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Re: Engine Swap - Positive/Negative Ground Questions

To: James Gruber <thistle_3619@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: Engine Swap - Positive/Negative Ground Questions
Date: Thu, 01 Nov 2001 20:43:03 -0500
Cc: spridgets@autox.team.net
Organization: Positive Earth Drivers Club
References: <20011101191245.58144.qmail@web20308.mail.yahoo.com>
James Gruber wrote:
> 
> My '68 Sprite - Negative Ground no has a 1098 engine
> installed from a Positive Ground '66 Sprite. Still
> putting this one back together and I've read the info
> on converting from Positive to Negative Ground.
> Battery was installed by former owner as positive
> ground and car started and ran although fuel pump
> would not work. Works ok also conencted as negative
> ground and fuel pump does work. Try this one with a
> current car and instant fireworks but you've got to
> love 30+ year old technology. I'll make the following
> assumptions in order to make sure everything is
> properly connected.;
> 
> 1)Presently White Wire( looks to be original wire)
> comes from the wiring harness and connects to the +
> side of the coil. Wire from negative side of coil
> connects to distributor. I'm guessing this needs to be
> reversed and negative terminal goes to the wiring
> harness and positive side of coil connects to the tab
> on the side of the distributor. Which side of the coil
> wire goes to the Distributor?

The above is correct for negative ground.
White to + of coil, - of coil to dizzy is for neg ground.

> 2) Generator needs to be repolarized. Those
> instructions are fairly clear.

3 or 4 arcs, do not weld the wire to the battery and use caution with sparks and
battery gas.

> 3) Blower motor - since car was negative ground to
> begin with should be no changes here?

9 out of 10 work fine, I did have 1 that blew backwards, easy to check if it 
sucks
air out of the car, flip the wires at the blower.
 
> 4) Tachometer - since this car was negative ground to
> begin with no changes should be required here?

Unless it got fried while hooked up positive ground.
 
> Any other surprises that I need to be aware of?

Like the blower, one out of 6 I have done had a backwards working fuel gauge.
 
> Original paint color on generators? 

68 was Healey metalic green, engine, starter, and generator. 


-- 

Frank Clarici
Toms River, NJ
United We Stand
http://www.exit109.com/~spritenut



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