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Topic: Misterious piece of copper-something under the Ford's hood... (Read 2062 times) previous topic - next topic

Misterious piece of copper-something under the Ford's hood...

Have you ever wondered what is this piece of copper-something under the hood of all 70's and 80's Fords?
I have it in my '87 T-bird  and '77 Granada. In both cars it looks the same and it's placed in the same place. What is it?

Misterious piece of copper-something under the Ford's hood...

Reply #1 –
I always thought it was some kind of ground strap.
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

Misterious piece of copper-something under the Ford's hood...

Reply #2 –
Its to ground the hood, why it needs to be grounded is beyond me.


Scott
1980 birds X 3, 1982 bird, 1984 XR7, 1988 TC

Misterious piece of copper-something under the Ford's hood...

Reply #3 –
ground strap as stated above
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
1974 maverick lsx powered turbo car SOLD
1973 maverick Tijuana Taxi Tribute
1957 chevy LSX Turbo project (race car)
Owner of Joe Dirt Fabrication

Misterious piece of copper-something under the Ford's hood...

Reply #4 –
Doesnt the hood light only have the + wire going to it? Then again, that ground isnt even touching the hood when its up. I would think it would ground just fine where it attaches to the rest of the car.
93 Festiva L, 193k miles, BP+T/G25MR swap, T3 50trim .48/.42, SRT FMIC, Capri electronics/Rocketchip, 2.5" exhaust
bests: ET 12.86, MPH 110.25, 1.92 short
02 Subaru Impreza WRX, 129k miles
97 Subaru Impreza Outback Sport, 236k miles

Misterious piece of copper-something under the Ford's hood...

Reply #5 –
its a hood ruster...  remove it lol  on both of my 79 cougars there is a big spot of rust where it was riding.

Misterious piece of copper-something under the Ford's hood...

Reply #6 –
It is the backup ground strap for the hood light. As stated there is only one hot wire going to the bulb. The housing for the light assembly itself is the ground, so as soon as it's bolted to the hood, it's grounded and the light works only when the hood is up. But since the light also turns on and off via an internal mercury switch, if the switch goes bad or gets stuck, theoretically the light would constantly stay on under a closed hood, without a backup ground.

However...I've had the mercury switch go bad, and never got the light stuck on, but it drained my battery overnight regardless...so is having the ground strap really worth it?! LOL

Also...if you polish that piece it looks really sweet. ;)

Misterious piece of copper-something under the Ford's hood...

Reply #7 –
I don't have the light under my hood ( ripped off by ex owner?) so can I take it off?

Misterious piece of copper-something under the Ford's hood...

Reply #8 –
Quote from: EricCoolCats;113155
Also...if you polish that piece it looks really sweet. ;)


You didnt....
1980 birds X 3, 1982 bird, 1984 XR7, 1988 TC

Misterious piece of copper-something under the Ford's hood...

Reply #9 –
Quote from: Also...if you polish that piece it looks [i
really[/i] sweet. ;)


Runs out to get the dremel and polish...................
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

Misterious piece of copper-something under the Ford's hood...

Reply #10 –
I thought the ground strap was to keep the ignition and alternator electrical noise contained and out of the radio. The light should ground just fine through the metal hood and hinges. I can't see how it could possibly be a "backup ground" for the light, since it's specifically designed to do nothing with the hood open, and according to my wiring diagrams, the mercury switch controls the power side, not the ground.
Death awaits you all with nasty, big, pointy teeth.

1988 5.0 Bird, mostly stock, partly not, now gone to T-Bird heaven.
1990 Volvo 740GL. 114 tire-shredding horsies, baby!

Misterious piece of copper-something under the Ford's hood...

Reply #11 –
Quote from: MasterBlaster;113227
I thought the ground strap was to keep the ignition and alternator electrical noise contained and out of the radio. The light should ground just fine through the metal hood and hinges. I can't see how it could possibly be a "backup ground" for the light, since it's specifically designed to do nothing with the hood open, and according to my wiring diagrams, the mercury switch controls the power side, not the ground.


It does that too. ;)

Misterious piece of copper-something under the Ford's hood...

Reply #12 –
-oh....grounding strap!  i gave it to my wife and told her you get a free cheese grater with every car purcahse...LOL.....
-'87 turbo coupe with only 740 ORIGINAL miles.... :dunce:
-'86 turbo coupe, 5sp. Cali Car.......:cool:

Misterious piece of copper-something under the Ford's hood...

Reply #13 –
Quote from: MasterBlaster;113227
I thought the ground strap was to keep the ignition and alternator electrical noise contained and out of the radio. The light should ground just fine through the metal hood and hinges. I can't see how it could possibly be a "backup ground" for the light, since it's specifically designed to do nothing with the hood open, and according to my wiring diagrams, the mercury switch controls the power side, not the ground.


I second that.

Shop manual calls it the "hood bonding strap"

It is one of two "Radio Interference Suppression" items.
The other is a "Dash to Engine Ground Cable".

Misterious piece of copper-something under the Ford's hood...

Reply #14 –
LOL You guys will believe almost anything I say, won't ya. ;)

Ford actually had quite a few tricks for radio noise suppression. That hood ground strap was one. There is the rear ground cable from the firewall to the block. On 5.0 cars, at least, there is another ground cable from the block to the framerail. Ford also created an inline shunt wire that could be installed on cars that had excessive whine through the radio (there are a few NOS ones floating around on eBay regularly). The factory plugs, wires, cap and rotor were all carefully mixed to reduce noise. In general, Ford engineers did a pretty good job in isolating any alternator whine. I've never really had any issues with any of my cars and the electrical noise, except when I had a bad factory plug wire once.

As for that hood strap...do you need it? That's your call, really. It's sort of a backup ground. I've never seen a need to remove it on a stock car. I did leave it out of the convertible's engine bay after I got the fiberglass hood.

(P.S. The part about polishing that strap is true, though...I did it. Looks like pure gold. Real pain to keep polished though.) ;)