You are very knowledgeable. Its nice to see someone on here that actually DOES THINGS THE RIGHT WAY. You have great instructions AND reasons why you do what you do. Keep the tutorials coming, many people can benefit!!
You can never have enough grounds!! Did the same thing to my Chevy truck. Works wonders on older cars also. Stock chassis grounds connections will degrade. Road grime interferes with frame ground connection overtime. It's nice to check them over in the summertime. Happy grounds happy car. New heavy grounds just makes a more reliable car even if you don't have a aftermarket sound system. Plus it's easy to do on most cars.
That's absolutely correct. Modern transmissions are electronic now and can benefit from this mod. I have it done to my truck but didn't mention it in the video. Great point!
i'm not a pro but i've been to car audio stuffs and your explanations definitely makes sense. and if ever i were about to have an electrical job with my car, i wouldn't hesitate to be done by YOU just in case you're doing it as a job. it's shows how clean and tidy you work and simply tells you know what you're doing. nice video!
ground your transmission also. you can get the lugs at homedepot. 3/8 #4 guage. crimper you can get at harbor freight. been doing this for over 10 years. it does work !
and i am 27 and have been putting car stereos in friends cars since i was 15. i also had a job doing lift kits and lowering kits and some car stereo installs. but got hurt and laid off. but still learning the car audio side, to better my skills on it, making it cleaner and better. so just give it a try, it doesn't hurt to do it yourself but not all shops do half ass just some people and if you find somebody that you like request them to work on your car each time so you don't get the newbie.
@WHALEHUNTERGATHERER Well I don't really plan on making another video like this for a while. Like the video shows, you go from negative terminal on the battery to chassis, motor to chassis and alternator to the positive terminal. You just have to find bolts on the motor and chassis that aren't really doing anything and hook them up.
I fucking love the logical explanation from this guy OMG. And I love how he demands you to buy a torch if you don’t have one! 😂😂😂😂. If you don’t have one, buy one! 🙌🙌
It can't move though, you've created an already solid mechanical connection by crimping it in the vice. it's crushed in the vice first, then soldered then lightly held again in the vice for a heat sink. If I only soldered it I would see your point, but in that time frame the solder has solidified enough you can cool it. I have never had a cold solder joint doing it like this. In a high volume environment, you have to go as fast as possible, make it ultra reliable and make it look good.
The "BIG THREE" wiring change under the hood. Big Audiofiles running mobile amps etc use this change to beef up power delivery. This is where it gets interesting.....I perform the BIG THREE by NOT REMOVING BUT ADDING IN PARALLEL additional 6 gauge battery cables to the stock small cables running from: 1. The (-) battery to fender ground. 2. The Battery (+) to fuse box feed. 3. Right front cylinder head engine (available threaded bolt) to left shock tower bolt(ie frame connection to engine block) 4. added cable from stock altenator (+) output to Battery (+) post following stock cable. 5. I also beefed up the stock (-) ground run straight run down form the (-) battery post to the frame behind the front left tire at frame. Ok, so I made 5 changes but effectively still falls under the Big Three change rules to follow. You can google Big Three wiring change and see those basic rules to follow or implement. All cables simply doubled up providing an effective 3 to 4 gauge connections. Now, not a bit of head light flicker, voltage maintianed 14.2v charging voltage at all times. But here's what else has occured and what I wanted to share with you. 1. Slightly brighter headlights. 2. Engine starts are far quicker...no lag in starter (Same stock battery BTW) It's more of a snap start vs the ruh..ruh..start. Starter has better power feed even though I did not increase the starter cable feed size. 3. Here's the kicker...I am seeing 1.5 MPG average increase in fuel economy!! I actually had a tank on a long mostly freeway trip to Monterey a couple weeks back get me 18.2 MPG! Otherwise very same drive to work and back. This has to be due to increased power delivery to the ignition system and a stronger spark through those independent coils. Also by doing this you increase the distance of your remote starters. This additional big three wiring done by yourself would cost you about $30.00 tops in cable and dual bolt lug battery lead clamps all available at your local auto store. Just wanted to share this out. I have a photo's of my install. BTW, I'm an EE by trade.
I agree but for most people this is more than enough for the avg daily driver. I didn't show all the grounds on my truck but I'll list them. I grounded each cylinder head to frame, front of cab to frame, rear of cab to frame, transmission to frame, exhaust to frame, battery to frame and block. I didn't bother with the tb and yes mine is electronically controlled. I think i did a proper "overkill" set up, beginners would just get bombarded, so I show you the basics and you go from there.
For Brent Terry since they have their reply setting on restricted. All we're doing is preventative maintenance and allowing electricity to take the least path of resistance. So if you have an aluminium valve cover it will be able to conduct from the head of the fasteners (if they're touching the metal) and flow to the cylinder head. Each application will vary. I believe the ground you're refer to is the one on the Civic. And I actually replaced a factory ground. So the engineers at Honda put that there, I just put a better wire on.
