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Originally posted by moRotorMotor I'm not into the technical side of things so can someone please explain to me what exactly does it do? thanks
I'm with you. I was under the impression that everything was already grounded through the chassis anyway. What does adding an alternative path give you?
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1973 RX-3
1975 RX-3
1979 RX-7
1985 RX-7 GSL-SE
2004 RX-8 Winning Blue Sport Ordered 1/8/03; Delivered 7/25/03 ; Returned 10/21/03
2005 RX-8 Velocity Red Sport delivered 12/05 returned at lease end 12/07
Some claim the engine sparks better with this sorta thing and electrical components such as relays and valves respond faster due to a cleaner signal. Personally I dont beleive it much, but ya never know. STranger things have happened.
OK, for those who haven't "experienced" a 3rd gen RX-7 (or several other new cars - see the Edmonds site), here is a quick rundown.
You have high current running in the engine compartment - eg headlamps draw 6 Amps, running lights perhaps 4, radio perhaps 4, etc. It all adds up, and is supplied by the alternator, which is bolted to the engine. If you connect this to the chassis with, say, a 1.5 metre 12 gauge wire (ground), then you will get a voltage drop along this wire - somewhere in the order of 1 Volt (E=IxR assume R 0.05 ohm and I around 20 Amps). It may be only half this, but 0.5 volt is still substantial.
You will see voltage drops all over the car. This hasn't been a problem until the last 5-10 years. We now have computers in our cars, and they measure very small voltages (or changes in voltage, actually). Take the O2 sensor. It puts out 0-1 volt or so. The computer looks for millivolt changes, however, to control fuel etc.
So, knowing how expensive (and heavy) large gauge wire is, and how expensive it would be to install it at the factory, you now know one reason it isn't stock. The heavy gauge wire, properly installed, can reduce the voltage drops substantially (but not eliminate them entirely).
Depending on the car, owners are reporting improvements in throttle response, mileage, power, smoothness, etc.
Canzoomer thinks the above kit is a little expensive - that's why he posted the details so you can make your own. Go to a stereo shop (or area at, say, Future shop, or whatever). Buy a little cable, some ends, some heatshrink (for looks). You may be able to find a shop that can crimp the ends on this large cable for you (proper crimping is the best way to connect the ends - lowest resistance - you can then solder just the ends for corrosion protection as well).
We're not making this up. I grounded my 3rd gen. to get rid of a hesitation. Owners of other makes and models report other improvements. Mazda offers this kit. Maybe it really does something too. Make your own, for what, $50, and report back. I bet it will do something. Hey, at the very least, if you get nice looking cable, it will look cool ;-).
WOW! Who ever knew a few cables could do so many things?! The name should change from Grounding Wire Sets to Miracle Cables lol this is going to my "must have" list
Oh, dont get me wrong. I dont beleive it will change anything in the car, but I am open to it working great as well. Also I just like the thought of making something like this thats relatively simple and can add a nice bit of color under the hood :D We even got aproximate sizes from Maurice and thats nice too :D
I don't know about you guys, but I can't seem to follow those diagrams. First, they're not detailed enough for me. I can't see what's what in that engine bay. Although I have knowledge in car stereo, I don't understand a thing about the engine area of a car. Second, I don't read Japanese.
Can somebody suggest something for those like me? Or could someone translate the Japanese?
Ok, forget about the Japanese translation! I just looked at Canzoomer's illustration more closely and I see the endpoints (A1, A2, A3, A4, B1, B2) on HIS illustration but I can't clearly see where they're supposed to be attached in the Japanese diagrams, notably the engine and ECU frame grounds.
By the way, if I just use car stereo power wires, what gauge would that be? Would 8 gauge suffice?
; Returned 10/21/03 
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