torg9409

Hi I have a 1995 jeep grand Cherokee limited 5.2 V8. I recently replaced the head gaskets on it and I had everything back together today and I started to crank it up and it started to smoke. I was able to find the cause was the grounding strap off the head. I have a basic idea of what is happening but if anyone has had this issue please let me know what to look for.
Thanks

wingless

Welcome to the forum.

That connection was smoking because excessive current was passing through a poor connection.

The designed high current negative return path is shown in this cable assembly image. The ring tongue terminal adjacent to the Copyright symbol is attached to the alternator mounting screw. The other end attaches to the battery negative terminal.



If the starter current is overheating the braid cable attached to the head then this primary negative path has failed and should be repaired. Start by carefully removing the battery negative terminal, then by disassembling, inspecting, cleaning, reassembling and properly tightening the connections.

IMO, that fat braid cable on the rear of the heads to the chassis firewall exists to decrease RF noise, so the electronics and radio work okay, not to carry large amounts of DC current.

BlueRidgeMark

Well, your opinion happens to match exactly what the service manual says, so, like the rest of your post, it's right on the money.


torq, you might need to replace your main battery cables. Corrosion can wick up under the insulation and cause a lot of damage without being obvious. You may have broken the cable while working on the car, so even if the terminals all look good, it may not be good enough.


Don't let someone sell you some fancy kit made with 00 welding cable. That's a stupid waste of copper. The stock cables are good enough, and if you want an upgrade, go one gauge size bigger. On the 4.0 engine, the stock cables are 6 gauge. I replaced mine with 4 gauge. I don't know what size you have on the 5.2, but whatever it is, don't waste money going more than one gauge size bigger.

97grand4.0

Battery cables for sure. Specifically, the negative cable. Its shot so the starter current is going
through the little braided cable that’s intended to ground radio noise.