[3tas4me]

Can anyone tell me if Pontiac used one of those tubes that protects the postive battery cable on a 1971 Trans Am? The assembly manual does not show one for the 455 HO but the other V-8's seem to have got them that year per the assembly manual.

[Jim Rotella]

The positive battery cable tube was not used on the 455 HO.

Jim

[njsteve]

I know there was no rear tube because of the round port exhaust manifolds. But was there no tube in the front to guide it up behind the power steering pump? Do I have to remove mine now? I got it from a lter model poncho but figured it was supposed to be there. Am I wrong Jim?

[3tas4me]

When did they start using them? 1972? My assembly manual shows the positive cable routing from the battery between the power steering lines and then along the bottom of the engine back to the starter with two clips on the engine to hold it in place.

[giles]

Generally anything with ram air exhaust manifolds had the positive cable routed to the front of the block and underneath the LH exhaust manifold. The positive cable and tube would not fit between the manifold and the head. I can't speak for every application, but I believe this is true for RAIII, IV, HO and SD. The 70 and 71 assembly manuals do not show a tube on these applications, which would make sense as the tube insulates the cable from exhaust heat.

[Jim Rotella]

3tas4me & Steve,

The positive cable is routed down the front of the block and through a bracket attached to the driver side motor mount and then to the starter on the '72 455 HO's. The tube is not correct on the HO motor, but it really can't hurt anything. I used one on my T/A until I figured out that it didn't belong there.

Jim

[Lloyd-TX]

Ditto what Jim says - I own three orginal RP cars, and nary a one of 'em uses a tube.

Pontiac parts illustration catalog shows no tube on the RP cars as well.

[njsteve]

So where do I get one of them thar "nary" tubes?

Thanks again for the info guys!

[Norwood]

My 70 has the cable covered with a woven sheathing

[pontiacpetey]

In a past issue of high performance pontiac there is a neat trick you can do with the ho type cable tube. I want to do it it seems so simple. Just flatten the two mounting straps and enlarge the mounting screw holes to a little less than 1/2 inch. Cut off the tops of the straps to make them into a u shaped pattern. Then simply loosen the engine mount bolts ( lift the engine a little first) then slide the tube straps up between the mount and the head of the bolt. Tighten the bolts and you are done.
It places the tube underneath the mount and further away from the manifold, and you dont have to remove anything to do it, well almost anything. It is also good for headers and the clearance problems associated with them.
Regards, Pete.

[njsteve]

Can one of you guys, Jim, lloyd, post a photo of the correct routing around the power steering pump. I was able to slip my pos cable out of the bracket and remove it, now I just want to make sure its lieing in the right place as originally designed. Thanks, Steve

[Jim Rotella]

Steve,

I just checked my positive cable routing and it goes under the power steering pump and straight back through the motor mount loop and on to the starter. Check page 12-50 of the '72 shop manual for the wire harness routing. It show the positive cable route under the 455 HO engine.

Jim

[bossbirdta]

resurrecting an old thread....

in doing a search I found this one regarding battery cable routing so I thought I'd post up a few photos I have of what is said to be an original/unrestored 71 T/A with 20K plus original miles. notice how the positive battery cable is routed between the power steering box and the high pressure p/s hose.....it looks a bit strange but could this be the so-called correct way to rout positive cable on the 71/72 H.O. cars? we all know it's supposed to get a clip on the inside front of the inner fender apron under the washer bottle but where does it go from there? if you look at a photo I recently posted in the thread about upper rad. hoses it's right there hiding in plain sight, this is a different photo/same car showing the top of the p/s box and the cable.....has anybody ever seen anything like this before? was this a factory install?? would it make sense that GM built the round port cars this way???...and also FWIW here is a photo of the rear attaching clip/bracket used on the motor mount for the H.O. cars....

[SD73]

That is interesting. It seems like that routing would expose the battery cable to undo wear as the engine rocked back and forth during acceleration. But it is a nice natural restraint for the cable if that doesn't turn out to be an issue. Sort of like the routing of the shaker hose and the power steering hose. Have you checked if the routing is displayed in the assembly manual?

[68bird400HO]

That cable routing looks correct to me based on what I saw in the assembly manual.

Originally Posted by SD73

That is interesting. It seems like that routing would expose the battery cable to undo wear as the engine rocked back and forth during acceleration. But it is a nice natural restraint for the cable if that doesn't turn out to be an issue. Sort of like the routing of the shaker hose and the power steering hose. Have you checked if the routing is displayed in the assembly manual?

That cable has a tar-coated cloth wrap on it to protect it. You can see it in bossbird's first picture.

[Bentwheelbob]

See below the assembly manual page showing the routing for 1972 Fbody with 455 HO. Also is a picture showing the routing on the Black Car. Note the inner fender tube/guide for the cable mounted under the washer bottle. Referring to the battery tender thread that's a separate topic here on the '70 - '73 Fbody section, also note the extension bolts on the battery so that the ring terminal quick connect could be mounted for easy hookup of the Battery Tender.

[transam1972]

BOSSBIRDTA....I see you have the starter brace...very cool...my original starter was replaced and of course that part was tossed!!...I do have a repop that I have not mounted as I was thinking I would never see an original mounted with the original hardware...I have the bracket block bolt (was threaded back in the hole by whoever replaced the starter)..but now I see an original ..thanks!!...would be interested in your posting your engine harness routing on the drivers side....in fact your low milelage car may answer some important detail questions I just need to get organized and think of them!!..I definitely will get back to this thread!! THANKS

[bossbirdta]

Originally Posted by transam1972

BOSSBIRDTA......would be interested in your posting your engine harness routing on the drivers side....

while I'm happy to help, I just want to clarify that this is NOT my car. here are a few decent under hood shots. the service manuals will show how to rout the wiring - that I know. i guess the assembly man's. might do the same, tho I currently don't have one handy.....

[transam1972]

WOW!!!...now that's one original low mileage/untouched engine bay!!!...the elbow.the wire retrainers the shaker switch....interesting line going to the front of the carb. my 72 is definitely a different set up, thats where my vacum modulator line from the trans goes, but on the other side..is this car a 4 speed? (yes)....but there are many subtle differences from 1971 & 1972..I have followed closely the assembly manual for my 1972...I have an 80 amp alt. and believe I have it correct but will never know till I see a comparable 72 like this 71...really impressive though seeing those certain parts that were easily never put back on....again thanks for posting

[transam1972]

another piece of the 455 H.O. puzzle solved!...so I went to my car today to compare to BOSSBIRDTA's photos...I will post some photos when I get a new charger but point is even though I thought I had routed it right its sometimes hard to go by the assembly manual..nothing like a real life picture...now the positive cable routing makes perfect sense...my power steering unit has the same metal/rubber hoses and its quite obvious now that the positive cable routes through that hose then through the washer bottle clip and then connects to the terminal (I will post a before and after soon)...obvious now that the hose was designed with the weird kink to secure the cable...now the positive cable is directed away from the block the way it rolled off the line...In 1973 some motors started getting that front mounted tube for the cable...in fact my block has a tapped and threaded hole in the same spot my 1976 T/A 455 had and that is where I had mounted it after robbing it from the 76...I have since taken it off but it always bothered me as the cable looked to close to the block and it did not make sense...but now with the cable routed properly through the hose like in BOSSBIRD's pic the cable routes away from the block..thanks again and are there any threads /pics of this car? ....I see it has the shaker ground clip mounted on the carb.!!..I wonder if 1972s had this??...as we know the shaker activation was redone for a cleaner/less expensive design...a lot more "stuff" on the 1971 H.O. T/C T/A1972