Kid Turbo - Grounding Wire Kits

SCO Grounding Cables

Resistance is futile! No, I haven't been assimilated by the Borg (although I did have a nitrous punch button surgically implanted in my thumb). By resistance, I mean electrical resistance, as in the tendency for wires - all wires - to impede the flow of electricity through them to some degree.

So, why should an automotive performance enthusiast be interested in electrical resistance? Shouldn't we be more concerned about other types of resistance, like the mechanical resistance of moving engine parts or resistance against airflow? Well, yes and no. Obviously, your ride isn't going anywhere if your pistons are grinding against your cylinder walls, but from a pure performance perspective, it'd be wrong to ignore your electrical system, especially since it includes some of the most fundamental components of a modern engine. And the most fundamental element of your car's electrical system is its grounding.

Buy 'em in colors to match your ride!

Everything involving your car's electrical system - from nice, fat sparks in your ignition system to nice, fat bass in your subwoofers - requires a free flow of electrons to and from the battery. Good electrical performance requires a grounding system that's prepared to take a lot of current with minimal resistance. Your spark plugs, lights, fans, stereo, air conditioner, cigarette lighter, and so on all benefit from an elaborate electrical network that includes fuses, relays, and high-quality electrical cabling. They all share a common ground, however, and all too often a stock (there's that word again!) grounding system consists of just a couple of skinny braided cables that connect the chassis and engine to your battery's negative terminal. As these sorry connections rust out or come loose over time, the amount of conductive material decreases. This leads to resistance, as your car's electricity is forced to travel over less material. It's not unlike traffic: four lanes definitely accommodate more traffic than two. As your grounding wires deteriorate, resistance increases and all your electrical devices have to work that much harder to overcome that resistance. Even brand new cars can have problems with inadequate grounding, especially if you've installed lots of aftermarket electronics.

If you're like me and want the ultimate in everything, you'll want to consider a set of high quality grounding cables like the ones that my buds at Sport Compact Only put out. Notice that I said cables, not wires. These mothas are thick: they're insulated 4-gauge braided copper for the ultimate in low resistance. Definitely heavy-duty stuff. Think of them as a multi-lane superhighway for electrons. They look great, too! The elves at SCO make them in several colors to complement whatever under-the-hood bling bling you have, and to a techie, nothin' screams performance louder than fat electrical cables.

Chicks love well-grounded vehicles.

Installation is pretty straightforward and should take about 45 minutes. First, you'll need to disconnect your battery (unless, of course, you want to feel what it's like to be a grounding cable). Then you'll need to locate your existing grounding wires, remove them, and bolt in your new cables in their place. Some engine bays have grounding wires in awkward places, and you'll probably have to practice a bit of what I call mechanic's yoga, but the effort will be well worth it. The SCO grounding cables connect the negative battery post to various engine components, the transmission, and the firewall. The kit includes 5 cables of various lengths, so you'll have no trouble routing them for best performance. It also includes cable ties for neat and tidy installation. Once you've finished connecting and routing the cables, just reconnect the battery and you're done!

When you replace your stock grounding wires with the SCO grounding cables, don't be surprised if you notice increased torque, better gas mileage, quicker throttle response, more starting power, a smoother idle, and better sound from your stereo. Best of all, you only spent about 50 bucks and less than an hour to get all those benefits.

IN SHORT: Your grounding wires are the foundation of your car's electrical system. Resistance, in the form of electrical impedance, is the enemy of your car's electrical equipment. High quality grounding cables like those made by Sport Compact Only minimize resistance and help make sure that all of the electrical equipment in your car is performing as well as it can.