the car was converted to negative earth to fit a radio at some point.
Please see the attached photos. From the battery one side goes to earth, the other goes to the solenoid. On the coil there is a black wire from the distributor to the +ve terminal, a white wire to the negative terminal and a white and blue wire which is loose but I think should also attach to the -ve terminal? All of which seems to line up with the wiring diagram for a 1965 +ve earth car.
So can anyone, help, is there enough information there is tell if the car is positive or negative earth? If I take a chance and get it wrong, how much damage could I do?
Many thanks.
Mauro