# Proper Grounding = Better Idle?



## LEONGSTER (Apr 9, 2006)

Has anyone fitted an aftermarket grounding kit to their trusty steed, and has there been an improvement in the idle quality thereafter?

I know several owners are trying to find a cure for the 2.5 auto's rough in-gear idle, and have read that proper grounding can help.

Any real-life accounts (imagined or otherwise) would be welcomed!


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## Canada's Far East (Jun 15, 2005)

LEONGSTER said:


> Has anyone fitted an aftermarket grounding kit to their trusty steed, and has there been an improvement in the idle quality thereafter?
> 
> I know several owners are trying to find a cure for the 2.5 auto's rough in-gear idle, and have read that proper grounding can help.
> 
> Any real-life accounts (imagined or otherwise) would be welcomed!


I have seen a lot of accounts of folks using these (other parts of this forum [non X-T] as well as other forums) and a lot of favorable comments....

If you don't get too many replies have a look in other sections of the Nissan Forums and also the site down-under.........you know where to look.

Cheers


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## dmroberson (Jun 24, 2004)

Never heard if anyone did to an X, per say, but I've noticed a smoother idle, and no more flickering headlights, in my Sentra. Also heard other people say the same thing in other Nissans. I made my own grounding kit, just went and bout 4awg amp wire, and gold plated connectors. Spent, maybe $20 USD.

Also, using a dremmel, to touch up the stock grounds isn't a bad idea either. I've done that also, in conjunction with adding additional ground wires.


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## Saood (Oct 26, 2006)

Hey well i didn't really buy a grounding kit. What i did was upgrade the battery to chassis, battery to alternator, and chassis to engine block with 4awg cable. 

I have a music system with two amplifiers rated at 80A each. Before i upgraded i got slight headlight dimming and instrument panel lights also dimmed slightly.

Now i have no dimming, the idle is slightly better and so is the acceleration.


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## tj80 (Sep 20, 2005)

The "Big3" wiring upgrade Saood mentioned above is critical for car audio, but unless there's an issue, the factory wiring should have no trouble keeping up to the grounding/charging requirements of the X.

On the other hand... that upgrade is cheap and easy and definitely won't hurt.

I think most of the people who talk about "big gains" etc from wiring are feeling a big ole' dose of placebo.


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## LEONGSTER (Apr 9, 2006)

Chaps, thanks for the response. It's always nice to get a bit of discussion going here, and when folks jump in with sensible, practical advice it gets even better!

On some ICE forums the subject of proper grounding covers a lot of turf. Taking a tip from one of the posts, I ran a simple check today on my Xty with a digital multimeter. 

The battery negative post is properly grounded - no resistance at all.

But, at the camshaft cover side there are a couple earthing points on the engine which I also checked. Here I found some resistance.

To be doubly sure, I also ran a similar check on another vehicle of mine ("German-engineered" but made in Spain - ha ha ha) Surprisingly, all the earthing points read zero resistance...

I'll rig up a home-made earthing strap this weekend and see if this makes any difference at all to the idle quality.


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## Saood (Oct 26, 2006)

Yes i really upgraded the "big 3" because of my audio install


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## LEONGSTER (Apr 9, 2006)

Okay, so I got myself a length of high quality 8awg copper wire and some steel lugs and crimped and soldiered everything together.

For less than ten bucks I got three now: one's attached to the block and the other to the alternator bracket.

Tomorrow I'll fit another one to the battery negative terminal. A check with my digital multimeter showed the resistance went from .008 to .003. Not much, but every bit helps I guess...

I've also fitted a home-brew oil catch tank between the PCV and intake manifold.

The grounding wires barely made a difference - but with the oil catch can the
idle quality has improved noticeably over two tanks of fuel.

If you could see the amount of blow-by after just a couple tanks of driving, you'd fit one yesterday.


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## Saood (Oct 26, 2006)

Should of used 4awg


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## dmroberson (Jun 24, 2004)

Honestly, you're doing good, but I agree with Saood, should have used 4awg, and GOLD connectors. Less electrical resistance than steel.


