europa ground strap to frame question (s2) 1969

[mike alain]

Folks,  I took off the ground stap6 months ago, it is about 3/4 of an inch wide and about 1 foot long, I think this is original part,  where does it go, I like to
keep   my  1969   s2  car original,  I assume the battery ground wire just goes to the block, is this also correct?  also looking for an overflow tank.  Thanks Mike.

[jbcollier]

There are two ground straps: battery to engine and engine to chassis.

[Sandyman]

Mike, I have the original overflow tank as I replaced it with an aluminum one from RD. The original was patched by the PO. PM me it you want it.
Sandy

[surfguitar58]

I drove my TCS for a year without ground straps, blissfully ignorant of their existence, until I started having grounding issues. During that year I must have been making the ground connection to the starter through... what? The shift linkage???

Anyway, when I relocated my battery I installed a heavy marine grade battery cable from the battery negative to a bolt on the starter, but I worry about vibration flex at the terminals. I would like to install the proper ground straps. Can anyone describe or show me a pic of where these connect on a TCS?
Tom

[BDA]

I just connected the neg. battery terminal to the frame and then a cable from the frame to where the bell housing is bolted onto the block. T seems to work fine.

[mike alain]

Folks,  thanks for replies,  but I am trying to restore this old lady like it came out of the factory,  that is why I was curious as to the exact location of the 1in wide ground strap,
I did put the battery neg. rite to the block,  ALSO,  the shop manual says  80 weight gear oil in transmission, getting harder to find, most shops have multi grade gear oil,
I was told not to use it because it screws up the brass synchros in the older type of transmission,  any experts out there?

[BDA]

I've standardized on Red Line Oil for my engine and tranny oil. I asked them about this and send them a copy of the NG3 manual (I suspect that for the purposes of oil selection, any of the Renault trannies would have the same requirements) and this was their reply:

Thank you for contacting Red Line Oil, in your Lotus/Renault transaxle the 75W90NS would be recommended as they call for a GL-5 gear oil.

Obviously they don’t require a GL-5 gear oil as they don’t use a high offset ring and pinion and the included owners manual lists a MIL-L-2105B as being suitable, a GL-4 gear oil. Based on that and the viscosity called for, one of our GL-4 gear oils would be suitable such as the MT-85, likely providing similar viscosity at operating temperature to the original 80W. 

[jbcollier]

First ANY gear oil is better than no oil.  DO NOT RUN THE CAR WITH THE OIL LOW IN THE TRANSAXLE.  (sorry for shouting)

Some brass parts "may" react to "some" GL5 gear oils.  In 35 years of wrenching, I myself have not seen this as a problem -- but that doesn't mean it's not real.  I run GL4 in Disco's transfer case for just that reason (brass bushings, not synchros).  GL5 was designed to deal with the severe ring pinion offsets in some differentials.  If you look at the ring/pinion offset in a Renault transaxle, it is very, very small.  I run Redline MT-90 in mine and am very happy.  Shifting is much improved and there have been no issues with wear (particles in the oil) or over stressing of the oil (black grunge drains out).

[jbcollier]

PS: Don't have a TC/S so can't comment on the exact position and routing of the ground cables

[RonPNW]

Originally (70 S2) I had only one that connected to the frame at the swirl pot. I had radio noise issues. I cleaned that one and added another on the other side of the engine. I don't recall where the connection was but there are a few options.

They are not hard to make or install and can solve many odd and intermittent issues.

Ron

[mike alain]

Great, you guys have answered all my questions.    Thanks  Mike.

[BobW]

I believe the original setup to be:
The negative battery terminal goes to the top right bolt that holds the transmission to the bellhousing.
The engine ground strap runs from the bottom rear bolt on the cover plate to the rear of the oil filter to the inside of the right frame rail (the vertical face) opposite.