$30 to get another 1.5 MPG
 

Don't know if anyone else here has tried this. I'm new here. But wanted to get feed back on it. I know of others that have done this and gotten the same results.

The "BIG THREE" wiring change under the hood. Big Audiophiles 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 alternator (+) 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 maintained 14.2v charging voltage at all times.

But here's what else has occurred 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.

4. Also, another plus is the adding of more distance needed to use the remote starter. No need to be so close in using one. Maybe it was a difference in weather, obstacles or nothing. I'm still testing.

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.

Glad to know that doing the big three will save me some fuel:
http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...rth-28378.html

I noticed the slightly brighter headlights too, whiter and brighter at low beam and high beam.

For now though I'm just using the existing wiring and just cleaned up the connectors going to the chassis and to the starter motor. In future I will be replacing all of the cables though as you did as I believe it will improve things even further.

And the charging of the starter battery will be more efficient too, less power is then wasted in the resistance of the wire.

Good job, and welcome to the forum :)

In 99% of the cases I have observed (in 60k hoursworking on cars), the resistance is not in the wires, but in the connections. Set your volt meter to voltage close to your batteries capacity. Touch the various suspected connections with the probes. When you find any voltage reading, then you have found the source of the resistance. Clean that connection and recheck your work with the volt meter.

I cleaned the ground connection on my Fiesta after reading about problems and that single connection being the source of many low voltage issues causing numerous problems among which is transmission shift quality. The ground connection is bolted to the left strut tower and there is only one ground connection from battery to everything else.

Ground issues typically cause mulitple problems when many systems are dependent on the same ground wire. Low voltage drives computer controlled systems crazy.

Separate frame trucks need a good ground from battery to engine, frame, and chassis so ground issues are more prevalent on this type of vehicle construction (separate frame and body).

regards
Mech

so i have NO excuse to re-do my wiring! i have a lot of heavier gauge wire sitting on the wall of the shop i've collected over the years. and a lot of copper crimp lugs. need to get to work. sometimes it's all in the small details.

While doing lighting upgrades on my Neon, relay harness' with heavier gauge wiring from the battery, to the relay, to the lights, and checking all grounds along the way, that is a great way to improve lighting. I ran a bunch of extra grounds on our Ranger project a couple years back as well. Many in the Neon community don't see the reasoning for a Big Three grounding project, but that is the next electric project for my Neon.

It sounds like I do not have any excuse for not cleaning my dirt terminals--tomorrow! :)

I still have my statistics worksheet and quiz to do tonight.

Sounds like I need to buy a quality voltmeter and start measuring.

Hi have started big test on my motor vehicle only put in 2 out of three so far and it has made a huge difference. also been told that electrical degrades over time and increases resitantance. if any one knows about electric cable let us know.

Cleaning up the grounds is simple yet free maintenance that needs done to keep car in tip top shape.

Before maintenance free batteries you would clean the connections at the battery 1-2 times a year.

Old Mech. likely has cleaned a bunch of terminals, just as have I.

I really need to go clean mine. The Metro was very sensitive to having corroded grounds. I added more on the Metro and it did help, even after I cleaned the factory grounds.

The Civic has an uninsulated ground going from the chassis to the engine. It is greenish from corrosion. I might just make a new one since I am worried that the corrosion is also inside the terminals.

What really works I've found is just pouring boiling hot water straight from a kettle onto battery corrosion. It melts away the crystals like they werent even there. They just disappear before your eyes.

Just be careful you dont splash any on yourself.

I actually had a problematic battery which would need this done once a month or week, I would go and make a cup of coffee before leaving and bring out the kettle with me lol to pour onto the battery terminals.

Worked like a charm.

It isn't battery corrosion as this ground wire is two feet from the battery. It's corrosion from the elements, most notably, water. More water won't help. Thanks for the idea though.

It's a two part fix.
http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/wcs...3_pri_larg.jpghttp://shop.advanceautoparts.com/wcs...6_pri_larg.jpg

Yes, if you are referring to cleaning the battery terminals. I wouldn't bother with a spray anywhere else and I would still clean the battery terminals with a brush.

Unless I am mistaken this thread is mostly talking about the grounds from the fuse box to the engine, engine to firewall, etc, not the battery terminals. For non-battery terminals, it is only effective to remove the bolts that hold these terminals whatever they are bolted to and manually remove the corrosion with a wire brush (careful with the brush or else too much terminal may be removed) or sandpaper. For example, on the chassis to engine ground cable, remove the bolts that hold the cable down, clean both terminals and then both the chassis ground point and the engine ground point. Reinstall. It is doubtful a spray will be able to penetrate and remove the corrosion.

I'm with you there- you have to use a brush. But once it's done, use the protectant. Just cleaning the connections is only half the job.

I must be doing something wrong as my battery terminals never corrode on any of my vehicles. :(

You might be surprised... If they don't look super shiny, they do have some corrosion. It may not be much, but it's there--and it can affect the voltage supplied to some of the systems in your car.

-soD

Op, do you have a silverado? This seems to be a common upgrade for them and is my next mod to mine. I know it will help because my headlights dim when I hit the brakes, and according to my dash my alternator is constantly charging at 15.1v! Just the added load on the alternator's got to lower my mpg's by 1 or 2. It makes me wonder what gm was thinking when they put such small wires on everything. I don't think I'm going to do the fuse box cable, though. Just the alt-batt wire and both grounds. I haven't checked yet but I read the gmt900 trucks like mine grounds the battery to the engine, and then the engine to the frame, so I might add a ground from the battery to the frame as well.