I was thinking the same.

 

Actually, "overkill" might be just what is called for. AWG #8 is so small that it is hardly worth the trouble to add it. If somebody thinks they need grounding wires (and I don't think so myself) they might as well install something significantly bigger than the factory already uses.

Current-carrying capacity, BTW, is not all that needs to be considered. IF extra grounding wires are going to make any difference (and I still doubt it) it likely going to be their effect on small digital impulses, not the 100 or so amps the starter motor draws. And hundreds of small strands woven together have measurably less high-frequency impedance, exactly what is needed for good digital grounds. IE, welding cable would be better than solid copper having the same DC resistance.

 

The terms I was expressing overkill in was using 1/0 or #2 for the wire that someone had previously mentioned. A 4 awg wire would be good enough if using a grounding kit. Also, wouldn't it make a difference whether you use car audio wire vs welding cable? 1/0 welding cable is not the same thickness as 1/0 car audio cable. I'm speaking the sleeve aside. There are less amount of strands in a 1/0 welding cable.

 

If someone wants to go to all the trouble to install something they don't need anyway so they can be SURE they have a good ground, they should subscribe to the "If some is good, then more is better and too much is just enough" theory so they can relax and know they have done the best they can. The slight difference in cost would buy a lot more peace of mind.
Both should have the same cross-sectional area of copper, or else one is lying about the wire gauge. You are correct that given the same cross-section, the wire with more (and thus smaller) strands will have a greater surface area and therefore smaller high-frequency impedance. I had not thought of using audio cable -- will it withstand under-the-hood temperatures?

 

Of couse the wire is ok for under the hood temps. You have to run it from your battery.

 

There are much hotter spots under the hood than the battery compartment. Depending on exactly what the owners choose to "ground" they may hit some pretty hot spots.

 

One magazine performed a dyno test on a grounding kit for the Civic. The kit is a very expensive one that sold for $120 a few years ago. Gold plated connectors, high quality silicone sheath, crimped and sealed with heat shrink, and all the bells and whistles one would wish from a grounding kit. The kit promised better stereo sound quality, brighter headlights, better throttle response, more hp and better fuel economy.


The kit consisted of 10 wires routing between the block, head manifold, throttle body, transmission, and to the negative battery terminal.

I do not recall what the exact verdict was, but the dyno test showed no hp increase. Headlights were almost as bright as before. The sound from the stereo may be slightly better, but they couldn't tell. The throttle may have been better, but that may be psychological according to the writer of the article.

The *BLING* factor was close to 10hp, though.



Almost all of the sensors on many new engines are grounded from the harness. Adding extra grounds to the engine is useless. Only the spark plugs rely on the ground from the engine. All you need is one extra ground running from the head or the block to the negative battery terminal to assist stronger current.

 

Nearly double for a Civic. SO worthwhile!

 

LMAO! Gold plated terminals. Goes to show how much they really know. First of all it's plating. Second, copper is a better conductor for electricity. What's better is silver though, but it's expensive. SMH.

 

They actually make silver spark plugs. Great conductor, but wonder how long life is


Electrical conductivity goes silver, copper, gold, aluminum....Then there are a few more elements and then you have iridium and further down the list...platnium.

So basically of all the spark plug materials, platinum is the least conductive.

Of course....that's a completely different subject.

 

The purpose of gold plating is to prevent corrosion. The conductivity will not suffer since the thickness of the plating is so tiny. That is a useful technique in low-power electronic devices where a thin layer of oxides could hurt performance. Useless in engine compartments where the current levels are much higher. Good for BLING! of course.

 

So i finally looked up the price to dyno my car and i don't think i am going to do a 2nd run when i get the grounding kit on the car. That's a lot of money for 3 pulls. So, i am just going to install the grounding kit and just go in for my base run since i don't know what that is.

 

My point was that it's just a sales gimmick. Better of going with tinned copper. Those gold plated terminals, from my experience, are never copper. Seeing something in gold over something silver looking usually one would think the gold is better.

 

Yeah, that's another way to say BLING!