The valve cover does not touch the head anywhere... It is separated by a gasket, and the fasteners are separated by their own o-rings... Makes little to no sense to ground to the valve cover
+AnthonyJ350 that vehicle was a toyota wasnt it?... Honda does it to ground sensors in the valve cover, the ground you added would in no way affect the spark plugs because their grounded component(cyl head) in no way makes metal to metal contact with the valve cover
Anthony Taylor Every vehicle is different. I do a continuity test and I test for resistance to see if there is any ground to begin with and if there has been any improvement. I don't show that step because it's over people's heads that are new to this. My theory is based on what I find stock on other vehicles. Look at the valve cover on a 1996-2000 Civic, front on the driver's side.
+AnthonyJ350 im not saying that you dont know what youre doing man... Im just pointing out that you are incorrect in saying that a ground to the valve cover (in ANY vehicle) will in some way help the spark plugs, yes it will help sensors mounted to the metal valve cover, just not the spark plugs like you mention... To help the plugs, a direct ground to the cyl head needs to be made
Great video as always, love your channel! However, I wouldn't say that a valve cover is necessarily a reliable ground because it's often electrically isolated from the engine by the rubber gasket. Even the nuts/bolts that hold it down often don't directly contact the valve cover since they usually have rubber seals around them too. On some vehicles it could work fine, but I'd rather just ground directly to the head or block and remove all doubt.
The room temperature resistance of these aftermarket ground wires is still lower than the stock ones. Not to mention during high current loads, wires with higher resistance take up voltage, and voltage drops at the load. "the resistance change is almost nothing from these size wires" We are spending money on lower resistance, that's the whole point. Wire rating gives you an indication of resistance, the smaller, the higher ohms it has, and the more energy it dissipates during high loads.
If you replaced every ground you took out no, I don't see any problems, because you're not taking anything away. What kind of vehicle is it though, because some of the newer cars have really sensitive computers.
i was told from a mechanic to ground the alternator with atleast 4 gauge, wich means id have 2 big batt grounds, big alt ground, and big alt positive. partly to keep the big dry cell from draining when the car is off, and to have a ridiculous amount of flow
im running 4 subs in my nissan sentra 2008 when the bass hits hard the engine starts making a sound like a high pitch wine and the idle drops on the RPM of the car would the big thee help this
I'd only replace them if they're too corroded. If they're good I leave them in. Electricity will just take the path of least resistance anyways, so more is better in my opinion.
you might want to do a series ground. frame to battery, to head, to block, to transmission, to chassis ground. you can get connectors from home depot. #4 guage 3/8 inch lug. been doing this for years.
The resistive losses in the wires are equivalent to I(square)R. Also, the voltage at the load will be less than the source whenever a high current flows through thin wires. Electrical engineers in car companies balance between performance, reliability, cost, and marketing strategy. And that means there will always be room for cheap aftermarket performance improvements.
Did you watch the rest of the video where I show other vehicles where I did the alternator wire like on my truck? Cause I understand I only did the grounds on the first car, but I do show other examples. My grounding kits have to be good, I welded studs on to the frame and cab of the rear of the truck! Like who does that???
The only disadvantage I've seen with the 300C/ Charger/ Magnum etc is because they DON'T use a tiny battery in the front with the large battery in the rear they are susceptible to engine noise when adding amps (4 channel). But it's rare when you use good quality gear. Just ground the motor in the front and upgrade the one in the rear if you so chose to.
I agree. However from a car manufacturer perspective, if it costed even an extra few bucks, it adds up when you're making 50,000 cars. That would be an extra $150,000
The nissan 200sx i have that i bought recently already is 0 gauge grounded to the strut mounting surface so one less thing i have to do plus i just changed the alternator i just have to clean up the negative battery ground some.
Who are all that people who put the dislike marks on this nice video? Are they gods and they can show us a better video or are they just always dislike? :)))
Ignore, that last comment. Pressed wrong button. I have OCD about my engine bay. Would there be any reprocussions about removing the factory grounds for the sake of neatness.
Ok, maybe you can help.i.have a 2011 Camry and I want to do the big 3 upgrade on it, but the positive batt to positive alt isn't conventional, how do I get around this
I don't have a big amp in my truck and I don;t spend a lot of time researching articles like this, but I was employed as an electronics installer for over 30 years so these things catch my interest. Since I have a standard Ford pickup truck without any amps or special electronics, and my truck has run fine for 278,000 miles, I don't see the need for any electrical improvements. I have read the comments about how these grounding improvements can help the engines run better, transmissions shift better, etc. But to me these are just " guy next door" theories, i.e. opinions. Until I see the engineering data and tests that can be measured , it is all just a theory to me. Maybe there is data. I just haven't seen it. Interesting video though.
QUESTION: does the ground and power wire have to be different- red and light blue wire type? or can I use the light blue wire for the whole big 3 install?
