Can anyone tell me how much 4 gauge wire I'll need to do the big 3 in a VG? Also does Craig B have a writeup for it or anyone else have one for VG with pics?

 

Get about 10 feet (some for extra) You need neg to chassis. Neg to Alt. the third I am not sure on.

 

What is a "big 3"?

 

Upgrading the grounds.

 

Use 8 gauge, 4 is overkill and just plain ugly (except from battery to block).

 

I don't get it.

 

Big 3= Battery neg- to chassis neg-
Battery pos+ to alt+
Alt neg- (mounting bolt) to chassis neg-

I personally used all 4 gauge and have no problems.It took about 5 feet pos+ cable and 6 feet neg-.

 

Do the grounds NEED upgrading in these cars?
I did run dedicated wires for my radio's 12VDC +/- directly from the battery (fused +) because the radio wasn't getting enough juice to power 200W (the off/on is still switched from the key, but the radio gets its power from the constant-hot line), but everything else seems OK.. never had a need to re-do the chassis grounds (I thought)...

As far as the grounds, why not do it right and get anodized braided copper? They're available in different widths, and if you buy the correct lengths with the ends already attached you don't have to worry about shoddy crimp joints. They'll easily outlast the car.

 

Do you have an amp and everything else other than HU power? Because there's this thing we have called the alternator whine and when you do the Big 3 it usually goes away. The big 3 also helps against dimming lights.

 

I only did the neg ground to chasis on the alternator.
When you did the positive alt to batt did you fully replace the original, or just double up with a new one?

 

I plan to cover it with wire loom anyway. I already have 4 gauge from terminal to amp, I thought it was better to match wiring. I got two 500/1 and I'm adding a 300/4. I have dimming without the 300/4.

 

remember when upgrading the gorunds to keep them as short as possible. the shorter the run of wire the more effective the ground will be.

 

Or any eletronics as long as the wire length doesn't change the resistance of a sensor.

~Alex

 

I thought you were going to ask about GM, Ford and Chrysler (commonly known as the big 3).

 

QUOTE=hadman]I only did the neg ground to chasis on the alternator.
When you did the positive alt to batt did you fully replace the original, or just double up with a new one?[/QUOTE]



I left the originals and added extra cables..

 

Thought so. Just checking. Nice battery btw!

 

blehmco sells ground kits specific to each motor in whatever color you want

 

Yeah, Matt's kit is great.

 

Jbr8K, how much that optima cost ya? looks good, i need to get one soon

 

There was a group deal going in the GD section and was lucky to get it for
$146 shipped about $40 less than what I had seen it for.

 

These are some nice prices.
http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=363680

 

Nope, no alternator whine, and no dimming lights. Even before I ran the dedicated lines from the battery: no whine, but really pitiful bass (called for too much power). Dedicated +/- 12VDC solved that little problem.