| Author | Message | ||
| Mark Eberhardt (Me_k)
Member Username: Me_k Post Number: 644 Registered: 5-2002 |
hmmmmmm | ||
| DGS (Dgs)
Junior Member Username: Dgs Post Number: 250 Registered: 5-2003 |
Dunno about the 350Z, but Mitsu has gone serial comms crazy on the EVO. According to the online service manual (before it became a $1400/year subscription service), even the headlight controls use serial communications. But I don't really understand why they'd leave upgrading the grounds as an after-market option. Unless copper is unreasonably expensive in Japan. (That $219 was MSRP from the Mitsu web site.) But if that was the case, I'd expect to see fiber optics all over the car. Maybe that's next year's model. (And fiber links wouldn't be so sensitive to grounding issues.) | ||
| dave handa (Davehanda)
Intermediate Member Username: Davehanda Post Number: 1502 Registered: 5-2001 |
dgs, Thanks for the info... I just did a "google" search, the dealer was going to rip you off, those cables sell for anywhere between $105 and $135 on the net. I can see why they sell, even if they didn't work, you can get them in lot's of pretty colors. They do come all cut and terminated, with all the hardware and locations specified. I think what intrigued me most about the article is that they were seeing results with these grounding cables on what was essentially a new, stock 350Z (okay, it had a air intake of some sort). I could see this helping an older car with dirty contacts and bad grounds, but a new car? | ||
| DGS (Dgs)
Junior Member Username: Dgs Post Number: 249 Registered: 5-2003 |
Improved grounds can be useful in the latest generation of cars that use serial communications busses (such as Bosch CAN 2.0) for carrying signals around the car. Poor grounds are the bane of serial communications. On cars with electronic controls, improved grounding might help any car that had bad grounds to begin with. The easiest way to check would be to test for voltage between the ECU "ground" connection and the engine block. It should read 0.0, ideally. A dealer option on my EVO was "hyperground cables" for $219. But you can do the same job with $20 of Ace Hardware parts. And I'm disinclined to buy anything whose name begins with "hype".  | ||
| Rob Schermerhorn (Rexrcr)
Member Username: Rexrcr Post Number: 759 Registered: 11-2002 |
I would agree that at least theoretically, adding or improving the ground circuits may improve performance. For spark plug wire technical information click here. Grounding high tension wires, thereby providing a place to drain energy, does not make sense. | ||
| Dave Goldman (Dave328)
Junior Member Username: Dave328 Post Number: 249 Registered: 11-2002 |
Thanks for the props Dave. Glad to see you back in the saddle after the unfortunate demise of the 308.  I can say from daily experience at work that there is no such thing as too good of a ground. A good clean ground helps keep voltage drop to a minimum. Insuring that a component that needs 12 volts gets 12V, not 11.7V. I don't think it would hurt on an F-car, especially on a newer 348/355 that relies on voltage to trigger injectors. I just really don't believe you'd be able to discern any real seat-of-the-pants performance gains from it. Dave(fellow "shitbox" owner[thanks cLyDe]) | ||
| Hans E. Hansen (4re_gt4)
Intermediate Member Username: 4re_gt4 Post Number: 1625 Registered: 4-2002 |
Plug wires that are shielded may have some benefit, as they would sort of be like a coax cable and might transmit a high voltage, sharp edged pulse better. Just a guess. As for engine grounding, maybe you should see if it is the April 1st issue of the mags. Just kidding. A properly grounded engine could make a better electrical path for the spark circuit, and therefore a stronger spark. Again, just a guess. But it sure sounds like I know what I'm talking about. | ||
| dave handa (Davehanda)
Intermediate Member Username: Davehanda Post Number: 1481 Registered: 5-2001 |
Dave, nice 328, nice name too! :-) Yeah, my thought is with Ferrari's rather haphazard electricals, wondering what sorts of increase a 348/355 might experience on the dyno with some improved, braided wire ground straps made up for the ECU's, alternator, engine block, valve covers, etc. Heck, what would happen on my "shitbox" 328?...just curious... | ||
| Dave Goldman (Dave328)
Junior Member Username: Dave328 Post Number: 248 Registered: 11-2002 |
I've seen in my Honda tuning mags that a company called "Nology" makes a set of plug wires with extra ground cables on each lead for about $200+. Not sure of the science behind it but another mag dyno'd a VTEC and found 5-10 HP(IIR) added just by these wires. Makes ya think! Dave | ||
| dave handa (Davehanda)
Intermediate Member Username: Davehanda Post Number: 1474 Registered: 5-2001 |
Was sitting around in the lobby of a Chinese restaurnt in Chinatown, Seattle last night with fellow chatter Stewart Chung and they had tons of "ricer" magazines laying around to read...you can figure out their "target" market/clientle. :-) Anyway, there is this interesting article on adding additional grounding cables from various areas on the engine and back to the chassis. The 350Z they dyno'd gained about 4hp and a couple foot lbs of torque. No real science to it, and they said it can take some experimenting to figure out what cars this can help, and where the wires should be placed. I think (I am fuzzy on this part) they recommended to start with the alternator, ECU's and engine block. With the issues Ferrari has had in the past with 348 and 355 grounding issues, seems logical that this might benefit them as well. Was surprised that the article mentioned this as a pretty common "hop up" and companies make custom termimated braided wires just for this modification... Anyone out there with details or experience? |