Cadillac battery ground cable

[Caddy59]

Hello,

on my 59 Cadillac I found the ground cable from the battery to the frame a bit strange, might be someone of the previous owners has been tampered on.

Refering to the wiring chart of the manual, there´s a AWG 4 cable (german 25²) with ground clamp from the battery minus leading to the frame. On the big transversal frame bar wheres the cooler located on it´s right side ( travel dir.) there´s a stud wheres the ground cable was fitted. I think this is the original fixpoint. The ground cable is just about 6 inches long. What I´m wondering is that from the battery clamp a second thinner ground cable looks as it was fixed anywhere, it´s cut and i don´t know where it should be connected.

Another thick AWG 4 cable leads from the transversal bar stud bolted on together with the short ground cable to the air condition compressors fixing bracket. This cable is not shown on the wiring chart of the manual.

As i would like to get my car to a original condition, I would know how the original cables looks like. Is the small ground cable original? It is integrated in my battery clamp, but I don´t even know if the clamp is original or aftermarket.If the small cable is original, where has it to be fixed?

Would be perfect if someone could post an image of the engine bay with a look to the battery area.

Thanks for help,

Udo

[Rusty_OToole]

I don' t know what a 59 Cadillac had but what you describe is typical of newer American cars. They have a double ground cable. The larger wire goes to the engine, and provides the engine ground (it must be large because of the starter) the smaller wire grounds the body.

Older cars had a single ground to the engine plus a separate body ground, often between the firewall and the back of the engine.

[Beltfed]

I think Rusty is right on. Since the starter is the biggest user of amps on the car then a large gauge wire should run to somewhere on the engine or transmission. Most cars I've seen then have a strap from engine to frame and engine to body. Can post a pic of a '56 original Caddy, series 60, if that would help.

[Guest Gustafson78]

I think Rusty is right on. too

Edited July 5, 2013 by Gustafson78 (see edit history)

[Guest Bob Call]

The negative or ground cable for your Caddie has two wires. The larger goes to the stud on the radiator support and the smaller goes to the engine and the A/C bracket is a good place to connect. The positive cable should also have two wires. The larger goes to the starter and the smaller goes to the voltage regulator. Check the wiring diagram.