Grounding Kit + Vq35 Intake Mod = Win!

[chad bob]

I'm sorry, I know that these points of discussion have been covered previously but I had such a successful weekend that I just had to dig it up again.

I have seen details on the yank G35 forums concerning earthing kits for the VQ35, there was some doubt that they would actually work. This weekend I popped into JB HIFI and bought 2 meters of 8gauge amplifier cable and a packet of gold plated terminals, $15 in total spent. Installation took 5 mins, I just anchord the cable on the opposite side of the motor to the factory grounding strip, one terminal on the intake and one on the timing chain cover, then back to the negative battery terminal.

I was not prepared for how great the improvement is, it feels like a totally different car! When I come to an incline, instead of having to change down manually or stomp my foot to get the car to shift down, it does it with the very litest application of throttle, the gearbox feels like it's had a valve body re-build, so responsive, sauch fast changes with none of the delay that it had before.

If you havnt installed a grounding kit on your M35 yet, do it!

The other mod i did this weekend was a VQ35 intake mod, removed the inspection cover on the air box and re-positioned the bonnet seal to create a second intake, theres more induction noise and I detect a slight increase in low end pull, a good mod none the less.

Good weekend.

[KiwiRS4T]

I am very sceptical that my engine or gearbox suffers from a poor earth. Maybe there is something peculiar to the M35 but I wouldn't have thought so. I would normally say i wouldn't cross the road to get an earthing kit if it was free but I don't have to because i have one in my garage which a previous owner had installed in my last car (although I thought it was to support his mega sub amp). However your post has inspired me to decide to install it anyway. It may not give me an extra 20awkw but at least it definitely won't do any harm and may have a suprise benefit somewhere!

[zei20l]

i might do it too, if i can be bothered lol

[iamhe77]

I'm sorry, I know that these points of discussion have been covered previously but I had such a successful weekend that I just had to dig it up again.

I have seen details on the yank G35 forums concerning earthing kits for the VQ35, there was some doubt that they would actually work. This weekend I popped into JB HIFI and bought 2 meters of 8gauge amplifier cable and a packet of gold plated terminals, $15 in total spent. Installation took 5 mins, I just anchord the cable on the opposite side of the motor to the factory grounding strip, one terminal on the intake and one on the timing chain cover, then back to the negative battery terminal.

I was not prepared for how great the improvement is, it feels like a totally different car! When I come to an incline, instead of having to change down manually or stomp my foot to get the car to shift down, it does it with the very litest application of throttle, the gearbox feels like it's had a valve body re-build, so responsive, sauch fast changes with none of the delay that it had before.

If you havnt installed a grounding kit on your M35 yet, do it!

Funny you mention this.

I have looked into it a couple of times and ended up talking to the GroundingGear guys who are in the process of designing a grounding kit specifically for the VQ25DET (needed a few pics of the engine bay). The grounding kit they are designing will incorporate the ECU and trans grounding points as well as the engine, chassis etc.

Should be ready early August.

The other mod i did this weekend was a VQ35 intake mod, removed the inspection cover on the air box and re-positioned the bonnet seal to create a second intake, theres more induction noise and I detect a slight increase in low end pull, a good mod none the less.

LOL.

I did the reverse yesterday. Put 3 additional plastic spacers in the intake funnel to open it's mouth (now a bit more open than when new), closed up the airbox and ran some flexible tube from the lower grill into the bottom of the airbox (there is a round section where the little drain hole is that it perfect for 50mm flexible hose).

Still need to put some kind of scoop in the end of the hose though.

No real noticeable difference. Does look better though

Edited July 19, 2009 by iamhe77

[chad bob]

I think the moral of my story is that it's very hard to tell if your auto box is properly grounded or not because the deterioration in shift times and response to throttle position would be VERY gradual over a few thousand Km or so.

So it's the sort of thing whereby fixing the problem is the only way to tell if there was anything wrong in the first place, so ground the thing , if you end up with a much nicer car to drive (this happened in my case).... or nothing changes, which means that everything was correctly grounded in the first place, still nothing lost.

From the reading I've done, it appears that people have seen shift time and response improvements in the following models after fitting even a basic grounding kit like mine. (all automatic transmission models, obviously)

-350Z

-V35 Skyline

-G35 Infinity

-M35 Stagea

This is why I mentioned that any number of Electronic Automatic vehicles may see improvements, it's not limited to a single model but in fact every model using Nissan's 'FM' platform. So who's to say that you won't see improvement in a WC34 or R34.

Edited July 20, 2009 by chad bob

[zei20l]

its probably worth doing to any car. grounding is always shit on cars. manufacturers make cars as cheaply as possible to keep costs down and profits higher. if it means saving 5c on the whole wiring of a car, work that out across 100,000 cars......

