2003 Grounding Kit-DIY
 

I am interested in building a max grounding kit for my 2003 Maxima, but before I attempt to build and install the kit, I wanted to see how many wires I need and where they need to be located. Has anyone used the Max Ground kit from Courtesy Nissan? Is there any information available on the maxima.org site that shows the grounding points?

I plan on using 4 Gauge wire along with gold plated end connectors, which you can pickup at variety of stores and online retailers, but I want to make sure I don't go overboard on the design. According to the information I can find on the web, the Max Ground kit includes 4 wires for the 3.5L V6, but I can't seem to locate how you route the wires for the VQ35 motor in the 03.

Can anyone help with instructions? I have seen a number of options on the web for the 3.0L V6, but nothing on the 3.5L.

Question is, for all the trouble it is, can you build one cheaper than Matt93se can sell you one for? Bhlemco

ugh...
theres a lot of threads on this
and multiple ones that link to a powerpoint presentation on how to do hyperg on the 5.5s

search :tardsmash:

I would search the forum, but I don't have rights to use the search feature, unless I am missing the link for the search option. Can anyone help or do I need to make a request to someone on the forum?

Well, I can buy the 4 Gauge Wire for .99/foot, 1660 strand Oxygen Free, and the gold plated connectors for .99 each, which would make the total less than $20.00. Since I like to do this type of work I don't really consider my time as part of the equation to build the kit.

step 1. http://forums.maxima.org/payments.php
step 2. search

Thanks for the information...if only I could retrieve the Powerpoint on the 5.5 Gen. I have seen the write ups for the 3.0L motors but can't seem to find anything on the 5.5 gen 3.5L. The powerpoint on the 5.5 gen has been moved or discarded from the server that was hosting it at Indiana U. Can it be found somewhere else?

....................

I have found a number of kits online including the kit from Courtesy Nissan, but i am planning on making my own. I am trying to locate the powerpoint presentation on how to wire for the 5.5 gen maxima with the 3.5L motor. Now I have officially become a donating member but still can't find the thread on the 3.5L for a 2003 which has the actual PP presentation.

BVENVERT shoot me a PM with your email, i'll send you the powerpoint presentation.. all the links on here for it are dead... i had someone send it to me so dont feel bad.

I had the PPT hosted on my IU school server but they changed the system so the orig link is no longer working. I can e-mail it to whoever wants it, shoot me a PM.

Thanks for confirming my beliefs, that the PPT did not have an operational end point based on the links from Maxima.org. I was starting to lose faith in technology, collaboration, and the Internet as a whole. Glad to see it still exists, since I would rather copy off someone else than actually have to design a working grounding system for myself. I might get this done afterall!

Would 8 Gauge work okay? Or is that not thick enough?

I would imagine that 8 gauge would not be thick enough to be effective.

IMHO I made mine with 8 ga. Worked well. I don't see why it needs to be 4 ga like everyone likes to use. I mean even 8 ga is 3-4-5-6 times bigger than oem.

I suspect that 8 gauge would work, but isn't more better, provided you can work with the heavier gauge wire? Most of the kits you can purchase are done with 4 gauge wire, so that's what I plan on using. If you get a copy of the PPT for the 3.5L on the 03 Max, they used 6 gauge welding wire. I only plan on doing this mod once, so 4 gauge will be my choice, especially since I can buy a high strand count, oxygen free wire for .99/foot.

Thanks Jeff92se that's what I was thinking, are you getting all the gains that you are supposed to get with this grounding kit with the 8 gauge IYO?

Sorry about the ignorance, but what exactly are the benefits of grounding?

Search is your friend....

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread....fits+grounding

I called the local Electric Supply house in my area and they did not stock the flexible welding cable you bought for your install, but they could order it for me at close to $10.00/foot. If you paid $12.00 for that cable you used in your install, you got a great deal. Of course, copper prices have been climbing in the last 6 months and actualy might be at a 10 or 15 year high.

I guess I will go back to buying it over the net.

I don't know what the difference in gains would be using 8ga vs 4 ga. But given the minimal gains that any kit will have, I can only guess the difference wire size would be even less.

But I did notice just a tad better starting/idling/smoother acceleration. Like this gentleman, I did it as a project because someone I knew had some 8 ga laying around.

So Jeff92se, you seem to think that the results will be the same using 8 gauge wire and 4 gauge wire?

