Hi all I have noticed a few posts about this subject, but nothing truly answering my question. I just bought a 99 Ranger XLT with a 3.0 and both terminals were loose on the battery. The positive was easy peasy, but the ground is alluding my search. I have traced in under the power steering pump through a hanger and then heading to the back of the engine. Not having a lot of wiggle room can anyone tell me where it ends up?

Thank You

 

Battery's larger ground(negative) cable should go to a starter motor bolt, maybe bell housing bolt, on most engines, because starter motor needs 50-75 AMPs all at once to crank engine
So BOTH larger battery cables should run to starter motor, positive and negative

On some it can bolt to the side of the Block, on engine side motor mount bolt

Other grounds you need
Smaller ground wire from battery to inner fender and Rad Support, for relays and headlights/horn
Ground strap from rear of engine/head to firewall, main ground for ALL cab electrics <<<< very important and often left off after engine work
Ground strap from engine to Frame, for tail lights and fuel pump and gauge<<<< engine and trans sit on rubber mounts, so frame needs a ground strap

 

Apologies for reviving an older thread. My 1998 XLT 3.0 4x4 project is nearing "reassembly" phase. I noted that the engine to cab ground strap is falling apart and I am going to replace that. I appreciate the list above (RonD is a rock star here IMO). Is this pretty much it for grounds on this truck? I want to inspect all of them while I have things apart (and not really knowing all of the truck's history but knowing how rusty everything has been) ensure all grounds are there and in good shape.

Thanks.

 

Because the engine and trans sit on rubber mounts they are isolated from the frame and body
And the body and bed sit on rubber mounts so are isolated from the frame
And all these parts are painted FIRST and then bolted together, so really isolated from each other, lol

The rad support and inner fender both need to be grounded, even though they are bolted together, they were painted first so no reliable ground between them
So just a short ground wire between them and to a battery ground

The bed often had a short ground strap to the frame on the under side, there is no electrical power reason for it but done for the Gasoline Filler port and possible static electrical charge/spark when filling up

The cab can also have a ground strap to frame on the under side, the firewall ground is the main one but cab electrics are important so, why not

 

Excellent info. Thank you sir.