Ultimate Ground Wire Upgrade

[Frank Enstein]

Welding cable? Maybe if I got it for free. 2 gauge if I'm buying. And, yes, I have a welding cable ground wire that I'm going to install on my motor soon. I got it for free.

I have 0000 cable on my Firebird 'cuz the battery is in the trunk. Annnd it was free! 00 would have been plenty but it was free! And the 2 gauge wouldn't crank it hot. Had to wait 2 hours before it would start. I learned most of this the hard way.

 

[Frank Enstein]

How are you attaching that cable?

If you're using one of the starter-to-block bolts, the thickness of the copper lug must not be great enough to lift the knurled section of the starter bolt out of the block--the knurl ideally is 1/2 in the block, and 1/2 in the starter housing.

You'd surely want to paint that connection with Glyptal or equivalent; that connection is gonna get heavy road-splash. Especially bad in areas where they use salt or brine on the roads!

Your system is better electrically, but I'm perfectly content to use the OEM grounding point--on my '88 K1500, it's a studded bolt at the "fuel pump" area of the block.

Good question! The copper lugs are 1/16 thick at most. Plenty of knurl to align the starter.

 

[Frank Enstein]

Try this stuff . We used it in plant electrical switch gear when there was the need for a tight radius to get to the buss bar in the back. Not cheap!

http://www.electrowire.com/markets/transit/dlo-diesel-locomotive-cable/

I used this stuff on my Yamaha mag pickup wires.

https://www.amainhobbies.com/deans-wet-noodle-12-gauge-2-each-red-black-wsd1410/p10558

I got tired of fixing the wires. Replaced the wires 4 times in a year. The wet noodle wire lasted over 9 years without a hiccup! That stuff is like copper dust inside the insulation.

 

[618 Syndicate]

I used this stuff on my Yamaha mag pickup wires.

https://www.amainhobbies.com/deans-wet-noodle-12-gauge-2-each-red-black-wsd1410/p10558

I got tired of fixing the wires. Replaced the wires 4 times in a year. The wet noodle wire lasted over 9 years without a hiccup! That stuff is like copper dust inside the insulation.

I've got some of those wires in my RC parts box. They're incredibly flexible...

 

[Bloodwater79]

an upgrade I did for my 94 was I bought welder lead cable 2/0 gauge (the very fine stranded wire) the lengths I needed for positive battery lead, main starter lead, and negative battery leads. I used the old positive lead for the alternator positive charge wire and the old negative lead for my body ground. went to my local john deere dealer and talked to one of the techs and they pressed all the fittings on for me. wouldnt believe how bright it made my headlights after that. would have thought I was running high beams all the time. it also fixed an intermittent taillight issue i had been experiencing for a year.

 

[Insert Quarter]

When doing grounds I made the battery my main bus:

https://thmarinesupplies.com/products/hydra-multi-connection-marine-battery-terminals

Ran power and ground from the alternator positive terminal and alternator case bolt to the battery.

That's made the most noticeable difference of anything I've done electrically.

I'd clean up the fuel pump ground and the tail light ground while you're sorting out all the ground wiring.

 

[kenh]

I would occasionally have a hot no start condition. Everything but the starter would work. Turn the key and just like the battery was unhooked. When I had my heads off I cleaned all the grounds I could find on the engine, firewall and frame. Stayed with the stock ground wires just cleaned everything really well. Since then I've never had a no start. My gauges seem to work better also, more stable and not jump around. Grounds are so important with a computer controlled engine/trans. IMO, grounds should be the first thing to check unless you just went through them all.

Ken

 

[El Tigre]

I ground everything to the frame with welding cable. Rock solid voltages is the result.
Also relocated batteries to the cabin for weight distribution ,and reduce their exposure to extreme hot/cold.

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