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General Forums => VW Club Corner => Topic started by: dirtydeedss on April 21, 2006, 08:30:52 PM

Title: Positive Ground
Post by: dirtydeedss on April 21, 2006, 08:30:52 PM

I have 2 68 beetles and one is a positive ground and the other is negative. the one that is negative, would that have to been converted?
also if I am hooking up a new stereo will i have to insulate it so it doesnt touch the body?
thx derek

Title: Positive Ground
Post by: silas on April 22, 2006, 12:25:40 AM

that's odd.

older british cars are the only positive ground vehicles that i've heard of. i've never heard of that in a beetle.

if i were you i would convert your 68 that is positive ground to negative ground.

Title: Positive Ground
Post by: Bruce on April 22, 2006, 02:37:10 AM

There is no such thing as positive ground in any VW ever built.  Ever.  
You must be reading your car wrong.

Title: Positive Ground
Post by: dirtydeedss on April 22, 2006, 09:54:22 AM

im not reading it wrong. my dad is a mechanic and he said the same thing. so out he comes with the voltmeter and sure enough......positive is to the chassis and negative goes to the starter.  I thought mayber somebody hooked the battery up backwards but it runs and charges. If its hooked up backwards will it run and charge?

Title: Positive Ground
Post by: BUSDADDY on April 22, 2006, 01:35:49 PM

Not DVKK but are you sure someone hasn't put an aftermarket red lead in as a ground wire? Seen that a few times after they say there was big sparks and smoke. Nobody makes electrical parts for a VW with Positive ground and I can't imagine why someone would go to the trouble and expense to have everything rewound to convert a car to an alien system.

The lead that bolts to the pan is negative and the one that goes through a grommet to the starter is positive.

Title: Positive Ground
Post by: Bruce on April 22, 2006, 05:45:03 PM

Both you and your father are reading the car wrong.  There is no such thing as positive ground in a VW.

Look at the starter, regulator, generator, coil, etc.  Are they Bosch?  There is no such thing as a pos gnd Bosch starter, gen, reg, coil etc for a Beetle.

Title: Positive Ground
Post by: dirtydeedss on April 22, 2006, 06:57:46 PM

ok we werent reading it wrong but we have figured it out.  The battery was connected backwards but WHY did everything in the car work? it charged, lights worked, ran, started.........nothing got fryed?  i just got the car and it sure did surprise me.  I was scared to try the battery the other way so i just gave it a flash and nothing.....so i held it on and nothing and it works.
o boy do i feel a little dumb :blush: