I just picked up a 1954 Dodge Regent, (Plymouth Cranbrook). It has the Flat 6 in it..? But I'm confused about the battery wiring.. It's not running, and aparently has been sitting for 10 years or so.. It has a T-2200 Trojan Battery which i cheked on the web and it is a 6Volt. However, The NEGATIVE side of the battery was connected with a unshielded Ground strap to the Engine Block, and the Positive side was connected to a Post on the Starter Relay mounted on the Inner fender. How should I approach trying to start this engine now? Should I Connect a NEW 6 volt battery the same way? I know this should be a POSITIVE ground car. It looks like someone did some body work in the past 20 years, painted the Cylinder head, and put in that Trojan battery.. So I wonder if someone has converted it to 6 Volt Negative ground.....
Any help would be appreciated! :)
I'd say someone put the battery in wrong and didn't know it. Connect it the right way. When you turn the switch on, the amp meter should show negative. If it goes positive, then things have been polarized the wrong way...
Jim, It's more than just the battery. The Ground Strap Cable (Unshielded Braided cable) was connected from then negative terminal to the Cylinder head bolt. The Positive battery cable was connected to the Starter Solinoid. Someone went to the point of putting a Braided ground strap on the cylinder head bolt.
Is there somthing else Obvious that I could check to see if someone has converted this is 6 volt Negative ground??? Can you even do that while retaining the original Generator and regulator?
Thanks
Place a fully charged 6 volt battery in your car with the positive terminal connected to ground. Do not attempt to start the engine, but turn on the headlights. The ammeter should show discharge, that is, move to the left.
Before attempting to start the engine, polarize the generator by briefly ( a few seconds ) bridging the BATtery and ARMature terminals on the regulator. DPollock
Good Call guys... All I had was a 12V Booster Pack (Partially discharged). When I hooked it up with Negative ground, and turned on the lights... Ammeter jumped to the + side and the lights didn't come on. I switched polarity and it worked.. Lights Came on and the Ammeter showed "-".......
Thanks for the help.. !!!!!!!!