Trunk battery mount ??

[Highbanked Hauler]

  I have a diesel size positive battery cable to a mini starter(probably should do the same for the negative cable too) and am thinking of using 1.0 welding cable to mount a second battery in the trunk  and a ground cable to a bell housing bolt as this damn 12-1 comp 440 pulls the battery way down in short order while trying to start it. Yes there is another problem why this thing doesn't light right away which I am trying to find.

[c00nhunterjoe]

More going on here then a battery. I have 3 high compression engines. 13.5:1. I can crank on them like any other car without issue. No need for 2 batteries. 
   Your current hot wire sounds more then sufficient. Agreed on the ground, should be same size. Ground from battery to chassis, and chassis to engine block. See if that changes your problem.

[Highbanked Hauler]

More going on here then a battery. I have 3 high compression engines. 13.5:1. I can crank on them like any other car without issue. No need for 2 batteries. 
   Your current hot wire sounds more then sufficient. Agreed on the ground, should be same size. Ground from battery to chassis, and chassis to engine block. See if that changes your problem.

OK,  the battery is obviously grounded to the motor and it has the factory type ground from the back of the motor to the firewall. It also has a smaller wire from the neg. post on the battery to the radiator support.  Does it need to be a larger cable ?

[John_Kunkel]

  I have a diesel size positive battery cable to a mini starter(probably should do the same for the negative cable too)

What is "diesel size"? I am a firm believer that trunk-mounted batteries need an equal size ground cable all the way to the block (not chassis).

[Highbanked Hauler]

  I have a diesel size positive battery cable to a mini starter(probably should do the same for the negative cable too)

What is "diesel size"? I am a firm believer that trunk-mounted batteries need an equal size ground cable all the way to the block (not chassis).

   I think it is a #2 size, about a half inch or so. I figured # one to the trunk from the battery and #1 ground back to a trans. bolt near the starter. I was going off the cable size in the cummins.

[c00nhunterjoe]

I would add an additional ground from the engine to chassis and see if that helps your cranking problem. Check voltage drop across pos and neg, see if there is a problem there. I assume you have a large enough battery? How quickly does the battery die while cranking?

[Canadian1968]

You  shouldn't need two batteries.  A correctly rated battery should be all you need. I personally run heavy gauge ( I think it's 2 awg) From my battery to engine block. I run the same from a bolt on my alternator to chassis. Then I run 2 smaller 8 awg wires. One from the rear of the block up to my orange box ecu,  and the other is another directly off the battery to rad support. This is more than I will ever need !

You have a few post that all include low power electrical situations. There is probably one single solution that will fix all of your problems with half the trouble!

How are your bulk head connection?

[Highbanked Hauler]

I would add an additional ground from the engine to chassis and see if that helps your cranking problem. Check voltage drop across pos and neg, see if there is a problem there. I assume you have a large enough battery? How quickly does the battery die while cranking?

It has a new mini starter, a fully charged 3 yo. 27 battery and without the battery charger which stays on it on it I am guessing maybe last 45 sec. or if the starter gets hot, which I haven't checked. The ground cable is a 4, 25 in. long and it has the "factory repro ground cable" in the back of the motor from the engine to the firewall and a small cable 8-10 cable attached to the neg. cable end  that goes to a radiator  mounting  bolt.
  For the record it has a new dash harness with the amp meter leads bolted together.  I put a wire from the Alternator to the starter relay.  I am going to swap a newer battery in tomorrow.

     I should say I have turned the motor over with a half inch ratchet and it turns firm but and I feel the compression no dragging ..

[Canadian1968]

The length of the cables are not a problem. 

  I dont understand correctly,  are you cranking for 45 sec straight ? Or if you take the battery charger off you have 45 secs to try and crank before it looses enough power to crank. If your cranking for 45 sec straight , don't ! You are beating the crap out of every part of that starting system. Or if your battery dies after 45 sec off the battery charger , then simply your battery is done and you need a new one!

You have a wire going from the alternator straight to starter relay . That's fine but that only comes into effect once the car is running and charging . That wire should be fused as well

New dash harness ok...what about new engine bay harness ? Just suggesting to double check bulkhead connections are good and making good contact ,it's a notorious weak point in the system.

Are you actually dealing with a non start issue here ?

[c00nhunterjoe]

As now essentially confirmed from the other thread, we are cranking a 10:1 motor. Your current setup should be fine. 45 seconds of straight crank time is hard on parts. Why are you cranking so long? The starter is going to get hot, as are the cables.

[Highbanked Hauler]

As now essentially confirmed from the other thread, we are cranking a 10:1 motor. Your current setup should be fine. 45 seconds of straight crank time is hard on parts. Why are you cranking so long? The starter is going to get hot, as are the cables.

  As funny as it sounds trying to get it to light up.  It cranks over hard and fires randomly. I have a Go Pro video of it trying to start from a few years ago but I can't post pictures on here.  More to follow on the other thread today. Thanks.

[c00nhunterjoe]

What does cranks over hard mean? Post the video to youtube and then link it on this site here. At this point it sounds like there is nothing wrong with the battery and or cables.

[b5blue]

My new repop positive cable had bad connection to the lead battery connector so assume nothing. Have you tried a shot of starting fluid?

[Highbanked Hauler]

What does cranks over hard mean? Post the video to youtube and then link it on this site here. At this point it sounds like there is nothing wrong with the battery and or cables.

                BATTERY   JUNK.    12.5 voltage but no power

[Kern Dog]

12.5 is not junk. Look elsewhere.
You shouldn't have to spin a starter 45 seconds to start the car.

[Highbanked Hauler]

12.5 is not junk. Look elsewhere.
You shouldn't have to spin a starter 45 seconds to start the car.

   Dead cell  shorted out  ?  I was doing the compression check and I heard a "click" from it and nothing, thought it was the starter relay,shorted the relay with a wrench, nothing. Put in another battery and it was business as usual.  I have not load tested it but it is 4 or 5 years old.

[Canadian1968]

your battery can read 12.5 and still be a toast. That is what load test is for.

Regardless you said that you have a new battery, so lets not worry about that any more.

But were you honestly cranking for 45 sec. straight? you never answered that question.... That is a crazy amount of time, start a stop watch and see, maybe you were over estimating your cranking time?  You are pushing a lot of current threw all those wires . I would start double checking all your connections,make sure they are not damaged , don't forget the ones on the back of the ignition switch.  Have you swapped out a new ballast resistor?

Provided engine crank is steady and strong, if the engine doesn't fire after, 3-5 sec. max, there is something else going on. Its not your battery , its not a ground and you sure as hell don't need another battery.  But it can be lack of voltage getting to other parts of the  " START" system.  Which is basically your ballast, ECU, and Coil.  There is also your plug wires and and spark plugs themselves, but unless ALL 8 are toast you should be able to get some sort of start up .

Looking at your last couple of post.  Do you have a ECU, with the original points style distributor?  Sorry if I am wrong but that what I am getting from reading your other post?