Grounding kits?
11-13-2003, 02:49 PM
#17
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Originally posted by theworx
I used 8 gauge wire from a local stereo shop and 14 crimp connectors. Cost me $20. I gran wires between:
Driver's side IM - Neg batt term
DSIM - Main grounding point on engine(under intercooler)
DSIM - Driver's side fender wall(right next to Neg batt term)
Main Grounding point - DS strut tower
MGP - passenger side strut tower
Passenger side IM - PS fender wall(by airbox)
PSIM - ABS bracket
I used 8 gauge wire from a local stereo shop and 14 crimp connectors. Cost me $20. I gran wires between:
Driver's side IM - Neg batt term
DSIM - Main grounding point on engine(under intercooler)
DSIM - Driver's side fender wall(right next to Neg batt term)
Main Grounding point - DS strut tower
MGP - passenger side strut tower
Passenger side IM - PS fender wall(by airbox)
PSIM - ABS bracket
11-13-2003, 03:48 PM
#20
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Originally posted by Ditty77
You guys have nice cars.
Don't be cheap.
You guys have nice cars.
Don't be cheap.
11-14-2003, 05:44 AM
#21
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Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Sold my condo now I'm homeless
Posts: 672
Car Info: 2002 WRX
Originally posted by Uncle Scotty
A fool and his money will soon be parted.
A fool and his money will soon be parted.
I think when people ghetto rig their car it looks like crap show me a pic of how nice you did it and I'll show you the one I bought and installed in about 10 minutes.
11-14-2003, 07:46 AM
#23
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I have a few pics on the thread below:
https://www.i-club.com/forums/showth...threadid=31367
Just today I addeed one more wire. From the PSIM to the PS fender wall.
Scott
https://www.i-club.com/forums/showth...threadid=31367
Just today I addeed one more wire. From the PSIM to the PS fender wall.
Scott
11-14-2003, 10:50 AM
#24
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Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Cincinnati, OH
Posts: 461
Car Info: 04 Java Black Sedan
I'll take a pic tomorrow of mine and post it here. BTW, none of those you linked to had a grounding system.
Ditty77, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to cut a wire and make it look nice. As long as you get the rubber covers to hide the connection of the wire and terminal it will look identical to whatever you spent $50 or more on. Don't try to justify your waste of money on your HKS Circle Earth grounding system when you get the same results from my $20 "kit" plus custom wire lengths.
Ditty77, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to cut a wire and make it look nice. As long as you get the rubber covers to hide the connection of the wire and terminal it will look identical to whatever you spent $50 or more on. Don't try to justify your waste of money on your HKS Circle Earth grounding system when you get the same results from my $20 "kit" plus custom wire lengths.
11-14-2003, 01:21 PM
#26
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Location: New England
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Car Info: '02 WRX sedan
I'm really surprised that no one has done a definitive how-to here. I'd love to try to work on this this weekend, but I'm still unsure on what to buy, and where the bolting points are on the engine. Are there any diagrams, pictures, or buy lists out there? If I could get some good direction, I'd be glad to do a how-to as I go this weekend.
11-14-2003, 03:25 PM
#27
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Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Cincinnati, OH
Posts: 461
Car Info: 04 Java Black Sedan
I don't have a DIY because franky it's just too easy, but this is what inspired me to do it. Here is the post by the guy I was talking about earlier from nasioc.com.
quote:
I've been reading about the "grounding mod" and decided to try it on my wife's '98 GT with some terminals and wire left over from a stereo install.
I started by measuring voltage differential to and from all of the factory grounds I could locate. The ones I could find are as follows:
[AC] - Alternator Case
[MG] - Main Ground point on back of engine
[BA] - Negative terminal of BAttery
[IM] - Intake Manifold
[DF] - Driver's Front side above headlight on radiator support
[DS] - Driver's Strut tower
[PF] - Passenger's Front on ABS motor bracket
[PS] - Passenger's Strut tower
I measured from ground point to ground point with my DVM and noted the DC voltage across each "circuit". The results are as follows:
[AC]->[MG] 7.0mv
[MG]->[BA] 7.3mv
[MG]->[IM] -1.9mv
[MG]->[DF] 11.0mv
[MG]->[DS] 11.0mv
[MG]->[PF] 9.6mv
[MG]->[PS] 11.5mv
Two points of interest:
The negative reading on the [MG]->[BA] "circuit" tells me that, on this car, the Intake Manifold is a better grounding point than the Main Ground point.
The body of the car gets its ground from an 8 gauge wire running from the "-" of the battery to the ground point on the radiator support. When I disconnected this wire from the firewall the results are the same as pulling the negative terminal off the battery.
