Pos - Neg?

[Mike Richards]

I was reading through some different sites and notice references to Henry Js being positive ground? The 53 I've had for a month now appears to have 6 volt neg ground. My electrical skills are few but seems something would've burned up or shorted out by now? Nothing like looking into a 60 year old car and seeing all the things that have been cobbled, but that would take the cake, any knowledge would be appreciated.

[rialto]

The HenryJ was originally built with positive ground. However the car will run and function with negative ground. If the battery is the only thing hooked up backward then changing it back wouldn't be hard. Switch the battery cables then polarize the generator. That should do it. But over the years other things may have been changed. The coil could be hooked up back ward. Who knows? You could just leave it alone and run it like it is.

[Mike Richards]

thanks, the car is in the taking everything apart stage, I bought it knowing there would be a lot of work and rebuilding, it's funny the things you run into tho, wasn't expecting that. I'm sure there will be more suprises

[Fid]

I would advise looking at the coil. The + terminal on the coil should go to the distributor. If it does, change battery back to positive ground as the generator and regulator could burn up prematurely. But rialto is correct - it will start and operate if the battery is connected for neg ground but you may have weaker spark as the coil would still be backwards. The coil is a large "auto transformer" and polarization will affect its output.

[Mike Richards]

I went back and checked, getting ready to take the engine/tranny out for rebuild, had to wait for daylight. The pos battery cable ran from the batt to starter and neg was grounded to the front plate on the engine. The coil ran neg terminal to the distributor, guess someone decided to convert to a neg ground at some point. with everything being taken apart I'd like to go back to a pos ground when it goes back together.