Also the need to increase current carrying capacity is a worth while upgrade because a lot of people are adding a lot aftermarket 12 volt devices that could benefit from the upgrade i.e. amplifiers, auxiliary lighting, aftermarket head units, etc
98 ford explorer V6 4.0 SOHC. Its idling really low to the point where it even stalled at every light. Gpt a new battery,New IAC, new PCV, cleaned throttle body multiple times. Over the weekend i replaced the manifold gaskets as well. Now the car doesnt stall but at idle it will dip under 500rpms and the dash lights dim and engine shakes a bit then pops back up to 600rpms. It'll do this mostly when car is warmed up. WHen the car does stall it starts right back up. Never had an issue with it starting. I do have a stereo system in it. I still have all the stock grounds which are of course a bunch of puny little wires. So since the battery was new and the multimeter tells me that its fine and with car on and full load the alternator is charging it. But when i check the ground on the alternator case itself its showing nearly 4 times the resistance desired.
Serious video.!!! and its was very instructive ..seeing other how to ..they buy such a high-res cam and then either have studdering or grammar issues then the purpose is defeated
Hi. If I want to upgrade the big 3, does i need to take out the original harness and replace with new one?or how?Just doubt regarding cable from alternator.Thanks.
Will I need an alternator ground wire if the alternator is already grounded by the base to the engine with 4 screws and there's 2 ground 0 gauge cables on the engine?
What size is the battery on your Truck. I have a 02 2500hd and there is not much space for the side terminals. Mine is group 78 but from the video you have twice as much space between the fuse box and the battery. And did that top cover come with the battery.
My truck is a 2005 1500 so the electrical has been updated a little bit. That's probably why there's more space. It's the stock side battery in the truck.
Those that were talking about buying a high dollar HO alternator (or saying how they can't afford one), you can look in your area for a alternator / starter shop, especially major cities all have them. They do a lot of work with heavy equipment and large truck alternators and they can also do a HO alternator for you, normally for alot cheaper than buying one new. I did a 200amp one in my old Nissan truck, pulled a GM alternator out of a junk yard, got a upgraded stator and windings from him (something else too can't remember) all that was less than $200, I think it was $175 total. Hope this helps someone... :-)
Valid point, but that isn't always the case. Obviously it depends on if a car can accept a different model alt. In my situation, I cannot get an upgraded alt unless I buy one. My alt case isn't big enough for a modified stater and rotor. My ex-brother-in-law owned a alt rebuild shop. I did the wire portion of the "Big 3" because of a relatively significant voltage drop. Another option is to see if the rebuild shop can modify an existing alt. I had mine changed into a single wire alt, and have no problems at all.
i have a kinetic hc 2400 in the trunk is it still necesary to do the big 3 on the car.its a 91 lincoln towncar with 2 12s L5s with a 2000 watts brutus hifonics and a powerbass 1600 watt amp for my highs and last a 3 way kicker xover.
I do know that after I did a grounding kit on my car it made my headlights and interior lights stay bright. My headlights would dim whenever I used any electrical load like rolling down my window. My OEM grounding was not enough.
not many do but a grounding kit involves grounding the block, alt, transmission, tbody, and frame twice in either a two line or loop formation and in modern racing is very important to have it done in that way along side a big3 also its usually better to ground transmission to block to tbody then to the frame as for you big 3 you did great on it but you should do a proper gkit to protect your electronics and help you truck perform better
@AnthonyJ350 very well done vid, very informative specially for a novice like me! just a quick question regarding wires (since you mention you can use welding wire), can i use 200amp wires from a jumper cable/lead? i found them to be also thick and high amperage. thanks in advance!
Sir, it is my opinion only, that if you had "fluxed" your wire before you crimped it in the vise, the solder used would have "runned" and "coated" your target wire faster, and even would have made you a better electrical connection overall.
+Naz Zainee You only need to fuse positive points (i.e. an amplifier) because if there's a short it will prevent further damage. On a traditional ground set up, a fuse is not necessary on the ground wire.
I have a "ground loop" question. On the very last car in the video(2001 Pontiac Montana) where there is a ground from the Engine to the Chassis and then ALSO a ground from the Engine to the Battery, wouldn't that setup create a ground loop since there are two different length pathways to the negative battery terminal? Thanks in advance!!
A ground from the Engine to the Battery is useless since you already have a ground from the battery to the chassis and engine ground to chassis. Current will flow to the shortest path which is ground from engine to chassis , longer ground loop is just a waste of a wire.
my amp didnt come with the high side plugs,,,,, im using rca wires at moment and its not loud at all, its like the factory radio loud,,, would it get louder using the high side wires instead ??? they are 50w x4
so i have an 05 focus with a 2.0duratec. Can I run multiple grounds from motor to chassis and motor to battery? will it hurt anything? i can’t seem to find the factory ones.
@@AnthonyJ350 I wanted to do a full Big 7 upgrade but the problem is they don't have any kits. I don't mind making my own but it would have been cool to be able to buy one too
@@That4.3Sierra I think it's always better to make them. You can really tailor it to exactly how you want it. Especially if you have other aftermarket items under the hood.
Devin Lasher I know, everyone is a professional. But then you see the work they do compared to you... Why can't everyone just be nice and try to learn from one another???
