I visited a fellow Vetter, Jeff, last Saturday since he just picked up his convertible (A4) with an aggressive head/cams and an ATI Procharger installed from A&A. He is waiting for an upgraded converter for the extra hp and torque. Therefore we would not have a chance to test out this beast until several weeks later. As a Parts Manager for a big Nissan dealer for years, he knows cars well. We chated for three hours on many Vette’s stuffs.

Since I will receive a prototype grounding cables shortly, I asked Jeff about his opinion. He said he was skeptical about the effectiveness of grounding cables at the very beginning. However, he has noticed improvements on idling, throttle response and hp/torque gain under dyno with Nissan 350Zs. He is now a believer in the grounding cables for 350Z. Since the Vette’s electrical systems and car body material are different from 350Z; he could not say the effectiveness of the grounding cables to Vettes. I will keep you guys posted after I test out the cables. I hope the cables can show some noticeable SOTP improvements.



[Modified by atz06, 2:23 AM 7/23/2003]

 

Just received the grounding kit. A total of five yellow cables with gold plated ends to match the color of my Z. The kit also includes a gold plated GM battery post extender. The cables are with good quality and workmanship. It weights about 1.5 to 2 lbs. It pass my first test - that is the visual test.

I will have the kit installed this weekend and will let you guys know whether it works or how well it works.

Alex

 

If you want to avoid the high cost of custom cables, you could look at the cables from I think it was hyper ground. I remember reading an article about them in turbo magazine. I am sure one of the kits would fit our vettes.

 

any wire you could make yourself will work just as well if installed properly

 

Sounds flaky to me.

What is the theory here? Where is the stock grounding supposedly inadequate? To the block?

 

Back of the right cylinder head between it and firewall

IMHO any time you have your heads off it is a bitc@ to ge the grounding wires tight again.

 

I have installed a grounding cable kit last Saturday. Since it was my first time, it took me awhile to finish the installation. If I have to do it again, it should be no more than 30 minutes.

Here are my findings: The grounding cable kit I received is first rated - both the quality of materials and workmanship. It included all the necessary parts – cables with gold plated connectors on each end, zip-ties, gold plated battery connector, label on each cable, and a well written instruction. I could not think of anything which could make the package more completed. The package includes five cables and each cable was labeled. Therefore, I did not have to guess which is which. The length of each cable was perfect.

My Corvette is a bone stock 2003 Z06 with 2,300 miles. Overall improvements with the grounding cable kit are not as noticeable as I wished it to be. I don’t feel additional hp gain but it doesn’t mean it doesn’t. I could have gained 5-8 hp, but my SOTP could not tell. However, both the idle and throttle response seems better with the grounding cables installed.

I am happy with the installation and the cables look very cool!

Alex

p.s. I have some photos but don't know how to post them.

 

What about the added weight from the cables? you probably lost time in the quarter. Sorry, couldn't resist. :)

 

but that's only to impress you mentally.

Are there any "real" performance gains past the eye-candy?


.


[Modified by Mike Mercury, 10:36 PM 7/21/2003]

 

I have been in the electrical industry for 29 years (13 with major mfrs of wire and cable). I"m not an engineer, but have a pretty good understanding of the basics of electricity. I don't for the life of me understand how these can give the improvements claimed for them unless you have done much modding effecting the original electrical system, or are fixing something wrong with the original system. Makes no sense.

 

Here are a cople pictures of the grounding cables:







:cheers:


[Modified by atz06, 2:23 AM 7/23/2003]

 

From the pictures it looks like it grounds the throttle body (which I do not believe GM grounds) to the head and then runs some wires around on the aluminum heads and down to the block with one wire going to the battery. Where would any improvement come from. The aluminum block and heads probably have a resistance lower than that of the cables (are they 8 Ga??). Is this supposed to give some additional spark capability, lower electronic interference, ??? Looks bogus.

Bill

 

Haven't some people reported problems with high rpm detonation/pinging that was related to a poor ground to the driver's side head?

Depending on cost, I can see this as a good insurance mod. Honestly, I have had a pinging problem ever since an engine change even though I have gone thru numerous programming changes and an LPE upgrade, and I am pursuing this option (but doing it for free with my own cables).

If the cables cost $199, then I call BS. But I can't see that the theory is that far off.

F

 

It could have some benefit to it, but I really dont see it. I've seen it done to lots of Japanese cars (Supras, RX7s, etc.) hoping to squeeze out the last 2-3 hp. They also go as far as rewiring their fuel pump with bigger gauge wires and swear they have gained extra hp.

This setup just made the attractive underhood appearance of the vette a bit too busy for my taste with all the wires hanging like a typical import.


[Modified by c5chris, 5:17 PM 7/22/2003]

 

Actually there are a total of three additional grounds: one to the battery’s -ve directly; the other two are connected to the driver and passenger side chassis respectively (see photo below). By providing additional grounds it should help in reducing signal interferences/noises to/from the PCM, as least in theory.

 

My wife tells me I'm not so smart, so if I missed something here, I won't be surprised.

According to all I have learned over the years, "pinging" is caused by pre-detonation (the mixture in the combustion chamber igniting before the piston has reached an appropriate proximity to top dead center). Octane is a factor, as the engineers have factored in the ability of gasoline to resist pre-detonation when setting up the timing curves.

SOOO, if you have a bad ground, wouldn't that imply that the result on cylinder firing would be less firing, weak firing, or later firing? And isnt' that is exactly the opposite of what causes "pinging"? Just a thought.

 

And a good one :iagree: :thumbs:

 

Hum, I am an electrical engineer and been involved in computer power and grounding for a bunch of years, more than some people have been on planet earth. Having said that, this one appears to have a lot of VooDoo attached to it!

Corvettes are prone to grounding problems by the very nature of what they are made of. BUT, but looking at the solutions if you have to fuss with the grounding over and above you are probably making up for a loss somewhere else. For example I don't buy a grounding problem between the head and the block. Both are aluminum, there is a metal gasket between them and how many head bolts, and pushrods?? No, not a snowballs chance in hell to be painfully blunt, somebody is having the BS card played on them. Maybe between the block and frame with rubber mounts, I can buy that one to a degree, and between the computers and the chassis ground.

Grounding is a funny thing you can get into ground looping which is a phenom that is more relavent to radio and high freq computers.

I don't think the cables will hurt anything, but I question how they would help, other than correct for a problem somewhere else!

Hope they are cheap! Oh yes and the Gold connectors? Save yer money! yes gold is one of the better metals, but given it is swedged onto a copper cable?? also bolted to aluminum, and if you are in a high salt environment, you will need to take it apart and clean it and use a protectant at least once a year depending. If you are not willing to maintain the connections, save your money. You guys who own boats know the drill well, especially with the new motors. Been there done that!

I rate this right up there with those fancy capacitive discharge sparkplug wires. A little too much hocus pocus for me!

Mother nature and the physical law says you don't get something for nothing! and electrical power is no exception.

Just my two cents.