Dr.Monkey1313

Can someone technical please explain what ground wires are and what they do for our cars?

Sorry if this is a stupid question, but I was just curious.

Thanks.

Double E

Lesseee,

Kind of a newbie question for someone with over 1K posts...but an honest question all the same.

Here's what I know:
Our cars use a 12v negative ground (DC) electrical system. That means on your battery, only the positive terminal is directly connected to the major electrical components of the car (or the connections are branched off from fuse boxes of some sort that have a major positive connection from the battery). The other connection from the battery (negative) is directly connected to the frame of the car and the engine block.

This means that most major components are mounted to the frame or engine block for the negative portion of a complete circuit and sometimes you'll even see a wire from an electircal component coming from a plastic part that bolts to the frame (like the dome/courtesy lights).

Over time, there can be some downside to the negative part of the battery hooking to the frame as opposed to directly to the the electrical device, but in most cases, there is no issue from time taking it's toll on the metal surfaces of the frame & engine block. This method also eliminates 2 paths of wire going to every device in the car and instead the entire car & engine becomes the "negative wire".

Many Euro-built cars back in the day, used a positive ground system but it worked much the same way. Some still use it.

I've been thinking about getting an upgraded negative mounting block and upgraded cables to see about a difference. Others here had noted more immediate electical input responses from Auto tranny's & lights in general and I suppose it may also extent the life of the alternators & batteries.

Hope that helped.

attomica

I haven't felt the need to upgrade the current electrical system in my 2000 I30t, but the car I had before that was a 1991 RX-7. That car was a fantastic piece of machinery, but there were some nagging electrical issues that came up with some frequency. For example, the tachometer was electronic and received its signal from a sending unit. It stopped working one day. I ran a few random wires from the negative battery terminal to various points on the chassis and it resumed function. Radio reception was a lot better after that too. I guess it just increases "electrical flow".

Dr.Monkey1313

Thanks for the info. I know it's a newbee question, but I am the first to admit that I am not a technical guy when it comes to cars. I am more of a visual mod guy.

It doesn't sound like I need to worry about doing anything with these correct?

Again, thanks for the info.

i30ds

iTrader: (8)

I would not worry about it. I put one on as I had heard that it helped the electrical system on the car (i.e. reduce headlights dimming when you rolled up the window), but I felt no effect. You would be better off to put on a new alternator to resolve that issue than a grounding kit.

Dr.Monkey1313

Thanks i30ds.

Every time I see you post something, I look at that picture and think, "damn, what a clean freekin' engin compartment!!" LOL Nice job!

L0R1DA

Personally I noticed a difference on automatic with my 7 wire grounding kit only after replacing the aftermarket aluminum (bad conductor) block spacer to a brass spacer ($1.50 piece from hardware store). The most noticeable difference is that the TCM seems to works more efficiently, allowing me to stay in one gear all the way to redline and have better control over auto-shifting. Its a subtle upgrade at best, I got mine with a voltage stabilizer for $80 total, and I hear I got ripped for it, so if you can find the package deal for $50, pick it up, it helps a bit and makes your engine bay look more professional :

i30ds

iTrader: (8)

Thanks! When I first bought the car, the engine was extremely dirty... It looked like it had never been cleaned. So I sprayed it down with some castrol engine degreaser, hosed it off with water, and then just maintained it from time to time with a little armor all on a rag. It really works great.

Dr.Monkey1313

I will have to try that out maybe this weekend! So you just spary the Castrol Engine Degreaser all over the engine bay, let it sit for a few and then hose it off? And that won't harm anything under there? I don't need to cover anything up or worry about water on anything, do I?

I will have to try that. Thanks for the tip.

clayman88

iTrader: (1)

I'm pretty sure its a good idea to cover up the distributor. Anybody else?

i30ds

iTrader: (8)

Yeah, but too bad we don't have one.

i30ds

iTrader: (8)

Yup. It comes in a plastic purple spray bottle. I covered up my cone air filter with a plastic bag and a rubber band, but since you probably have the stock air box, you won't need to cover anything up. Just give the engine ample time to dry in the warm sun after you hose it off.

HomerMAC

iTrader: (5)

well instead of putting ground wires ... change the damm connector that connects to the battery terminal.. the ones that come stock suck...


i noticed shifitn on auto became better paired with the REDtop battery

Double E

True, those stock connectors at the battery posts do suck. The negative wire looks weak too. It may be just the thing I do next...

Dr.Monkey1313

Sweet. I may try this in a few days. Thanks for the info.

On another topic, i am going to post a new question about converting from the stock air box to cone air filter. Look for that post and give me your thougths when you can

Thanks

i30ds

iTrader: (8)

Just get either of these:

http://www.jimwolftechnology.com/cus...asp?PartID=360
http://www.stillen.com/Sportscars_de...d=43667&page=1

The stillen is cheaper and higher quality, so I would go with that. Not only does the kit include a cone filter but it has a velocity stack that mounts up the the MAF housing and then the cone clamps down on that. The whole thing is mounted on to a bracket for support. THe kit includes instructions and all you need is wreches to do this job.

clayman88

iTrader: (1)

LOL...wow...I dont claim to know a whole lot about cars, but I thought all cars had a distributor.

Double E

Clay,

It's true. We don't have a distributor in the traditional sense of the term. Of course, a spark is sent to the plugs, but it is actually sent (or triggered) directly from individual coils atop each spark plug by our computer.

Read my long post on the topic in a thread from a few weeks ago.

n3985

iTrader: (36)

So does anyone have a writeup with pics for installing a grounding kit for a 5.5gen? I know irish has one about his 5th gen...

i30ds

iTrader: (8)

You thought wrong.

Our cars do not have a distributor as it has a coil pack for each individual spark plug... thus a distributor is not needed... hence the term "distributorless ignition". I guess its a good thing you really don't claim to know a whole lot about cars.

HomerMAC

iTrader: (5)

the most debated mod for our cars.. everyone claims that u looose on low end.. and here in ny all i use is accel dont get to go that fast.. so i don tknwo..

i30ds

iTrader: (8)

Yeah, I've read the threads, and I think the lowend loss thing is bullsh!t. I know the way this car drives like the back of my hand, and I never detected any loss anywhere in the rpm range. I did not detect any gain either though. Anyways, even so, the audible tone that the engine emits with a cone filter is worth it alone.

clayman88

iTrader: (1)

Thanks for restating the obvious there, buddy.

i30ds

iTrader: (8)

You're welcome... just stopping the spread of obvious misinformation, buddy.