Hello,
Looking for some help here. I have a Sept 1968 Morris Cooper S (Aussie built Mk 1 - body number 5001). I have a radio to put in it set to negative earth. My mini has a generator. I have looked in the back and the negative terminal on the battery goes 15cm straight to the body, I suspect negative earth. Everyone else keeps saying if it has a generator it must be positive earth? My temp gauge is skits as well. Pulled it out and checked it, OK, new stabiliser, sender unit, but still reads out the roof. (Just off hot at 72 degrees with early opener thermostat).
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Any ideas or advice would be greatly appreciated.
.
Dave - Sydney.

If your negative terminal is going straight to the body, and there aren't sparks and fire and smoke coming from the engine bay, then it's definitely negatively earthed. Trust me, you'd know within seconds if it wasn't meant to be negatively earthed.

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Jonathan
http://photobucket.com/albums/y64/FatMaserati/

welcome to ausmini...

Hi David,
Your car is negative earth.Generators can
be either pos or neg earth.
Check your temp gauge is connected properly.
The regulator wire goes to the B connection
on temp indicator and sensor wire goes to the
T connection on indicator.If still no good try another sensor.
Felix

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1966 mustang coupe 289 auto
1970 mgb roadster auto
1970 cooper S mk2
1976 mini S
1964 wolseley 24/80
http://s160.photobucket.com/albums/t173/1966mini/

Thanks for the reply so quick John and also for the welcome

Thanks felix,
The radio I found is an original Diamond Dot unit and an old fella re built it for me. I am not keen on frying it.
.
I will look at the gauge wiring, but I will be honest in freely admitting I am crap with cars despite my efforts.
.
What is the earth strap between the clutch plate and solenoid (I think?) for?

i learnt my car was negative earth the other day when i was installing a cigarette lighter

All minis with generators were positive earth.
It is very east to convert to neg earth and a lot of cars have been done.

If your car has the neg post of the battery running to the body and everything is working fine I would say it has been converted.

To convert the polarity of the genarator....

Geez I should have found this site a long time ago, you guys (and gals) are a wealth of info. Anyone in the NSW mini car club?

That is what happens to cars with alternators when they are hooked up the wrong way. Cars with generators are a lot different (no sparks)

Your engine is rubber mounted and without that strap you will not get the earth from the body to the engine. (except via the acelerator cable!)

Ah, that makes sense. Are the temp and fuels gauges related in any way. As I said the temp gauge is crazy and ever since that has happened the fuel gauge only reads 3/4 when full?

definatley negative earth...
if it was positive and you tried to put the negative to it, thene there may not be a mini to put it in

just make sure you put all the correct wires/pulgs in the correct places

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Hey, Rocky watch me pull a rabbit outta' my hat...

nothing up my sleeve...

PRESTO!

and dont connect up that diamond dot radio you will find it is pos earth
unless ofcourse you want to let the genuine smoke out of it
makka

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Anonymous moderation means the agro that is built up towards the mods isn't aimed at an individual (fewer "Makk" attacks). Less stress for mods means less moderator "retirements".

Depends how old they are. I worked for AWA- back in the early 70s you could get them and ours in either + or - earth.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.