Newbie needs some help. My truck is a 1998 1500 Quad Cab, 5.2 liter, Automatic tranny.

While doing some maintainence, I noticed that the ground strap that bolts to the transmission bell housing was loose and had burned through on the exhaust manifold.

My problem is that the strap has 3 connectors, 1 end bolts to the tranny, the other end bolts to the valve cover and there's a 3rd connector in the middle, which is the one that was loose. FYI, the groundstrap is the flat braided copper cable, black plastic insulation, about 2 to 2 1/2 feet long by 1/4 inch thick, on the passenger side of the engine/transmission.

I'd like to replace it but don't know where to bolt the middle connector. I think it must go to the firewall or frame. Someone told me that it's important for the electronic tranny to be grounded correctly for it to work right, so any help is appreciated.

 

I'm not 100% sure.. but on my 97.... my ground is bolted to the fire wall... just above the engine..( or I should say.. just below the weather stripping for the hood..) on the passenger side..above the passenger side valve cover... I'll see if i can take a pic and post it.. might take a few minutes...but thats where my ground lead is bolted to the truck... then leads down behind the engine..I'll go take a look ... BRB..

OK.. couldnt get a pic.. its pouring down rain.. but mine is bolted right above the tranny dip stick. I have one wire going to the back of the head... and a second wire running behind..looks as though its headed to the tranny. Hope that helps.

 

When I was pulling ground straps from the junkyard, I noticed that the 99 I was working on had the same setup. The third strap went to the bottom right bolt on the pcm.

 

Found it, thanks. I was looking on autotrader.com for a diesel and thought I'd check and see if anyone had a picture of the engine bay of a truck like mine. There it was, just like you said, right above the dipstick (see pic).

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