I have a 1990 Volvo 240 dl wagon with electrical problems. It will start but within minutes the car dies. I have a new battery and a refurbished alternator. I checked to see if the voltage regulator was bad and it still has life in it. The little red wire on the alternator was cut but I reconnected it. It didn't solve the problem and the dash lights still won't turn on. I then noticed that there was a blue (negative ground) wire hanging freely by the radiator. It is the long ground off the negative battery terminal. I assumed it went to the starter but when I attached it, the positive wire and negative arched. I tried replacing the starter because the car wouldn't start but once I removed the negative wire it started fine.

My question is where does this battery ground go and can anyone show or tell me the correct starter wiring. Currently, I have two positive red wires stacked on the positive solenoid terminal. I am uncertain that this is correct because the wiring was all messed up when I got it.

Any help would be appreciated greatly! Thanks

MooseontheL0ose's uploaded images - Imgur

 

the only place I've seen a BLUE ground wire is on the ALTERNATOR. it goes to a screw into the body near the rim of the alternator, NOT one of the insulated posts... but I though that blue wire came off the engine block, not directly from the battery.

AFAIK, the starter just has three wires, the big massive heavy red one from the battery (+) to the big main starter power terminal, a smaller heavy red wire that goes from that same main power terminal to the alternator B+, and a skinny pink(?) wire to the solenoid control terminal, this comes from the ignition key 'start' terminal.


edit; PS, your image on imgur isn't public, and can't be viewed.

 

The ground wire coming off of the battery should be attached to the engine block. I believe it typically is attached via one of the three bolts that hold the engine mount top bracket to the engine block.