I read posts about folk doing upgrades and not noticing any improvement. This baffles me because that is certainly not my experience. Part of the improvement I attribute to the installation of a grounding kit.

The sum total of my mods has caused the car to be MUCH more driveable than it even was before. It feels a lot faster and it is just plain a blast to drive around. It does everything effortlessly and smooth as silk.

In an audio system, you can have what's called a ground loop current that creates a small 60 Hz hum that degrades sound. Everything is grounded, but if not well grounded and all components connected to a common ground by a good conductor, small differences in voltage between different "ground" points in a system cause small currents to flow creating hum. In some cases, for example with a poorly grounded turntable, this hum becomes clearly audible.

A common misunderstanding is that if something is grounded it cannot have a voltage potential. That is not the case. The amount of voltage present at any point is a function of the amount of current flowing toward ground and the resistance of the current path to ground.

In a car, every electrical component dumps a certain amount of current into the grounding system of the car. As this current flows toward the negative terminal of the battery, a small voltage potential is created between the grounding point and the battery. Resistance to that necessary current flow increases the voltage potential. Resistance is increased by factors such as corrosion, small conductors, impurities, etc.

Because our cars are so computer dependant, it is very possible that a similar conditions exist. Everything may be grounded and everything runs, but small stray currents and the resulting voltage potentials could detract from overall performance in subtle ways. Maybe a shift isn't so crisp, maybe the ECU thinks it “hears” knock when it doesn't or any other of a number of possibilities or combinations.

Well, this car is something like that audio analogy. My idles smoother since a grounding kit was installed. Perhaps some consider that inconclusive. I also had the TCM reflashed and that made a HUGE improvement in shift quality. There are probably synergistic effects going on here.

The theoretical (and probably practical) advantage of a grounding system is that it gives every connected component virtually the same reference point. Thus, every component is making its “measurements” from the same starting point - true ground.

 

60 hz hum is from AC current, not DC.

If you have a hum in your car stereo, it's probably because the low level inputs are picking up noise from the power wires, not because of a bad ground.

2004 G35C 6MT Black. Killer.

 

I'm sure what you said is correct, but I don't think that was the main point of his argument. The main point referenced a common, true ground for all of the electronic "appliances" on the car. I don't know whether that hypothesis is correct, but it sure did ring true. Thanks.

'03 G35s 5AT, Garnet Fire/Willow
Staggered 18" SSR GT1/Bridgestone PP S03
Eibach Springs/Sways, Stillen 2-pc BBK
Stillen Intake & SS Cat-Back Dual Exhaust

 

exagorazo:

Some of your points are similar to what I've heard as well from electrical engineering acquaintances. The grounds are not all about power produced by the engine, and many benefits seem to stem from the increased smoothness and throttle response. Idle quality certainly seems to change for the better as well. It may be that automotive guys are always trying to explain this from a certain point of view and limited by their past experiences. Audio enthusiasts look beyond just currents and voltages, etc. I know I can't feel a 10 HP difference in my cars, but I can certainly feel the increased throttle response and smoothness! So it can't just be about the power increase, if any.

But your post is bound to elicit the

"If you can hear the difference between your new Monster Cable Interconnects and Radio Shack cables, then you're an ALIEN! ;-)

 

Even one of the guys that I respect and read most of the tech forum posts for, Gurgen said in the other thread:

Re: GroundingGear™

(Team Transport - Gfreak)
05/23/04 12:44 PM

Hey Guys

Just want to say that after installing Gord's 8'th and ECU/TCU wires I definitely feel a very positive difference with respect to shifting, more so than my recent TCU flash. The shifts are quicker!

Good job Gordgee

Gurgen

Funny how other so-called experts can't seem to leave the positive posts about the grounding kits alone without negative responses as though they feel we should believe THEM over anyone else just because they don't believe in something or simply can't understand it! Open your minds little boys! {Insert tongue here} (Darn, how do you guys post those tongues and smilie faces?)

 

lets just say its worth the $$!

 

I tried the 6 wire kit, took careful, scientific, controlled measurements and didn't rely on "feel" and there was no difference measured for my car, with my kit. I installed according to directions.

To quote InfinitiTech who inspired my choice to take careful measurements...

