Charles--

So late production with the PAL fuses on the battery terminal. There is where you'll find the trouble if your two symptoms are related. The braided jumper between the firewall and the cam cover is not needed for engine performance or radio code maintenance.

Once the car is running the battery doesn't need to be grounded, or even connected, although I'm not recommending you try testing that theory, as it depends on the charging system being without flaw.

As to the torque on the cam cover acorn nuts, ah, check a few of them and duplicate their torque by feel. Oil and gasket age, leaks, etc. make this difficult to advise on, even if you had an inch-ounce torque wrench.


--
Art Benstein near Baltimore

"Carefully pry (If this were a Jaguar you would prise)..." -BrickDad