Battery negative to chassis ground~tc~ wrote:Big 3 = battery to block, block to frame, and body to frame ... At least in a car with a frame ...
Engine block to chassis ground
Alternator positive to battery positive
Grounding kit
Awesome pictures! So how would one go about improving the grounds? Do you have to change the cable from one end to the other?
Either replace the stock wiring with thicker gauge wires, add more grounding wires, or bothSamirD wrote:Awesome pictures! So how would one go about improving the grounds? Do you have to change the cable from one end to the other?
Edit: Here are some links to get started:
- 6 AWG stranded wire - $0.89/ft
- 6 AWG ring terminals - $3.18/4pk
- 8 AWG stranded wire - $0.59/ft
- I can't find any 8 AWG ring terminals?
None of this is readily available in Canada
So I had some spare time tonight and decided to see if I could start adding some grounding wires. I found some spare 8 gauge stranded copper wire leftover from past grounding kit projects. I picked up some ring terminals from Princess Auto (the Canadian Harbor Freight).
Here's the wiring. I would've preferred black but I have a lot of this stuff leftover.
I started with the throttle body as I thought it would be easiest and possibly the most effective, seeing how our cars are DBW. I connected one of the mounting points on the TB to the negative terminal on the battery. You have to move the intake hose back in order to get the 10mm TB bolt off. The 12mm grounding bolt on the negative terminal was torqued so tight that the entire terminal started warping when trying to loosen the bolt! It worked out but it was definitely more of a hassle than I expected.
Grouding:
Cover on:
There are a couple empty bolt holes on the engine block below the oil filler cap. I'll try adding a ground there next as it's close to the factory chassis grounding point. I'd like to improve the ground for the ignition coil wiring but I can't find it 
Here's the wiring. I would've preferred black but I have a lot of this stuff leftover.
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Grouding:
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I did a few more grounds tonight. I added a grounding wire on the alternator to the chassis. Probably redundant as the alternator is grounded to the block but it can't hurt. I'm wondering if grounding it to the battery would be better though. The alternator had an empty bolt hole that 10mm bolt fit into. I grounded it to a nearby 10mm chassis bolt:
I also grounded the block to the factory grounding point. A 13mm bolt fit into the empty slot pictured below:
And overall engine bay shot
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- IMG_20140514_203312.jpg (352.28 KiB) Viewed 5255 times
I could see this working in an old vehicle with corroded wiring terminations, rusty earth bolts and earthing points. For a new vehicle, I can only see it providing any advantage when cranking the engine over (ie. with very high current loads.)
You could put a multimeter from the engine block to the battery negative and check for voltage drop differences with the engine running. That will show up any improvement.
A couple of questions- what's the temperature rating of the cable insulation that you're using - is it rated high enough for engine bay temps? eg right next to the exhaust manifold
Are you crimping or soldering the terminals?
You could put a multimeter from the engine block to the battery negative and check for voltage drop differences with the engine running. That will show up any improvement.
A couple of questions- what's the temperature rating of the cable insulation that you're using - is it rated high enough for engine bay temps? eg right next to the exhaust manifold
Are you crimping or soldering the terminals?David
I agree that grounding kits mostly benefit vehicles with inadequate or dirty grounds. Regardless, it can't hurt and it's something to do with minimal effort. Doubt I'll be adding any more though
Don't know the rating of the insulation but it's fine. I had a wire near the exhaust manifold and turbo on my GTI and no issues. The Kizashi has a heat shield on the manifold, and there is also factory wiring nearby.
Connections are crimped.
Don't know the rating of the insulation but it's fine. I had a wire near the exhaust manifold and turbo on my GTI and no issues. The Kizashi has a heat shield on the manifold, and there is also factory wiring nearby.
Connections are crimped.