Thank you for the video, BIG help. However, I ran into a problem. The speakers are making a screeching sound and it amplifies (gets louder) as I accelerate my car. Any thought on what could be the problem? It even makes the sound when the radio is turned off.
The only benefit is to allow the alternator to keep the voltage sufficient across your car's electrical system. People who have a high demand for power (large amps, tons of lights) will experience headlight dimming and other problems which this can alleviate.
You are very knowledgeable. Its nice to see someone on here that actually DOES THINGS THE RIGHT WAY. You have great instructions AND reasons why you do what you do. Keep the tutorials coming, many people can benefit!!
Thank you!
You can never have enough grounds!! Did the same thing to my Chevy truck. Works wonders on older cars also. Stock chassis grounds connections will degrade. Road grime interferes with frame ground connection overtime. It's nice to check them over in the summertime. Happy grounds happy car. New heavy grounds just makes a more reliable car even if you don't have a aftermarket sound system. Plus it's easy to do on most cars.
Exactly, electricity takes the least path of resistance. All we're doing is giving it more paths to take. Thanks for the comment!
That's absolutely correct. Modern transmissions are electronic now and can benefit from this mod. I have it done to my truck but didn't mention it in the video. Great point!
Overall you sir have made the best video for a big three upgrade
Thanks so much for watching! I'm glad you liked it!
i'm not a pro but i've been to car audio stuffs and your explanations definitely makes sense.
and if ever i were about to have an electrical job with my car, i wouldn't hesitate to be done by YOU just in case you're doing it as a job. it's shows how clean and tidy you work and simply tells you know what you're doing.
nice video!
Thanks for the comment. If you live in Canada I can do the work for you. I work out of a shop up here.
AnthonyJ350
thanks! but sad to tell i'm not from Canada.
just shared your video so that others could learn as well.
Yes, the solder I use has a rosin core typically.
ground your transmission also. you can get the lugs at homedepot. 3/8 #4 guage. crimper you can get at harbor freight. been doing this for over 10 years. it does work !
@@aaronbecerra3788 better shifts for automatics. just ground the case to chassis.
and i am 27 and have been putting car stereos in friends cars since i was 15. i also had a job doing lift kits and lowering kits and some car stereo installs. but got hurt and laid off. but still learning the car audio side, to better my skills on it, making it cleaner and better. so just give it a try, it doesn't hurt to do it yourself but not all shops do half ass just some people and if you find somebody that you like request them to work on your car each time so you don't get the newbie.
Best exclamation I have heard why to do a wiring upgrade. Well done 👍
Thanks for watching!
Thanks for the feedback, it's much appreciated. I'll have some motorcycle videos coming down the pipes soon, since I just put one together recently :D
Really a pleasure to watch you bro I’m learning a lot thank you 😎🍀👍🏼
Thanks so much! I have more updated videos on topics like this where I think I do a better job lol th-cam.com/video/mkWCqSfr6ig/w-d-xo.html
@WHALEHUNTERGATHERER Well I don't really plan on making another video like this for a while. Like the video shows, you go from negative terminal on the battery to chassis, motor to chassis and alternator to the positive terminal. You just have to find bolts on the motor and chassis that aren't really doing anything and hook them up.
I fucking love the logical explanation from this guy OMG. And I love how he demands you to buy a torch if you don’t have one!
😂😂😂😂. If you don’t have one, buy one!
🙌🙌
SraiTdenI Glad to hear you liked the video!
It would be a good idea to. That way the cooling fans can't turn on while you're working under the hood, if you have electric fans.
I usually use left over power wire from amplifier power kits. So it tends to be oxygen free and a high strand count.
No I haven't upgraded the alternator yet. I plan to put a high output unit on soon (200 amps).
could you please help, Im doing big 4 this weekend and was wondering if you can keep original grounds and plus. Im adding a 0 gauge wire (50mm2)
Yup, I keep the original grounds in. I'm not too concerned about ground loops since factory puts grounds all over the place.
So it wont affect the 0 gauge? Like so it just goes through the original ground or plus haha. Guess not tho, just to be sure
@@Caluy It will take the path of least resistance.
@@AnthonyJ350 thx (:
@@Caluy You're welcome
I leave them on because keeping them on won't hurt. Electricity will take the path of least resistance, so if I have more paths it has more options.
It can't move though, you've created an already solid mechanical connection by crimping it in the vice. it's crushed in the vice first, then soldered then lightly held again in the vice for a heat sink. If I only soldered it I would see your point, but in that time frame the solder has solidified enough you can cool it. I have never had a cold solder joint doing it like this. In a high volume environment, you have to go as fast as possible, make it ultra reliable and make it look good.
The "BIG THREE" wiring change under the hood. Big Audiofiles running mobile amps etc use this change to beef up power delivery. This is where it gets interesting.....I perform the BIG THREE by NOT REMOVING BUT ADDING IN PARALLEL additional 6 gauge battery cables to the stock small cables running from:
1. The (-) battery to fender ground.
2. The Battery (+) to fuse box feed.
3. Right front cylinder head engine (available threaded bolt) to left shock tower bolt(ie frame connection to engine block)
4. added cable from stock altenator (+) output to Battery (+) post following stock cable.
