are there any advantages to installing a grounding kit on a stock Z, with no stereo, or electrical modifications?

 

I don't think this will give you noticeably brighter headlights.

 

Some people say it helps with easier starts and smoother idle..... then others say they did not notice any difference.... so it's really up to you.

 

I had a 5AT G35 Coupe and completed a DIY grounding kit mod. I read on G35DRIVER that it would speed up and/or smooth the auto tranny shifter-it was right.

The car shifter MUCH smoother and idled better. Was there was a hp gain? I doubt it. I was happy though. My goal was to improve the auto tranny responsiveness.

I'm not sure if there's a real advantage on doing this ona 6MT w/no crazy electrical add-ons (e.g., aftermarket stereo), but it certainly cannot hurt!

 

I upgraded the stock groundings, the one on negative battery, and the two at the alternator I think. didn't notice anything different. I have a 500 watt subwoofer amp and 75x2 component amp with a pioneer headunit. My alpine amp was still saying it was at 14.1 volts, which is what it started at before.

 

This reminds me that I still need to do mine. I did it on my Mazda Protege 5 and it helped a lot. Mazda's are known for ****ty idles and this really helped out.

Are these the best points for this car?

 

nice! great cost effective mod! Just make sure you're getting the right points and have good ground and its a A++++ DIY mod for the money.

 

Great Job ... People whine about the neccessity of a ground kit, But its needed. OEM is ALWAYS minimal when it comes to grounds. Its just good insurance...It wont make you go faster and chances are you will feel no difference but it may save you a fried system some day.

Great connectors, I have a drawer fulll of them, always scrape all the paint off the connecting point and preferably use a bolt, Nut and Lockwasher.

As far as grounding points...... Battery Ground to Body AND Frame.....Engine to Battery Ground, Body and Frame are the most important.

There is also a product called Liquid Electricians tape that comes in all colors, that can be dabbed on the wire to connector connection to seal it

 

Hi guys (and gals)~ Just a quick update; Here's some pics of an upgrade I did this weekend to finish the diy grounding kit. This is what they call "The Big Three", which consists of Pos Batt ---> Alt ---> Chassis ---> Neg Batt.

To complete my diy engine grounding kit, I installed (1) 2 AWG wire from the Pos Batt to the Alternator, and (2) lengths of 2 AWG from the Neg Batt to the chassis. I left the stock wiring in place and simply added to it. I needed this mainly because my amps were taxing the stock electrical system to the point of making my lights go dim when the amps hit...

This upgrade completely fixed the problemo. My volt gauge never goes below 14v now, no matter what I throw at it. And my Caps now read a constant 13.8v. The wiring upgrade probably doesn't hurt perfomance either... Ummm... Placebo effect on that one?? Maybe~ ;-)

I bought the copper crimp connectors, shrink tube, and wire at Autozone. The wire was $1.98 a foot. I used about six feet.

Edit: Forgot to mention that unlike the Ground upgrades, you ***MUST*** disconnect the battery when you're upgrading the Batt + to Alternator. If you don't... Well... You're a braver soul than I am~ :-)

 

Nice work on the upgrade...

Is is necessary to disconnect the negative side of the battery before you install a grounding kit? I was looking to do put one on myself because i have an upgraded audio setup and have been experiencing weaker starts from my Z. Wondering if you should disconnect the neg. terminal side of the battery...

 

I just finished my DIY grounding kit... SOLID MOTOR MOUNTS!

LOL

 

I don't believe it's neccessary to disconnect the battery for a Grounding upgrade. At least I didn't, and had no trouble. But for any Hot-side/ Batt + upgrades I would strongly recommend disconnecting power first. And always run an in-line fuse at least 18 inches from the source. Ie. Battery + terminal. That way if something rubs through the insulation or touches on the hot side, the fuse will blow before you have a bonfire in your lap! Lol~

I chose to use the factory connection point on the Pos Batt termainal, since it's already fused. I couldn't verify that the other mounting point next to it was fused (or if so what amperage), so I didn't use it.

 

There is one undeniable gain from a grounding kit : more ground.

Yes, not less, but more. And who doesn't like more? Don't you always want more? More is "the thing". More is what you want. I mean, more, and a sticker of course.

 

nice writeup

 

Does anyone know where to get 4 guage wires online?

 

what is the best wire to use for this? and connectors?

 

It also lengthens the life of your senors which are not adequately grounded, alternator life, stabilizes your voltage curve under load. i.e. hard acceleration,all electrical equipment on.

 

Or, just run a grounding strap.

 

Planning on doing mine this weekend or next. Great info.

 

sorry this might be a stupid question but a grounding...strap?