Earth Points (Classic 900)

Some 900s have one under the back seat. There's also one behind the dash. I think there's also one under the boot floor, but can't remember for sure (and can't be bothered to go look!).

I've never had any real problems with them, so have never modified them. I keep the one under the rad well greased, that's all.

The only earth problems I've had on a 900 have been alternator earths.

in article bkviav$6dl58$ snipped-for-privacy@ID-152899.news.uni-berlin.de, Grunff at snipped-for-privacy@ixxa.com wrote on 25/09/2003 21:13:

I think the one behind the dash is probably nowhere near as corroded as the one I dealt with tonight - much improved now. I'll take a look under the back seat and in the boot.

With Vaseline, or battery terminal grease, kind of thing? Sorry, I'm a bit dumb about this - only just got the notion that a rusty earth point doesn't help things :)

Okay. How/where does that earth? I've heard of people keeping some spare wire handy for rigging up alternator earths at the side of the road. What's involved here?

Thanks for the reply Grunff,

Paul

I'm a copper grease freak. I buy it in huge pots, and use it liberally. Everything in my engine bay(s) has a coppery tinge. :-)

If you have corroded earths, undo the bolt, clean up the terminals with a wire brush/emery paper, and reassemble with generous lashings of copper grease.

Look at the alternator. Identify the balck wire that comes off the back and bolts to the engine nearby. That's the alternator earth. Check it. If it's falling apart, replace it. That's it - pretty simple.

Anytime Paul.

in article bkvje5$697u6$ snipped-for-privacy@ID-152899.news.uni-berlin.de, Grunff at snipped-for-privacy@ixxa.com wrote on 25/09/2003 21:32:

Okay. I'd not thought of that. I have probably enough for this job left over in a small sachet from the last time I did the spark plugs.

The cross-member earth point looked pretty bad and on close inspection, one of the wires had come loose from its hoop terminal. I unbolted the point and cleaned up all the terminals with an emery board and some glass paper. The earth point itself was actually pretty good once I got down to it and I managed to polish up about a square inch of shiny bare metal.

I've put a washer at the bottom of the stack, then the battery negative, another washer, then the larger wires, another washer, the smaller wires and then another washer.

So, I take it I should take it all apart again and smear everything with copper grease? Perhaps remove a couple of washers too - I probably went a bit overboard :) One at the top should be plenty.

Right. I'll take a look tomorrow and rig up a couple of spares for the emergency kit. My garage recently had the alternator out to replace the bushings and the brushes. I doubt they've put it back with a dud wire, but I'll have a look anyway.

Thanks again,

Paul

Naaah - save that for next time you take it apart. If it's secure, just smear a load of grease on it.

Washers never do any harm.

Couple of spares?? Gees Paul, you're getting pessimistic in your old age ;-)

I carry a fair number of spares (ecu, ignition amp, AMM, etc!), but I don't carry pre-made alternator wires. Carry a load of wire and a reel of gaffer (duct/Duck) tape around. You'll be fine.

in article bkvm0p$6n10b$ snipped-for-privacy@ID-152899.news.uni-berlin.de, Grunff at snipped-for-privacy@ixxa.com wrote on 25/09/2003 22:16:

Fine. I'll leave it alone. My test drive this evening was a pleasure. I'm sure the pick-up thought the lower gears and lower RPM bracket is improved, but my Orca tends to drive better at night anyway. It just felt generally a little better.

He he. I've got a bag full of fuses and relays, some vac pipe, a radiator top hose, oil, anti-freeze, a generous bunch of jubilee clips and cable-ties. I'll add Duck tape

Noooo! What if you need to deploy a network with a couple of servers in an emergency??

Something which *will* fail sooner or later is the clutch master or slave. Most of the 900s I've owned have had clutch cylinder failures. The master is easy to do, the slave a little more difficult, but still not bad. You should definitely have those on the list of items to be replaced at some point.

in article bkvmu1$64u8m$ snipped-for-privacy@ID-152899.news.uni-berlin.de, Grunff at snipped-for-privacy@ixxa.com wrote on 25/09/2003 22:31:

I've got monkeys^H^H^H^H^H^H^Htechnicians to do that :)