5. I also beefed up the stock (-) ground run straight run down form the (-) battery post to the frame behind the front left tire at frame.
Ok, so I made 5 changes but effectively still falls under the Big Three change rules to follow. You can google Big Three wiring change and see those basic rules to follow or implement.
All cables simply doubled up providing an effective 3 to 4 gauge connections.
Now, not a bit of head light flicker, voltage maintianed 14.2v charging voltage at all times.
But here's what else has occured and what I wanted to share with you.
1. Slightly brighter headlights.
2. Engine starts are far quicker...no lag in starter (Same stock battery BTW) It's more of a snap start vs the ruh..ruh..start. Starter has better power feed even though I did not increase the starter cable feed size.
3. Here's the kicker...I am seeing 1.5 MPG average increase in fuel economy!! I actually had a tank on a long mostly freeway trip to Monterey a couple weeks back get me 18.2 MPG! Otherwise very same drive to work and back. This has to be due to increased power delivery to the ignition system and a stronger spark through those independent coils. Also by doing this you increase the distance of your remote starters.
This additional big three wiring done by yourself would cost you about $30.00 tops in cable and dual bolt lug battery lead clamps all available at your local auto store.
Just wanted to share this out. I have a photo's of my install. BTW, I'm an EE by trade.
Sky high wire comes in first. Rockford wire 2nd and I think JL is 3rd.
I agree but for most people this is more than enough for the avg daily driver. I didn't show all the grounds on my truck but I'll list them. I grounded each cylinder head to frame, front of cab to frame, rear of cab to frame, transmission to frame, exhaust to frame, battery to frame and block. I didn't bother with the tb and yes mine is electronically controlled. I think i did a proper "overkill" set up, beginners would just get bombarded, so I show you the basics and you go from there.
For Brent Terry since they have their reply setting on restricted. All we're doing is preventative maintenance and allowing electricity to take the least path of resistance. So if you have an aluminium valve cover it will be able to conduct from the head of the fasteners (if they're touching the metal) and flow to the cylinder head. Each application will vary. I believe the ground you're refer to is the one on the Civic. And I actually replaced a factory ground. So the engineers at Honda put that there, I just put a better wire on.
The valve cover does not touch the head anywhere... It is separated by a gasket, and the fasteners are separated by their own o-rings... Makes little to no sense to ground to the valve cover
Anthony Taylor Why does Honda do it in plain site on 1996-2000 Civics? Cause last time I checked Honda has some of the best engineered motors.
+AnthonyJ350 that vehicle was a toyota wasnt it?... Honda does it to ground sensors in the valve cover, the ground you added would in no way affect the spark plugs because their grounded component(cyl head) in no way makes metal to metal contact with the valve cover
Anthony Taylor Every vehicle is different. I do a continuity test and I test for resistance to see if there is any ground to begin with and if there has been any improvement. I don't show that step because it's over people's heads that are new to this. My theory is based on what I find stock on other vehicles. Look at the valve cover on a 1996-2000 Civic, front on the driver's side.
+AnthonyJ350 im not saying that you dont know what youre doing man... Im just pointing out that you are incorrect in saying that a ground to the valve cover (in ANY vehicle) will in some way help the spark plugs, yes it will help sensors mounted to the metal valve cover, just not the spark plugs like you mention... To help the plugs, a direct ground to the cyl head needs to be made
Great video as always, love your channel! However, I wouldn't say that a valve cover is necessarily a reliable ground because it's often electrically isolated from the engine by the rubber gasket. Even the nuts/bolts that hold it down often don't directly contact the valve cover since they usually have rubber seals around them too. On some vehicles it could work fine, but I'd rather just ground directly to the head or block and remove all doubt.
I agree it's situational and you have to know how your vehicle is put together. Good point!
At 9:03 in your video, are you wiring the crankshaft sensor to the negative battery ? If not, can i know which parts of the car is it ? Thanks
It was just an open thread on the valve cover.
I would definitely upgrade the big 3 as well.
should we disconnect the negative from the battery first before connecting the new ground cable to points we want to put ?
Thanks for the heads up!: )
I'm going to do the job tomorrow.
You should heat the ring terminal from the BACK while applying the solder to the opposite side to reduce the amount of lead vapor.
Wow! Talking about total extreme wiring system! Love it! Great info! Thanks! Thumbs up!
Thanks!
@cookerbullock No problem! Ya think of it like preventative maintenance/ slash electronic improvement for the 12 volt system :)
The room temperature resistance of these aftermarket ground wires is still lower than the stock ones. Not to mention during high current loads, wires with higher resistance take up voltage, and voltage drops at the load.
"the resistance change is almost nothing from these size wires" We are spending money on lower resistance, that's the whole point. Wire rating gives you an indication of resistance, the smaller, the higher ohms it has, and the more energy it dissipates during high loads.
Thanks man. Just need some more info. I also don't want to take out the original harness. Will done it soon. Thanks a lot.
