Thank you very much. Will check first thing tomorrow morning

 

"I noticed that on the – negative terminal has a tab that looks like it was attached behind the jack storage was disconnected."

If i'm think of the same cable that is a major ground point, the clamp built onto to the negitive cable, right. Yah, that is the first grounding point for the negitive cable it attached to the chassis just behind the battery box.

 

Well I checked the negative cable all the way down to the frame. It was solidly attached. Upon a second look, I noticed something that was right in front of my eyes. Do you think this could be the source of my grounding problems?? (See attached pic). Although it doesn't seem like there is enough slack in the cable to reattach it. Any suggestions? Thank you guys for all the help again..

Joe

 

Yep, that would be a ground point. The schematic attached shows that to be just a few inches from the battery terminal (-) terminal.

 

Just behind (towards firewall) the plastic box for the battery and jack, in close proximity to the grounding lug, is a metal bracket with 2-3 other wires attached. This is where the negative cable should be grounded. I see from the picture the cable end has been replaced at some point, and I wonder if the cable has been shortened...

 

The owner before myself had the engine replaced..I see the bracket you are talking about, and one of the nuts shows signs of where it has been loosened. Guess ill see if I can work what little slack I have far enough to reach that bracket. Thanks again for all the help. The inner workings of vehicles is almost a foreign language to me.

 

Well here is the gap I need to close. Hopefully I can rig up something simple that works

 

What kind of battery do you have in that? From the picture, the negative terminal is spaced further towards the center of the battery that a "typical" battery. Is it a dual terminal (top and side post)? Or a combination battery (24/24F, etc)? From the looks of things, with the correct size battery with the negative terminal closer to the back of the battery box, the lug would easily reach the ground point.

 

you didnt think they were going to replace the battery they stole with the right size did you?
I would have to agree with the right size top post battery the cable should reach.
You should also do something with that replacement cable end, they're ok in a pinch but always lead to problems down the road.
At the very least you should clean it, re-make the connection and shinkwrap it, those things just love to breed corrosion.