Out of the two years I have been a member here and during my Focus ownership, I never heard grounding kits mentioned. Now that I own a P5 and browse the Protege boards, I see them mentioned all the time. Is there a reason for that?? Is this something that is mostly used for imports?? Supposedly adding a grounding kit improves performance slightly. Any insight on them from the FJ performance guru's??
Grounding kits??
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They are big on imports, but dont buy one. $ to perfomace ratio is about as bad as it gets. On some cars they do nothing, on others they might give better throttle response but thats about it.
I wasn't considering buying one. But I have seen some how-to's for making one from scratch pretty cheap. Hell if it a cheap upgrade that will give a little better throttle resonse and smoother idling, I'd be for it. I was just mostly curious why no one on here had tried them or even mentioned them. I have seen everything under the sun tried by FJ members.
Grounding Kit
I remember reading this thread awhile ago. This was when these kits were all over ebay.
mike
I remember reading this thread awhile ago. This was when these kits were all over ebay.
mike
Tek just did one the other day - check it out, its got pictures too
web <a href="pagehttp://www.focaljet.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=UBB42&Number=705855&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1" target="_blank">pagehttp://www.focaljet.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=UBB42&Number=705855&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1[/url]</a>
web <a href="pagehttp://www.focaljet.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=UBB42&Number=705855&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1" target="_blank">pagehttp://www.focaljet.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=UBB42&Number=705855&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1[/url]</a>
Where to connect the 5 wires?
Can someone that's either bought the kit or gotten a copy of the directions post a list of what all they suggest you connect together? I saw that the official kit comes with 5 wires (in varying length). I've already got materials for installing my car stereo and as part of that I was planning on replacing the battery to ground wire to match the hot wire that I'm running back to the amp (probably a little overkill since part of the reason to run large wire to the amp is to reduce voltage loss due to the long wire and the battery to ground wire is only a foot or two compared to 10-15 feet to get from the battery to amp). I'm not opposed to buying a few more connectors (and a bit more wire if I don't have enough extra) and replacing some more. I know there's one (or maybe two) block to chassis grounds. Still, that's less than the 5 wires that the kit is coming with. Is there a battery to block as well? That'd make sense to upgrade as well... Still leaves me 2 wires short.
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Edit: Found a pic of the Mistu Evo install directions. Obviously there are a few differences between it an the Focus, but it's better than blindly installing them. It brings up a couple ov questions, though.
1. Why daisy-chain the ground wires?
2. Why run a special ground wire to the tranny?
3. Why ground a plastic intake manifold? (ok, that was a joke... I know the Evo has a metal or alumnium one)
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Can someone that's either bought the kit or gotten a copy of the directions post a list of what all they suggest you connect together? I saw that the official kit comes with 5 wires (in varying length). I've already got materials for installing my car stereo and as part of that I was planning on replacing the battery to ground wire to match the hot wire that I'm running back to the amp (probably a little overkill since part of the reason to run large wire to the amp is to reduce voltage loss due to the long wire and the battery to ground wire is only a foot or two compared to 10-15 feet to get from the battery to amp). I'm not opposed to buying a few more connectors (and a bit more wire if I don't have enough extra) and replacing some more. I know there's one (or maybe two) block to chassis grounds. Still, that's less than the 5 wires that the kit is coming with. Is there a battery to block as well? That'd make sense to upgrade as well... Still leaves me 2 wires short.
Edit: Found a pic of the Mistu Evo install directions. Obviously there are a few differences between it an the Focus, but it's better than blindly installing them. It brings up a couple ov questions, though.
1. Why daisy-chain the ground wires?
2. Why run a special ground wire to the tranny?
3. Why ground a plastic intake manifold? (ok, that was a joke... I know the Evo has a metal or alumnium one)
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2,440 Posts
Re: Where to connect the 5 wires?
If ANYTHING, to reduce resistance (thus votage drop) run the grounds as homeruns....not "daisy chained".
FWIW, whoever the moron was that came up with this "idea" needs to go back to school.
Give yourself ONE GOOD ground point.Run all grounds to that point (homeruns). If you want, you could run smaller grounds to things that may pick up and hold a static charge.
Can someone that's either bought the kit or gotten a copy of the directions post a list of what all they suggest you connect together? I saw that the official kit comes with 5 wires (in varying length). I've already got materials for installing my car stereo and as part of that I was planning on replacing the battery to ground wire to match the hot wire that I'm running back to the amp (probably a little overkill since part of the reason to run large wire to the amp is to reduce voltage loss due to the long wire and the battery to ground wire is only a foot or two compared to 10-15 feet to get from the battery to amp). I'm not opposed to buying a few more connectors (and a bit more wire if I don't have enough extra) and replacing some more. I know there's one (or maybe two) block to chassis grounds. Still, that's less than the 5 wires that the kit is coming with. Is there a battery to block as well? That'd make sense to upgrade as well... Still leaves me 2 wires short.![]()
Edit: Found a pic of the Mistu Evo install directions. Obviously there are a few differences between it an the Focus, but it's better than blindly installing them. It brings up a couple ov questions, though.
1. Why daisy-chain the ground wires?
2. Why run a special ground wire to the tranny?
3. Why ground a plastic intake manifold? (ok, that was a joke... I know the Evo has a metal or alumnium one)
![]()
Ugh, that won't work... I'll re-host it and fix the URL shortly.
Pick up a copy of an NEC code book and look up your wire size and type. There you will find the EXACT resistance (so you CAN calculate the voltage drop.
If ANYTHING, to reduce resistance (thus votage drop) run the grounds as homeruns....not "daisy chained".
FWIW, whoever the moron was that came up with this "idea" needs to go back to school.
Give yourself ONE GOOD ground point.Run all grounds to that point (homeruns). If you want, you could run smaller grounds to things that may pick up and hold a static charge.
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3,495 Posts
Re: Where to connect the 5 wires?
That's actually what the HKS kit on ebay seems to be. Been thinking of getting something like this but I have better things to spend $$25-50 rather than on 4 gauge audio wires.
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1,092 Posts
Re: Where to connect the 5 wires?
all you really need is to upgrade the factory grounds. engie to chassis, chassis to battery and engine to battery. grounding kits are for ricers that don't know any better.
Tim
all you really need is to upgrade the factory grounds. engie to chassis, chassis to battery and engine to battery. grounding kits are for ricers that don't know any better.
Tim
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