QuestionI just got a 1950 ford flathead v8, I removed the battery and now I am puzzled to reconnect the cables. my question , is this ford a positive ground, it seems that way but I'm not sure. thanks
AnswerHi Joseph,
I'm not a Ford tech but I can tell you a little about old batteries and charging systems. If this is a 6 volt battery and if this has a generator not an alternator, it is probably set up like an original system. First look at the battery cables. If the larger post cable is the ground than it is (+) ground. look closely at the two posts on the battery to see if one post is larger than the other. The larger post is the (+) post. Look at the dash for an ammeter and if it does, connect up the battery (+) to ground, but don't start the engine. Turn on the head lights and look at the ammeter to see if it goes to (discharge) Also look at the ignition coil to see if the (+) marked post is connected to the points in the distributor. If all this is so, then you can start the car.
The reason you need to look at all of this is that a generator system can be run either way (+) ground or (-) ground. And if someone before you polarized the generator as a (-) ground and you start the car with the battery connected as (+) ground, you will fry the wiring and probably the regulator. If they had polarized the generator as a (+) ground and you connected the battery as (-) ground the same will happen.
If this has not run in years, it would pay you to be safe by checking the ign. coil to see which way it is connected first. (+) to points = (+)ground ---- (-) to points = negative ground. Connect the battery up which ever way the coil is. Then remove the two wires off of the generator (1 small and 1 large wire) Loosen the gen belt and remove the belt, make up two test wires (one large 12 ga. and a smaller wire 14 ga.) long enough to reach the battery. Connect the large and the small wires to the large and small posts on the generator. Touch the large wire to the hot post on the battery and then while you are holding the large wire on the (hot) post (which ever that is as dictated by the coil connection) touch the smaller wire to the same post and watch the generator pulley. If it don't do anything then move the small wire over to the ground post of the battery and look at the generator pulley. It should start turning like a slow electric motor in the direction that the motor turns. Let it run for almost a minute and remove the small wire and let it set for a minute and repeat the process. Do this several times. This polarizes the generator in that mode. and now you can safely reconnect up the belt and the generator wires as they were, large wire to the large post and small wire to the small post.
Some generators, after setting for a long time need to be polarized and in some cases a person will change to a (-) ground and polarize the gen so they can operate the system that way to use a modern radio in a car that was originally (+) ground which can not use most modern radios.
I hope this helps, let me know.
Howard