If you replaced every ground you took out no, I don't see any problems, because you're not taking anything away. What kind of vehicle is it though, because some of the newer cars have really sensitive computers.
Sorry to hear that, cause I work at a shop. That's why I know this stuff cause I practice it every day.
i was told from a mechanic to ground the alternator with atleast 4 gauge, wich means id have 2 big batt grounds, big alt ground, and big alt positive. partly to keep the big dry cell from draining when the car is off, and to have a ridiculous amount of flow
After I install the 4 gage big 3 ,the engine idle down faster even on cold starts 👍👍
That's awesome to hear!
Thanks for the comment!
If you still experience that problem you'll have to step up your alternator. What kind of vehicle is it and what kind of system are you running?
im running 4 subs in my nissan sentra 2008 when the bass hits hard the engine starts making a sound like a high pitch wine and the idle drops on the RPM of the car would the big thee help this
I'd only replace them if they're too corroded. If they're good I leave them in. Electricity will just take the path of least resistance anyways, so more is better in my opinion.
you might want to do a series ground. frame to battery, to head, to block, to transmission, to chassis ground. you can get connectors from home depot. #4 guage 3/8 inch lug. been doing this for years.
The resistive losses in the wires are equivalent to I(square)R. Also, the voltage at the load will be less than the source whenever a high current flows through thin wires. Electrical engineers in car companies balance between performance, reliability, cost, and marketing strategy. And that means there will always be room for cheap aftermarket performance improvements.
Nice analogy with the straw bit.
Did you watch the rest of the video where I show other vehicles where I did the alternator wire like on my truck? Cause I understand I only did the grounds on the first car, but I do show other examples. My grounding kits have to be good, I welded studs on to the frame and cab of the rear of the truck! Like who does that???
Is there any disadvantages when the battery is in the trunk (chrysler 300c). How to please.
The only disadvantage I've seen with the 300C/ Charger/ Magnum etc is because they DON'T use a tiny battery in the front with the large battery in the rear they are susceptible to engine noise when adding amps (4 channel). But it's rare when you use good quality gear. Just ground the motor in the front and upgrade the one in the rear if you so chose to.
yes but were talking about huge temperatures like 30+ degrees which wont happen in a car unless the wire is below the rating of on the engine, ect.
I understand that it can benefit any vehicle but mainly performers for audio, but CARS SHOULD COME LIKE THIS!
They should, but it's a cost savings thing. Copper is expensive so vehicles are built to "good enough" standards.
I agree. However from a car manufacturer perspective, if it costed even an extra few bucks, it adds up when you're making 50,000 cars. That would be an extra $150,000
Glycerin I agree, I guess you just gotta look at the bigger picture
Do you leave the old wires connected(in use)? Not one video is saying to leave old ones in or not.
The nissan 200sx i have that i bought recently already is 0 gauge grounded to the strut mounting surface so one less thing i have to do plus i just changed the alternator i just have to clean up the negative battery ground some.
do you have a install video for newer GM with smart alts and the sensor on the ground cable?
Got this one th-cam.com/video/i3QQAtogW40/w-d-xo.html
This video talks about the sensor th-cam.com/video/OqylgRKiC-A/w-d-xo.html
And this video goes indepth on the theory of how that system works th-cam.com/video/8NRajpYXGb4/w-d-xo.html
Who are all that people who put the dislike marks on this nice video? Are they gods and they can show us a better video or are they just always dislike? :)))
Ignore, that last comment. Pressed wrong button. I have OCD about my engine bay. Would there be any reprocussions about removing the factory grounds for the sake of neatness.
so your just adding the ground could you just replace the existing ground with the bigger gauge wire or you wouldn't recommend that
Ok, maybe you can help.i.have a 2011 Camry and I want to do the big 3 upgrade on it, but the positive batt to positive alt isn't conventional, how do I get around this
Very professional stuff big 👍👍👍
Thank you!
grounding kit is best to install for old cars having corroded wires and specially for vehicles that have sound setup or HID lights.
Si if you wanted to ground the alternator, you'd run a wire from it to the positive terminal ?
I don't have a big amp in my truck and I don;t spend a lot of time researching articles like this, but I was employed as an electronics installer for over 30 years so these things catch my interest. Since I have a standard Ford pickup truck without any amps or special electronics, and my truck has run fine for 278,000 miles, I don't see the need for any electrical improvements. I have read the comments about how these grounding improvements can help the engines run better, transmissions shift better, etc. But to me these are just " guy next door" theories, i.e. opinions. Until I see the engineering data and tests that can be measured , it is all just a theory to me. Maybe there is data. I just haven't seen it. Interesting video though.
I haven't seen any how to's on the big three for old box body suburbans. Any tips?
I thought I did... Yes I usually leave the old wires intact unless they're damaged or too corroded, then I replace.
Cold soldering, heat at the bottom and apply at top also use flux
Solder has flux built into it.
Are there any credible install shops in your area?
Thanks i have a 96 lumina with a system that can benefit from every mod i can find.
Glad the video helped!