[iamhe77]

its probably worth doing to any car. grounding is always shit on cars. manufacturers make cars as cheaply as possible to keep costs down and profits higher. if it means saving 5c on the whole wiring of a car, work that out across 100,000 cars......

$5k.... What do I win?

[zei20l]

and then work it out across all the cars they manufacture and then across all car makers... thats a massive saving

sorry im just saying that its probably worth doing to any car, and cost cutting was my reason for doing so

PS you win nothing. you will owe me a prize!

[chad bob]

The way I see it, if a grounding kit gives you an improvement in response and shift times this = fuel savings as you get more go for less throttle.

So on a $15 grounding kit, it'd pay for itself after a few tanks of gas.

[32TAXI]

Just out of curiousity, did you disconnect neg/earth terminal off battery when fitting earth kit?

Ever thought you just reset ecu, which will affect shift times(adaptive learning).

We used to get vehicle's back after service and update ecu, complaining of chirping wheels!!!

[chad bob]

Just out of curiousity, did you disconnect neg/earth terminal off battery when fitting earth kit?

Ever thought you just reset ecu, which will affect shift times(adaptive learning).

We used to get vehicle's back after service and update ecu, complaining of chirping wheels!!!

HA! A skeptic

Nope the negative terminal remained attached through the procedure, I didn't need to reset my dash clock or radio stations.

All I did on the battery was remove the 10mm nut, stick on the terminal then screwed the nut back on, the terminal connection itself didn't move 1mm.

Edited July 20, 2009 by chad bob

[[[d a n n y]]]

PICS OR BAN!

[pixel8r]

Mate if this works, sign me up!! If there's anything I can do to improve shift times or improve the auto trans in general, then I'd jump at the chance!!

Basically it just seems to get slower and slower when waiting for the kickdown. Over the last few weeks its sometimes even at the point where I put my foot down slightly, nothing happens, down some more, nothing, and then it feels like it wants to change but hits a dead spot right before it actually does change, then it revs its guts out because by now my foot is well down on the accelerator...

Its like its not reading the inputs correctly to know when to change gears...I'm not 100% how it all works but presumably the ecu tells the transmission when to change?

If you say that a grounding issue can make this communication between ecu and trans ecu worse gradually over time, then this sounds like the first thing I need to rule out. Other than this there's probably not much else I can do - I had the box serviced only 8-9 months ago with fully synthetic fluid. It changes up gears fine, and the gear changes are as silky smooth as they ever have been. Its on the odd occasion the kick-down seems to take longer than normal. I'm now quite used to the delay but just recently its been noticeably worse. Not to mention the fact that everyone else who has driven my car has commented on the fact that the gearbox is very slow to change down.

iamhe77 - let me know when you find out about the VQ25DET grounding kit. Any idea on price?

[chad bob]

pixla8er, what you just described is EXACTLY what I was experiencing in my Stag. Now it changes like a champ!

I had my box fully serviced 5 months ago as well. Just remember that off the shelf earthing kits can cost up to $200, my kit cost me $15 and 10 mins of install time.

If you like I'll take a pic of what I did, but it's easy enough to explain and only involves 2 lengths of wire/

[zei20l]

those kits ground everything in the engine bay, but i think its overkill. i think if you ground the block again, maybe towards the back where the gearbox bolts on, and the manifold and head. going to every small component is silly! just make sure you rough up the contacts so they make a good connection. remove paint where necessary too!

[iamhe77]

iamhe77 - let me know when you find out about the VQ25DET grounding kit. Any idea on price?

Most certainly will.

Dunno about price, I am guessing at $200 delivered from the US... maybe.

I thought it would have been very similar to the V35 grounding kit that they do, but they said that it is completely different to the VQ35DE.

If they do not do group buys, I will get a set and try it out myself. Need a quicker shift.

[[[d a n n y]]]

200 bucks for a ground kit??

wtf

[chad bob]

200 bucks for a ground kit??

wtf

$15..........$200.................$15................$200

I dont get it dude!

Let me try again: 200 / 15 = 13.33333333333 or maybe 15 / 200 = 0.075 x 100 = 7.5%

Nope I still dont get it.

You could pay for my airfairs to Australia and I would put together a kit for you that looked exactly like an HKS or APEXi unit, and you still have enough $ left to buy me a box of VB!

Edited July 20, 2009 by chad bob

[iamhe77]

200 bucks for a ground kit??

wtf

LOL.

If all grounding kits were made equal, you wouldn't need one would you?

[zei20l]

do they use oxygen free wire and gold plated terminals readily available from jaycar