grounding mod

ive seen it on wrxs and other cars. i searched around on here a little didn't really find anything, should you do it? or is it already done. anyone have any information let me know thanks

It shouldn't make a difference and those that swear it does either had a pre-existing problem or it's all in their head

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/grounding-mod-158004.html

Think about it why do people use a certian guage wire when they are installing wires to their amps or speakers. This is the same premise. The factory wires are enough gauge to make everything work. Putting on a high guage allows the car's electricity to flow a lot smoother. Trust me it works. If you think not pull out a volt meter and go and buy an 8 guage wire and test a wire on the car. I bet you that the 8 gauge wire will read a constant volt while the stock guage wire will be bouncing up and down.

I installed a big 3 upgrade 4awg) on my '98 and noticed improved idle and pulls. At the same time I made a ground kit using 10awg wire.

thanks for the info guys! not really worried about it, i didn't know if it was a MUST have and it made it run so much better and i was missing out on all the fun.

do it, and post pics. Besides moding your car is fun after all. When it makes a diff

thanks for the info guys! not really worried about it, i didn't know if it was a MUST have and it made it run so much better and i was missing out on all the fun.

 

It's not a must have mod. Unless you are one of those anal people like me and like to be almost connected to your car. Personally I think it's a great mod even better if it's your first.

the "big 3" is def. a nice thing to have. it will help the car start better in colder weather as well as keep the voltage fluctuation to a minimum as previously stated. easy to do, cheap, and well worth the gains.

It never ends

 

Adding a bunch of grounds or lager grounds will do ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.

What do you guys who swear by grounding think the most important grounds to make are?

 

And what gauge should the wire be?

Don't buy a kit, DIY. I used 8AWG on my Z, and bought ring terminals in bulk. 2 hours later I was done.

 

It does help the electrical system, but it won't gain you any HP. Best time to do it is when you're refreshing other aspects of the system, alternator, harnesses etc.

Better grounds are sways better. Those who think they aren't are fools.

 

I used 4awg for the big 3 and 10awg for some added grounds.

How are better grounds better? This is one fool would like to learn.

Car is already grounded.... might make the idle a tad better but i don't think its worth the money unless you got it like that

So how does a fool know if the car is already grounded properly?

 

How does a fool know when it is grounded properly?

 

How can the fool measure the benefits if the fool is able to obtain proper grounding?

So how does a fool know if the car is already grounded properly?

 

How does a fool know when it is grounded properly?

 

How can the fool measure the benefits if the fool is able to obtain proper grounding?

 

rao I know it sounds silly to most. If you were to remove all grounding wires on the car and replaced them with 8 gauge. The only thing this does is make your electrical current smoother. It doesn't do anything else. Like I had stated before if you go out to your car with a voltage meter you would be reading 12-13 volts fluctuating. If you removed all of your grounding wires and replaced them with a high gauge wire like 10 or 8 gauge and you tested it with a volt meter there would be very little to no fluctuating in on the meter. No POWER Will be gained from this. Just a smoother electrical current. You can test this theory out on any electrical piece of equipment.

So the benefit of adding additional grounds or larger gauge grounds is that the electrical current is "smoother"?

 

The way to measure this "smoother" current is to use a volt meter and note the fluctuations before you perform the modification and then after? Is there a threshold for this voltage fluctuation when you know that the additional/larger grounds would be beneficial?

 

Can you explain how "smoother" electrical current is beneficial?

So the benefit of adding additional grounds or larger gauge grounds is that the electrical current is "smoother"?

 

The way to measure this "smoother" current is to use a volt meter and note the fluctuations before you perform the modification and then after? Is there a threshold for this voltage fluctuation when you know that the additional/larger grounds would be beneficial?

 

Can you explain how "smoother" electrical current is beneficial?

 

It's more or less for the recharging of the battery than anything. The feeling of the car being smoother is just the same as your Butt dyno telling you that your cool intake added 50hp. The larger wire just allows the charging system to be more solid and charge quicker and better. This is the only gain this would have. I'm no electrical engineer but when I was working with electric and was taught all the tricks of how bigger gauge wire allows for a more solid current flow.

So the "smoother" flow of electrical current relates to the charging of the battery?

 

How does this impact the overall performance of the car? What is the benefit of "smoother" battery charging" How can this be measured?

 

I have read that the benefit relates to improving the performance of the ecu, which accounts for the smoother idle (lots of increased smoothness with better grounds it seems), etc. This business about smoother battery charging is different.

So the "smoother" flow of electrical current relates to the charging of the battery?

 

How does this impact the overall performance of the car? What is the benefit of "smoother" battery charging" How can this be measured?

 

I have read that the benefit relates to improving the performance of the ecu, which accounts for the smoother idle (lots of increased smoothness with better grounds it seems), etc. This business about smoother battery charging is different.

 

tHERE IS NO PERFORMANCE ENHACMENT UNLESS IT'S ELECTRICAL PERFROMANCE ALL AROUND. This is all this mod does is make the electricity flow better throughout your car. Just as if you were to go mad and redo all the wiring in you entire car. Everything would flow better. That is all. As for the ECU and Idle that is a bit smoother but it does not improve the performance of the car. It just make you more aware of the car. Much like an Exhaust leak or a new air filter on a turbo car. It makes you more aware of the car itself.

So there aren't answers to my simple questions about how this works?

 

The only thing we have is that it makes the car "smoother" and that the electricity flows better throughout the car. It also appears to make you much more aware of the car, which is certainly beneficial. How does the improved grounding improve the driver's "awareness" of the car?

rao - upgrading the grounds makes your car one step closer to a Spec B. that is how it works. you are getting closer to the ultimate driving machine, that is all. add the big 3, and you're another step closer.

 

isnt the point of all car mods to get closer to having a Spec B? unless, you have a Spec B, then you're starting to tear the universe.

Better grounds are sways better. Those who think they aren't are fools.

 

I used 4awg for the big 3 and 10awg for some added grounds.

 

What are the big three?

 

TIA,

Anthony

rao - upgrading the grounds makes your car one step closer to a Spec B. that is how it works. you are getting closer to the ultimate driving machine, that is all. add the big 3, and you're another step closer.

 

isnt the point of all car mods to get closer to having a Spec B? unless, you have a Spec B, then you're starting to tear the universe.

 

You guys on this forum really have a spec b complex. I think subaru's are great and all but none of them including the sti's are real sports cars much less the ultimate driving machine. They are real world cars that are fun to drive and can go in the snow with the right tires. I guess the could be considered sport sedans but I think sporty sedans is a term that describes them better

 

By the way to fan the flames a little I own a spec b but I consider it just what it is a nice little car. I may change the turbo and would like to end up with high 300 to low 400 whp/tq range with wtq equaling or bettering whp that would make this good sports sedan a good bit better I imagine. I hope a gt30 or similar turbo can handle that task.