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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-GB link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Yes, alternator. Negative earth.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>So, it’s apparently not charging. I get the same reading across the battery when the engine is running as when it’s switched off.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I looked in an old book of mine, written about the time our 3000s were built, and it suggested that a possible cause for no charge reaching the battery was that the earth strap was not connected or had degraded to nothing.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Well, my strap is good and strong but, you may recall, that I had to remove and replace my gearbox…God knows how often. (Overdrive and dud replacement clutch kit) Did I replace the strap on the last occasion? I think so…..But…<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Well, it occurred to me that, if I ran a stout wire from the alternator body to the battery’s negative terminal, then that would act instead of the earth strap.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I did that. Still no charge.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>It’s my belief that running that wire along was an adequate test of earthing. Do you guys agree??<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Plainly, I could get the car up on ramps again and check underneath but I think that would be fruitless as well as tiresome and dirty……….<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Thanks,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Simon<o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>