@n3985 "I had the PPT hosted on my IU school server but they changed the system so the orig link is no longer working. I can e-mail it to whoever wants it, shoot me a PM."

You've got PMAIL!!!! :woot:

n3985, do you know how many feet of wire you actually used for your grounding kit? It doesn't seem like you would need 24 feet of wire to complete the installation.

I bought 30ft and had a good 8-9ft left when I was done, IMO it's better to have more than less.

I was wondering if anyone did this mod using a pair of jumper cables (4 or 6 gauge) for the wire?

I went to a couple of auto part stores and asked about wiring and connectors with no luck. Even the electric supply houses in my area don't carry the wire or the welding wire that was used in the PPT. You can buy it at Circuit City, Best Buy and some of the local mobile auto stores, but 4 gauge wire is $2.19-$2.79 a foot, plus connectors at .99 each.

You can pickup the 4 gauge wire online at Knuconceptz for .99/foot plus .99 each for gold plated connectors. 8 Guage wire at Knuconceptz is on .37/foot and connectors are .65 each.

Now I am thinking maybe 8 guage will be good enough, especially since the wire and connectors are so much less expensive. My other thought was buy a set of 6 gauge jumper cables and cut them up to do the mod. I assume that jumper cables do not have the real high wire counts and I assume they are not oxygen free, but I think it would work fine.

You can, but it's not the best wire.

Just get it online. Stores charge an arm and a leg and mark-up the wire to no end.

Is $20 all that big an expense? People always argue one way ro another on this, but I always advocate using as large a wire as you can afford. No one has done an 8AWG vs. 4AWG vs. 1/0AWG ground study (not that I know of, a least) so it's up to you with what you are comfortable spending. Some is better than none...

...not to mention it would look ghetto as hell. Save your money for the knukonceptz and do it up right! :nod:

I guess from my perspective, if I am going to make the kit myself, I would rather keep the cost down as much as possible, otherwise I may as well just buy the Blehmco kit with 4AWG for $50.00 shipped.

If I go out an buy 24 feet of 4 gauge wire and 16 connectors to follow the PPT, then I have $40.00 invested plus shipping. I assume the kit doesn't come with as many wires, but at $50.00 shipped and all I have to do is install it, there is no savings putting it together myself.

Does anyone have the Blehmco kit for the 5.5 gen? How many wires are included in the kit?

Ah, well - if you are looking to save some money, you need to thing outside the box, my friend.

20pk of 4AWG Terminals for $11.50

20ft. of 4AWG wire for $21 shipped.

...so for around $33, there you have it. ;)

I buy all my Stinger wires from hifisoundconnection.com on eBay, very good prices.

Metal maxima, thanks for the links to Ebay. I will be ordering the supplies for my grounding kit tonight. Should have the mod done before the Holiday weekend is over.

Glad that I could help!

I finally completed my Grounding Kit over the holiday weekend and I noticed a difference in the electrical system right away, although the biggest difference was actually in the shifting on my 03 Max. The tranny now shifts soooo much more smooth and precise, I would suggest this mod to anyone.

I ran the kit with 4 gauge wire and terminals that I purchased off Ebay for about $30.00 shipped. Just followed the PPT and it was easy to get it installed. Now I am thinking about doing this on my wife's Mitsubishi Endeavor, just to see what type of results I get.

well me and my buddy got together and did ours today he has a 96 max m/t and i got the 01 max a/t... we're using JSC power force ground wire #1662... a huge noticeable difference... i felt more throttle response and smoother shifting and wen i hit from stop it shift into second with a chirp lol and my friend hes burning out left and right lol i'll post a write if anyone is interested

EDIT: I'm interested in a write up for the 01 a/t when you write it up lol

lol damnit... i didn't write it up yet lol

Could someone send me the PPT for the grounding kit? I can't send PM's out... gotta love this newbie business.

Memphis2k@aol.com

OR if you want to I can host the PPT
my upload page is:
http://www.adjenz.com/AJ_PWS/Upload1.asp

Then the link will be:
http://www.adjenz.com/Upload/

I'm instaling a 4 gauge amp kit, completely re-wiring my speakers for my 4 ch amp on top of getting my sub & DVD player installed correctly.

Thanks, Aaron

I have the .ppt to send to ya, but it's for 5.5 gen Max's, with the 3.5 motor. I just got done using and following it myself two weekends ago and it works great, but unless you happen to have a 3.5 swap, you're better served with this: http://www.cardomain.com/ride/442543/16