'66 IIA petrol starter question

[stomper]

2 nights ago, I left work to drive home, and the Rover wouldn't start. I knew the starter was in need of a rebuild, and it was getting worse as the day went by, but it was completely shot. Got it started with the hand crank, and drove home.

I did some reading on the forum, and I removed the starter the next morning. No fuss, and I didn't need to remove the exhaust downpipe like some report needing to do. Bench testing the starter confirms it is toast. and I am taking it for a rebuild today. My question is this. It is an older Lucas starter, with the one positive terminal to be conected, and no ground strap.

I think it would be a good idea to fit a ground strap, am I correct? and if so, where should I attach it to the starter? I was thinking one of the fixing bolts that holds it to the engine, but I wanted some other opinions before I start adding needless wires.

[Terrys]

The general practice is to ground the battery to the engine, and run a groundstrap, in a location approximate to the right front motor mount, between engine and frame. While cast Iron isn't as good a conductor as copper, or aluminum, it doesn't make any significant difference if you run the negative battery cable to one of the starter bolts or any other point on the engine.
I read all the time how people claim it's necessary to drop the down-pipe to get the starter out. Unless they have some non-standard exhaust, it isn't and I've never had any difficulty getting a starter out or back in whatsoever.

[stomper]

My negative battery terminal is grounded to the engine, which in turn is grounded to the frame as to stated.

When I was looking at the parts diagram at our sponsors website, they sell a ground strap that goes from the starter to the frame, and others have eluded to the necessity of this in other posts. My question is, does the starter need to be grounded with a ground strap, or is it adequate to have it just ground itself by touching the engine? Is one option better than the other? and if I need to add a ground strap, where should it be mounted to on the starter?

[Les Parker]

On Ex-MOD vehicles, just about every piece of electrical equipment has its own "ground" or earth.
RN recommend the braided strap from the starter mounting bolt closest to the chassis to the chassis itself.

http://www.roversnorth.com/store/c-109-starting.aspx

Item # 7

[daveb]

I've encountered some vehicles that won't start without a ground strap connected to the starter. In any event, it will not hurt to have one. All my vehicles get a ground cable from the battery to the engine. On the 90 it's easier to go from the battery to the transmission so I did that instead.

My negative battery terminal is grounded to the engine, which in turn is grounded to the frame as to stated.

When I was looking at the parts diagram at our sponsors website, they sell a ground strap that goes from the starter to the frame, and others have eluded to the necessity of this in other posts. My question is, does the starter need to be grounded with a ground strap, or is it adequate to have it just ground itself by touching the engine? Is one option better than the other? and if I need to add a ground strap, where should it be mounted to on the starter?

[stomper]

Thanks Les, It was that exact picture that got me thinking I needed one in the first place. When my starter returns from being rebuilt, a ground strap will be attached. Thanks for the clarification.