What wire is this?
- Thread starter Friday88
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phattyduck
Elite Member
It is a ground wire, like others have suggested.
Most likely the rest of the grounds were missing (not re-installed after engine work, etc.) and this one burned up from too much current. The others have probably re-installed (there are 2-3 others) and so the truck runs fine again. You'll want to replace it with a similar or larger wire again for safety/redundancy.
Your engine/transmission needs a ground because the power used to run your injectors, ignition coil, alternator and all sensors needs a way to return to the battery. Electricity needs a source and a sink...
-Charlie
Most likely the rest of the grounds were missing (not re-installed after engine work, etc.) and this one burned up from too much current. The others have probably re-installed (there are 2-3 others) and so the truck runs fine again. You'll want to replace it with a similar or larger wire again for safety/redundancy.
Your engine/transmission needs a ground because the power used to run your injectors, ignition coil, alternator and all sensors needs a way to return to the battery. Electricity needs a source and a sink...
-Charlie
Friday88
New member
So the electricity passes through the metal and back around to the battery? My understanding of how electricity works is not great. I've tried learning about it and it never sticks in my head.
phattyduck
Elite Member
Yes, all metals conduct electricity. You will find wires from the negative terminal of the battery (marked "-") to the body, which is then used as the 'ground' for all circuits in the vehicle. There will also be wires connecting the body and frame (easiest to find is in front of the radiator, behind the bumper). All of these are important to keep the electrical parts of the vehicle working.
-Charlie
Friday88
New member
I guess what I don't understand is how its possible to touch metals that are currently carrying electricity.
Ed_C
Senior Member
Is that not the mating half connected to your valve cover?
Edit: I happened to drive my truck to work today and just went and checked- it's supposed to go to the head. I would say any convenient grounding point on the engine is sufficient though.
"grounded to the ground"...I see what you did there :biggrin1:
TheDurk
Elite Member
Bird on the wire principle. No danger whatever in touching ONE leg of a circuit. So the entire truck can get the negative charge and nothing will flow because it has no way to get back to the battery. You can also touch a positive wire or the positive terminal, as long as no part of you is touching the truck. Current will only flow if you (or a device) touch the truck's metal and a positive wire at the same time.
If you stick a screw driver into the long slot in a house outlet, nothing will happen either--assuming it was wired correctly, no guarantee on that. If you stick it into the short slot (hot side) then you will get a shock as it will flow to ground through your body.
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phattyduck
Elite Member
As Durk said, electricity needs a loop to flow. The whole metal chassis is the return half of the circuits in the car, errrr truck.
Really though, the 12V in your car is essentially harmless (to a human). You can safely touch the positive and negative terminals of the battery with your hands. Just don't bridge the terminals with something metal (or otherwise conductive).
-Charlie
St Runner
Member
Metal is very conducive and human bodies are not, therefore electric flow will almost never go through a human body because there is an easier path. Unless there is a lot of it(High Voltage) or your body is very conductive. So don't wear that chainmail suit while working on your 4runner
psraff
New member
With this being said.... Electricity will always take the path of least resistance, and it doesn't take much to kill you. Volts won't kill you, it's the amps. In certain cases as little as .1 to .2 amps can kill you.
And yes, don't wear chainmail when working on it! LOL. As a teenager I was testing spark by the screwdriver in the sparkplug wire trick against the fender. Yep. I was in the rain. Yep. I was wearing shorts. Yep. I was leaning against said fender. Yep! IT FRICKING HURTS!!!!!!
Seriously, it felt like someone took a baseball bat to my kneecap when it happened.
Guess what I do for a living now..... I'm an Electrician in the oil and gas industry. Go figure.....
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