Jetta GLI ground cable

[sharpshooter33 at adelphia.net (David Brown)]

Ok so I got my GLI running the last 2 days by push starting it.

Runs ok for awhile, but then it starts to miss.  We narrowed it down to a faulty ground.  We think it's the main ground wire.  We attached a meter and the battery has good Voltage, the alternator puts out good voltage, but the battery when the car is running is not getting charge.

We ground the battery with jumper cables to the block and BANG we get a good charge coming back to the battery.

My question is this:
I look up the stock negative battery cable and it's 15"  The current one that I took off is about 22".  All the models that I looked up Scirocco 8v, 16v and Jetta GL and GLI all say 15".

This car was wrecked in the front at one time and the electrical wiring is FUBAR especially with the radiator relay and other items in the front area.  I'm wondering if it's grounded to the wrong place also?  The Bentley says ground to body, but it looks like it's on the back of the tranny.  Also it has a inline connector that wasn't connected to anything.  I'm tempted to get a B.A.cable and ground it to the tranny and body.

Any input?

Thanks
David