"Here are the facts if you can understand them. Most vehicle makes if you run a voltage drop test on their grounding systems usually run at .20 of a volt. Infiniti engineers have designed there voltage drop to be .09 of one volt. SO!, I ask if you think you can develop something to be less than .09 of one volt, I say you are an engineering marvel. And if it is possible you can, tell me the cost worthy effect on a vehicle that this will cause. Your forgetting Infiniti engineers are extremely **** when it comes to specs on their cars. And have done there homework and then some. So I would like to know what gains do you think you would get by paying 100.00$ or so on a grounding kit?
The only real ground you should worry about is the MAF ground. It needs to be the best ground, our older Infinitis have a problem here and we make new grounds for them, a poor ground here will cause a run rich concern......."

2004.5 Coupe/5AT/Ivory/Everything but front spoiler/Nismo CAI/Crawford V5/Crawford Cats

 

ckg35, to post smilies, just go into FAQ found in the left hand margin, or click on the <font color=red>markup in your posts</font color=red> button found at the top of the page when answering a post.
It's as simple as bracketing a word such as [smile ] = [img]/w3timages/icons/smile.gif[/img].
Quite a handy tool for adding a little humour and emphasis when the need arrises. [img]/w3timages/icons/tongue.gif[/img]
Enjoy-- [img]/w3timages/icons/laugh.gif[/img]

<font color=red>GSM</font color=red>
<font color=red>GSM</font color=red>
<font color=black>Silverstone Coupe</font color=black>

 

Exactly!! Grounding kits have helped the manumatic shifting. So far so great..


Martin
2003.5 BS G35
Nismo Aero/Sport Package
Injen CAI
B+G Springs
ADR M-Classic 19's..

 

I agree. Grounding kit really did improve the throttle response and smoother shifting between 2nd and 3rd gear. It definitely wasn't day and night difference. However, it was enough to be noticable.
PS, I didn't get the gordgee grounding kit. I got the 7 wire kit from ebay and paid only $35 shipped.... Definitely well worth the $$ spent!!

 

Gentlemen- I've been working in a secret location on an entirely NEW set of grounding cables. Yes, you heard it right, an entirely NEW approach to cabling your G is now available! Each of our totally new cables includ a one-of-a-kind, genuine synthetic embedded crystal, blessed by a reclusive Holy Man who lives on the outskirts of Omaha, Nebraska. These new cables reroute not only electricity, but polarize the earth's magnetic field to create an invisible force directly behind your vehicle, propelling it forward with amazing velocity. But wait! That's not all! The secretly blessed, genuine synthetic embedded crystals focus your car's naturally occuring Gaya, resulting in higher revs, smoother shifts, and protects from those nasty paint chips on the front bumper! Buy today and receive, absolutely free, a cassette tape of Wayne Newton singing, "Oh, My Papa", which also helps your car go faster than ever before! An unbelievable offer for ONLY $450.00. Call today! [img]/w3timages/icons/tongue.gif[/img]

Ok.. seriously... whether grounding cables help or hurt really isn't the issue. If you like them, buy them. If not, then don't. If you believe they actually help the performance of the vehicle, then you made a good purchase for yourself. And ultimately, you only have to please yourself with your mods to the vehicle. [img]/w3timages/icons/smile.gif[/img]

 

I'm with Gurgen on this one. I just installed the additional three wires to my seven wire kit. Shifting in both manumatic and automatic are simply better. I drive manumatic 90% of the time and had my seven wire for six months, maybe more, before I installed the other three. I know the behavior of the car in this mode. Delay in shifting is gone and I believe it kicks down sooner, and smoother if you punch it. I'm pretty impressed. It's been less than a week and I've done a lot of city driving as well as a longer road trip this weekend. Life is good with ten wires. Flame on!

03.5 5AT-S (Black-Willow-Premium-Sport-Aero-10 Wire GroundingGear™-Silverstars-PIAA LEDs-PopCharger-Z Tube-Tint-Stillen Dual Exhaust)

 

You've had your original GroundingGear™ System since May '03 according to my records. I'm hoping you also noticed the manufacture improvements I've made since I've added some very expensive equipment and modified some techniques in making these things for the Commercial market and Dealership base.

<font color=blue>[i]GroundingGear™ Equipped </font color=blue>

 

Hey Gordgee...
I'm interested in installing your grounding kit on my ride. How do I get them for my G35 coupe. Let me know the cost and availability. Thanks!

 

You win. It was May. Time flies ya know. I like the nice stamping on the connectors which was not on the previous version. Workmanship on the first set was flawless to my untrained eye. Ditto on the new three. Satisified customer here.

03.5 5AT-S (Black-Willow-Premium-Sport-Aero-10 Wire GroundingGear™-Silverstars-PIAA LEDs-PopCharger-Z Tube-Tint-Stillen Dual Exhaust)