I used 8 gauge wires to make the following grounds:
[MG]->[IM]
[MG]->[BA]
[BA]->[DF]
[MG]->[DS]
[MG]->[PS]
(I ran out of wires and couldn't do the [MG]->[PF] run)
Here's my results:
[AC]->[MG] 7.0mv (not regrounded)
[MG]->[BA] 3.8mv
[MG]->[IM] -1.7mv
[MG]->[DF] 4.6mv
[MG]->[DS] 5.2mv
[MG]->[PF] 7.6mv
[MG]->[PS] 5.0mv
I expect to see [MG]->[PF] drop more once I ground it. I'm also looking to run a wire from the alternator case to the main ground point, but I'll have to figure out how to attach to the alternator first.
Initial impression is that the car runs smoother, quieter, and seems more "effortless" when accelerating and cruising. Additionally, the lights seem a bit brighter and the car turns over quicker when starting. Overall a low-buck, low-effort mod that seems to have a few positive results with no apparent negatives. Time will tell.
quote:
I've been reading about the "grounding mod" and decided to try it on my wife's '98 GT with some terminals and wire left over from a stereo install.
I started by measuring voltage differential to and from all of the factory grounds I could locate. The ones I could find are as follows:
[AC] - Alternator Case
[MG] - Main Ground point on back of engine
[BA] - Negative terminal of BAttery
[IM] - Intake Manifold
[DF] - Driver's Front side above headlight on radiator support
[DS] - Driver's Strut tower
[PF] - Passenger's Front on ABS motor bracket
[PS] - Passenger's Strut tower
I measured from ground point to ground point with my DVM and noted the DC voltage across each "circuit". The results are as follows:
[AC]->[MG] 7.0mv
[MG]->[BA] 7.3mv
[MG]->[IM] -1.9mv
[MG]->[DF] 11.0mv
[MG]->[DS] 11.0mv
[MG]->[PF] 9.6mv
[MG]->[PS] 11.5mv
Two points of interest:
The negative reading on the [MG]->[BA] "circuit" tells me that, on this car, the Intake Manifold is a better grounding point than the Main Ground point.
The body of the car gets its ground from an 8 gauge wire running from the "-" of the battery to the ground point on the radiator support. When I disconnected this wire from the firewall the results are the same as pulling the negative terminal off the battery.
I used 8 gauge wires to make the following grounds:
[MG]->[IM]
[MG]->[BA]
[BA]->[DF]
[MG]->[DS]
[MG]->[PS]
(I ran out of wires and couldn't do the [MG]->[PF] run)
Here's my results:
[AC]->[MG] 7.0mv (not regrounded)
[MG]->[BA] 3.8mv
[MG]->[IM] -1.7mv
[MG]->[DF] 4.6mv
[MG]->[DS] 5.2mv
[MG]->[PF] 7.6mv
[MG]->[PS] 5.0mv
I expect to see [MG]->[PF] drop more once I ground it. I'm also looking to run a wire from the alternator case to the main ground point, but I'll have to figure out how to attach to the alternator first.
Initial impression is that the car runs smoother, quieter, and seems more "effortless" when accelerating and cruising. Additionally, the lights seem a bit brighter and the car turns over quicker when starting. Overall a low-buck, low-effort mod that seems to have a few positive results with no apparent negatives. Time will tell.
11-15-2003, 10:08 AM
#28
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Posts: n/a
Hey any views on the HKS Circle Earth or the Split Fire Ground Cables? One of my friends used the circle earth and all it did was make the headlights brighter on his version 5 STi. Didn't do anything else. So, is the Circle Earth really worth it? Some of them claim that the power hike can be as high as 10 hp @ peak. I don't know. any insights?
11-15-2003, 11:08 AM
#29
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Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Cincinnati, OH
Posts: 461
Car Info: 04 Java Black Sedan
Here is where you can find some pics of my WRX, Tiburon and old Talon. The WRX with the grounding mod is on page 2.
http://members.cardomain.com/tiburonpower
http://members.cardomain.com/tiburonpower
11-15-2003, 01:39 PM
#30
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Join Date: Nov 2002
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Car Info: .............................................................................
Originally posted by Ditty77
I think when people ghetto rig their car it looks like crap show me a pic of how nice you did it and I'll show you the one I bought and installed in about 10 minutes.
I think when people ghetto rig their car it looks like crap show me a pic of how nice you did it and I'll show you the one I bought and installed in about 10 minutes.
I guess I have the advantage of being a professional mechanic, though.
It is hard to see my grounding straps because I did it that way on purpose. I'm not into the 'bling' that too many people are these days.
I don't need to impress others with a glitzy show of what I bought, and I have the satisfaction of knowing that I did it myself.