Bluepoint. I got mine from SnapOn.
question,,i have a 92-95 Honda civic with a small ass battery..if I want to do the big 3 upgrade..do I need to use the zero gauge wire?
I use 4 gauge on most of mine. It still has the ability to flow up to 150 amps depending on the quality of wire.
cool
QUESTION: does the ground and power wire have to be different- red and light blue wire type? or can I use the light blue wire for the whole big 3 install?
king snare The colours just help you know which one is ground and which goes to 12+
AnthonyJ350 thanks man
Also the need to increase current carrying capacity is a worth while upgrade because a lot of people are adding a lot aftermarket 12 volt devices that could benefit from the upgrade i.e. amplifiers, auxiliary lighting, aftermarket head units, etc
Great video! Very informative, can't wait to make my own grounds for my supercharged type R!
Thanks for watching! Let us know how it turns out.
I went from like 14 gauge to 0/1 gauge on my car with the big 3 and I love it loves good to
4 guage will run up to 150amps? how much can 0 guage run
SO i'm having excessive resistance. Alternator case to battery negative is showing .15. Would this upgrade help this condition?
Upgrading the eletrical is always going to be good for the vehicle. What is happening to your vehicle exactly and what's the year make and model?
98 ford explorer V6 4.0 SOHC. Its idling really low to the point where it even stalled at every light. Gpt a new battery,New IAC, new PCV, cleaned throttle body multiple times. Over the weekend i replaced the manifold gaskets as well. Now the car doesnt stall but at idle it will dip under 500rpms and the dash lights dim and engine shakes a bit then pops back up to 600rpms. It'll do this mostly when car is warmed up. WHen the car does stall it starts right back up. Never had an issue with it starting. I do have a stereo system in it. I still have all the stock grounds which are of course a bunch of puny little wires. So since the battery was new and the multimeter tells me that its fine and with car on and full load the alternator is charging it. But when i check the ground on the alternator case itself its showing nearly 4 times the resistance desired.
Serious video.!!! and its was very instructive ..seeing other how to ..they buy such a high-res cam and then either have studdering or grammar issues then the purpose is defeated
can you do a video of the box and amp you have on your 05 duramax?
+Josh Ricke My truck has a gas motor. Did you watch the video when I put the 5 channel amp in? th-cam.com/video/EA24kELJdUI/w-d-xo.html
No but I will thank you
Hi. If I want to upgrade the big 3, does i need to take out the original harness and replace with new one?or how?Just doubt regarding cable from alternator.Thanks.
Will I need an alternator ground wire if the alternator is already grounded by the base to the engine with 4 screws and there's 2 ground 0 gauge cables on the engine?
Jose Torres If you have a big sound system I would. My truck is ground similar to how you're describing
AnthonyJ350 no sound system. Engine upgrades, turbo, tuned, intercooler, etc
Which is the difference between negative-positive pole and ground earth cable?
Ground earth would be the same as the negative
can you show a video of how to do it on an 02 acura tl?
What size is the battery on your Truck. I have a 02 2500hd and there is not much space for the side terminals. Mine is group 78 but from the video you have twice as much space between the fuse box and the battery. And did that top cover come with the battery.
My truck is a 2005 1500 so the electrical has been updated a little bit. That's probably why there's more space. It's the stock side battery in the truck.
Those that were talking about buying a high dollar HO alternator (or saying how they can't afford one), you can look in your area for a alternator / starter shop, especially major cities all have them. They do a lot of work with heavy equipment and large truck alternators and they can also do a HO alternator for you, normally for alot cheaper than buying one new. I did a 200amp one in my old Nissan truck, pulled a GM alternator out of a junk yard, got a upgraded stator and windings from him (something else too can't remember) all that was less than $200, I think it was $175 total. Hope this helps someone... :-)
Valid point, but that isn't always the case. Obviously it depends on if a car can accept a different model alt. In my situation, I cannot get an upgraded alt unless I buy one. My alt case isn't big enough for a modified stater and rotor. My ex-brother-in-law owned a alt rebuild shop. I did the wire portion of the "Big 3" because of a relatively significant voltage drop. Another option is to see if the rebuild shop can modify an existing alt. I had mine changed into a single wire alt, and have no problems at all.
Any reason to avoid solid wire? I have probably 3 feet of 10 or 12 gauge solid wire. Can I use it?
Joey C Wire in a car you want it to be flexible because all the vibration that happens, it can break the solid wire.
more threads= more pathways for power flow
i did my ground from batt to strut tower, and intake valve to battery... and what do you think about kinetic power cells??
i have a kinetic hc 2400 in the trunk is it still necesary to do the big 3 on the car.its a 91 lincoln towncar with 2 12s L5s with a 2000 watts brutus hifonics and a powerbass 1600 watt amp for my highs and last a 3 way kicker xover.
what torch you have? where would I get one liek that?
now are you leaving the old ground wires on? and why
I do know that after I did a grounding kit on my car it made my headlights and interior lights stay bright. My headlights would dim whenever I used any electrical load like rolling down my window. My OEM grounding was not enough.