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## Canada's Far East (Jun 15, 2005)

LEONGSTER said:


> I've also fitted a home-brew oil catch tank between the PCV and intake manifold.
> 
> The grounding wires barely made a difference - but with the oil catch can the
> idle quality has improved noticeably over two tanks of fuel.
> ...


Hey Longster - how about a picture of the home-brew oil catch can.....:showpics:


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## golfer (Aug 21, 2006)

dmroberson said:


> Honestly, you're doing good, but I agree with Saood, should have used 4awg, and GOLD connectors. Less electrical resistance than steel.


4 awg is overkill unless you are upgrading high current systems like high power audio systems or high current lighting systems. The majority of the grounding being generalized here are moderate current and are merely common points to the battery , like the engine electrics . The things like sensors , etc. are low current so even going one size larger than the stock wire is more than enough.

Gold connectors are overkill since the connection point isn't gold. 
You actually can create an issue with the gold connectors and a dissimilar metal ( cast iron , steel , aluminum ) called electrolysis especially when salt is introduced. This can actually reduce the grounding characteristics you're trying to improve.

You can maintain and in cases improve these ground points by regular maintenance. By checking the condition of the cables ; good contact with the connectors and free from corrosion . If you also disconnect the connectors from it's point of contact then clean the two and use "dielectric" grease to these you will greatly reduce issues from corrosion. The cost will be next to nothing.


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## LEONGSTER (Apr 9, 2006)

Canada's Far East said:


> Hey Longster - how about a picture of the home-brew oil catch can.....:showpics:



Here you go:










I haven't mounted it properly yet and it's been removed from its position in the right hand side fender wall for clarity.


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## Canada's Far East (Jun 15, 2005)

Thanks for this.

Nice set-up (neat) and obviously effective.

Cheers


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## tj80 (Sep 20, 2005)

golfer said:


> 4 awg is overkill unless you are upgrading high current systems like high power audio systems or high current lighting systems. The majority of the grounding being generalized here are moderate current and are merely common points to the battery , like the engine electrics . The things like sensors , etc. are low current so even going one size larger than the stock wire is more than enough.


That's true... but two of the wires that he mentioned upgrading are not low-power systems. Alternator-> battery and battery->chassis are the two "main" wires in your electrical system. One to charge the battery, and one to handle all the -ve sides of every electrical system in the vehicle.

I haven't looked, but stock is likely an 8awg... so 4awg is the logical choice if you want to upgrade it.

Plus, in the words of... uh.. me "Go big or go home!" and uh... "If some is good, more must be better."


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## LEONGSTER (Apr 9, 2006)

tj80 said:


> That's true... but two of the wires that he mentioned upgrading are not low-power systems. Alternator-> battery and battery->chassis are the two "main" wires in your electrical system. One to charge the battery, and one to handle all the -ve sides of every electrical system in the vehicle.
> 
> I haven't looked, but stock is likely an 8awg... so 4awg is the logical choice if you want to upgrade it.
> 
> Plus, in the words of... uh.. me "Go big or go home!" and uh... "If some is good, more must be better."



I got me a length of 4awg to see if there is a difference. These wires are HEAVY! Stock is closer to 8awg.

I think that a good 8awg with properly soldered lugs and heat-shrink sealed ends is better than a bigger cable that's just clamped. It's in the details, as they say.

Is it worth re-grounding the computer as well?


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## golfer (Aug 21, 2006)

tj80 said:


> That's true... but two of the wires that he mentioned upgrading are not low-power systems. Alternator-> battery and battery->chassis are the two "main" wires in your electrical system. One to charge the battery, and one to handle all the -ve sides of every electrical system in the vehicle.
> 
> I haven't looked, but stock is likely an 8awg... so 4awg is the logical choice if you want to upgrade it.
> 
> Plus, in the words of... uh.. me "Go big or go home!" and uh... "If some is good, more must be better."


I'm curious... this need to feel upgrading the cables... when the vehicle was new did you feel it was inadequate performance??


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