Cusco Earth Grounding Kit

[OrbitalEllipses]

Originally Posted by markmatley

Roger that! Was planning to double crimp then solder the end of terminal with the wire attached just in case. I have heat shrink tubing that should withstand up to 492F, and is chemically resistant (oil, acid, cat pee...LOL).

I haven't had much idling issue, but maybe I'll keep a better eye on things before I do this mod to see if any changes occur.

I don't know HOW I did it, but the other night pulling up into my driveway I had the put the clutch in and my idle just started acting like had a vacuum leak for probably 10-20 seconds. Otherwise, I get the idle dip every now and again.

[Calum]

The ground wire that @Huehuecoyotl posted is great stuff, in the right environment. Most factory grounds are made of the same stuff and they all corrode here. Personally I use heavy duty lugs, solder slugs, and self adhesive heat shrink. I've tried the stereo store ring terminals but they all failed as well due to the open end with no good way to seal it off.

This is what I've been using, I've yet to see one of these fail even after years on the road in an area that heavily salts during the winter.

http://www.delcity.net/store/Heavy!d...er-Lugs/p_1012

Now I REALLY want to address what people are grounding to where. Most people view the chassis of the car as the ground, but this is false. The chassis is merely a convenient conductor to 'ground'. Ground is the battery AND alternator combined.

Again, most people think the alternator does all the work while the car is running, again this is false. The best analogy I've thought of for this is a compressor and tank. You can run your tools without the tank, but the pressure variances will be huge. The same goes for an alternator; if you remove the battery, the system will still run. But hook up a fast volt meter and you'll see some really wild voltage swings. I've seen swings up to 19 volts on a slow meter, that's high enough to potentially fry a ECU.

The really cool thing is that the best way to go about improving your grounds is actually cheaper then most stereo guys will lead you to believe. The alternator's ground is connected to the battery through the body of the alternator, the engine block, the engine ground, the chassis, and finally to the battery. A simply 2 gauge wire going directly from one of the alternator mounting bolts to the batteries negative will give all the current potential required for any factory alternator.

Another 2 gauge wire from the alternators B+ to the batteries positive will be all that's required to round out the basic engine ground improvement or big three that a lot of stereo guys claim is the way to go. Just remember to protect the positive side incase of accidents. Most people just use a fuse, something in the 120 amp range would be fine. Personally I like circuit breakers.

http://www.delcity.net/store/Hi-Amp-...able)/p_193073

As the engine is also grounded through the it's block, the negative wire will also improve the ground for it. And combined you're sitting very pretty for a nice stereo install.

As for improving the current flow potential from the chassis to ground, I wouldn't normally bother, anything I add to a car such as amplifiers or HID's always get grounded directly to the battery. Every connection made is a potential voltage drop and with only 12-14 volts to play with, I really don't like loosing any. If you do feel the need to improve chassis to ground flow another 2 gauge wire from your choice of chassis bolts to the battery negative or alternator body will work great. I would suggest going from the firewall or floor of the car if possible as it will eliminate some of the connections between body panels.

[SloS14]

[Huehuecoyotl]

I bet Nova Scotia corrosion and AZ corrosion are way different...

[Calum]

Originally Posted by Huehuecoyotl

I bet Nova Scotia corrosion and AZ corrosion are way different...

The rates of corrosion due the amount of catalyst (salt) in the environment is most likely vastly different. I doubt most OEM's would use ground straps if the straps would literally fall apart inside of 5 years everywhere. But they do fall apart here.

[merlin2111]

Calum, could you provide any pictures of what you are talking about? I think the less informed members of the community, like myself, would appreciate it.

[Calum]

Originally Posted by merlin2111

Calum, could you provide any pictures of what you are talking about? I think the less informed members of the community, like myself, would appreciate it.

I'm sure I could, but what are you looking for pictures of, corroded parts or the spots I'm saying would be most effective in improving the engine electrical circuit?

[merlin2111]

Originally Posted by Calum

the spots I'm saying would be most effective in improving the engine electrical circuit?

This. Thanks!

[Calum]

Originally Posted by merlin2111

This. Thanks!

I make no promises as to when but i will get something for you. Just keep in mind that i havent even driven my frs this year due to the weather. The temperature this mornong was -1 C and felt like -7 C.

Sent from mission control

[WolfSongX]

Since I only had enough ring terminals for one cable, I used a piece of 2 gauge to reinforce the factory ground from the body to the negative battery terminal. I can usually cause that "misfire" feel by having the A/C, the rear defroster, the stereo, headlights, and the brakelights on (mostly get it on my morning commute at stoplights) but testing similar conditions yesterday, the car didn't have that "almost stalled" feel when the idle dipped. I'll post more findings tomorrow, but it looks like there are some benefits in improving the grounds.

Subarus in the past have notoriously bad grounds from the factory, and it looks like the BRZ isn't an exception.

[RAWR BRZ]

Man.... they really are pumping out every damn thing out there (even useless or very VERY marginal gain) available to make some money off of this car...

[Betsy]

Running an earth from the alternator seems like a bit of overkill, the only loss comes through rubber mounts otherwise your using the whole engine/chassis as a conductor

[SloS14]

In my earlier, more wreckless days I blew a ricer's doors off in a ghetto-boosted (yet pretty quick) S13. When he asked me what I had done to the car, I told him it was stock other than a grounding kit. He probably believed me.

[Calum]