I have a camry with a 80 or 90 amp alternator. Would it be ok if I used the 4 guage to do the big 3?
not many do but a grounding kit involves grounding the block, alt, transmission, tbody, and frame twice in either a two line or loop formation and in modern racing is very important to have it done in that way along side a big3 also its usually better to ground transmission to block to tbody then to the frame as for you big 3 you did great on it but you should do a proper gkit to protect your electronics and help you truck perform better
@AnthonyJ350 very well done vid, very informative specially for a novice like me! just a quick question regarding wires (since you mention you can use welding wire), can i use 200amp wires from a jumper cable/lead? i found them to be also thick and high amperage. thanks in advance!
You could, I assume it's 4 gauge?
@@AnthonyJ350 yes its 4awg for the 200amp.. there is a 2awg with 400amps
@@dem1177 4 gauge is more than adequate
@@AnthonyJ350 thanks! your definitly right.. as i am gonna be using only my stock headunit and speakers.
Sir, it is my opinion only, that if you had "fluxed" your wire before you crimped it in the vise, the solder used would have "runned" and "coated" your target wire faster, and even would have made you a better electrical connection overall.
If i want to go all out like the honda civic, what exactly do i want to ground? Is there a specific list?
Also what is the purpose of a fuse, i have seen people saying its recommended to have a fuse between the ground points and the battery
+Naz Zainee You only need to fuse positive points (i.e. an amplifier) because if there's a short it will prevent further damage. On a traditional ground set up, a fuse is not necessary on the ground wire.
+Naz Zainee Neg battery to chassis, Neg battery to cylinder head, and cylinder head to chassis.
AnthonyJ350 thanks :)
Should I run my 1/0 under my car for my 2ed battery ?
It's not my preferred way of doing it, I have seen it done. You can't run it inside?
@@AnthonyJ350 I don’t hVe the room to run anymore wires in my panels.
I have a "ground loop" question. On the very last car in the video(2001 Pontiac Montana) where there is a ground from the Engine to the Chassis and then ALSO a ground from the Engine to the Battery, wouldn't that setup create a ground loop since there are two different length pathways to the negative battery terminal? Thanks in advance!!
A ground from the Engine to the Battery is useless since you already have a ground from the battery to the chassis and engine ground to chassis. Current will flow to the shortest path which is ground from engine to chassis , longer ground loop is just a waste of a wire.
UPGRADED TO CAPACITORS NO MORE EXTRA POUND ADDED MY CAPACITORS ONLY WEIGHTS LESS THAN A POUND...finally got rid of that heavy a.. baterries
Buraot where do you think the caps get there charge from ,,adding an extra batt will allways be better than a cap
He's right caps are crap
+Buraot if your trying to have a race car then you obv wouldn't have a subwoofer or anything extra like audio equipment in it then....right?
my amp didnt come with the high side plugs,,,,, im using rca wires at moment and its not loud at all, its like the factory radio loud,,, would it get louder using the high side wires instead ??? they are 50w x4
Did you use a line output converter with the rcas?
@@AnthonyJ350 just rca cables from the stereo to the amp
@@wonderwond aftermarket head unit?
@@AnthonyJ350 yes jvc/dvd
@@wonderwond What kind of vehicle is it?
so i have an 05 focus with a 2.0duratec. Can I run multiple grounds from motor to chassis and motor to battery? will it hurt anything? i can’t seem to find the factory ones.
Yup you can. If there is a current sensor on the negative terminal you'll want to run you upgraded battery ground through it.
@@AnthonyJ350 Thank you!
@@That4.3Sierra You're welcome
@@AnthonyJ350 I wanted to do a full Big 7 upgrade but the problem is they don't have any kits. I don't mind making my own but it would have been cool to be able to buy one too
@@That4.3Sierra I think it's always better to make them. You can really tailor it to exactly how you want it. Especially if you have other aftermarket items under the hood.
Sorry I was soooo wrong, you were rite sir I saw the links and thanks for sharing the links with me
+OMG ITS FUFU FuFu Productions What's wrong with them though, I'm curious about your take on it.
+AnthonyJ350 Keyboard warriors.
Devin Lasher I know, everyone is a professional. But then you see the work they do compared to you... Why can't everyone just be nice and try to learn from one another???
+AnthonyJ350 because this is the internet
whats the word, over torque? when it comes to over tightning a screw
Got any videos on grounding an Chevy Blazer?
Thank you for the video, BIG help. However, I ran into a problem. The speakers are making a screeching sound and it amplifies (gets louder) as I accelerate my car. Any thought on what could be the problem? It even makes the sound when the radio is turned off.
Andrew Rodriguez Torres You have a ground loop somewhere. I'd start by how the amps are grounded.
do have a video on multi battery for your system ?
Yup, I think search 350Z second battery
The only benefit is to allow the alternator to keep the voltage sufficient across your car's electrical system. People who have a high demand for power (large amps, tons of lights) will experience headlight dimming and other problems which this can alleviate.
resistance change dramatically when wires heat up ;D