Cleaning grounds
09-01-2007, 06:22 PM
#1
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Cleaning grounds
Is there a big benefit from doing this? what syptoms can it eleminate? and do you just clean the main battery ground or is there other grounds that should be cleaned?
09-01-2007, 07:06 PM
#2
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The car was made in Germany... you never know what fixing electrical things will solve.
I removed my power locks and my backup lights worked again.
Anything that runs on electricity and acts sluggish or awkward is probably a bad ground. Are you having problems with something in particular?
I removed my power locks and my backup lights worked again.
Anything that runs on electricity and acts sluggish or awkward is probably a bad ground. Are you having problems with something in particular?
09-01-2007, 07:42 PM
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umm yea my backup lights don't work, one foglight is dimmer than the other, brake lights and turnsignals are all different brightness, Gas gauge and coolant gauges sometimes jump, Takes 5 seconds for the engine to start, i've heard after cleaning grounds on a 944 it will start with barly one crank of the starter.
hmm what else, slow wipers, headlights slow in popping up.
hmm what else, slow wipers, headlights slow in popping up.
09-01-2007, 07:47 PM
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Haha, awhile back I cleaned my fuel distributor contacts and the interior cabin lights started working. Then when the cabin light stopped working the speedometer started acting funny, but since the speedometer has been acting funny my car all of a sudden shifts smoother than it ever has before.. These sure are some funny cars.
09-01-2007, 07:58 PM
#7
If you have issues with funny things in the gauge cluster you can usually fix them by removing the cluster and cleaning the grounds on the cluster itself. Resetting the three connections at the rear of the cluster will do wonders as well.
The grounds under the hood are good to clean up as well, but I haven't seen magic happen from these. However, adding a supplemental ground from the headlight area to the engine block helps a lot.
The grounds under the hood are good to clean up as well, but I haven't seen magic happen from these. However, adding a supplemental ground from the headlight area to the engine block helps a lot.
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09-01-2007, 08:40 PM
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Cleaning the grounds is basic preventative maintenance. Over time the connections corrode and that causes a higher resistance and that leads to voltage drop, especially if there is a decent amount of current draw. At the back of the engine on top of the bellhousing and on the block is the main ground and those are a must. On the right side on the frame rail just under the headlight motor is another. Under the dash cluster are two more and then theres one in the hatch area in the rear. Bad grounds affect instruments, lighting especially.
09-01-2007, 10:21 PM
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09-01-2007, 11:37 PM
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If you have issues with funny things in the gauge cluster you can usually fix them by removing the cluster and cleaning the grounds on the cluster itself. Resetting the three connections at the rear of the cluster will do wonders as well.
The grounds under the hood are good to clean up as well, but I haven't seen magic happen from these. However, adding a supplemental ground from the headlight area to the engine block helps a lot.
The grounds under the hood are good to clean up as well, but I haven't seen magic happen from these. However, adding a supplemental ground from the headlight area to the engine block helps a lot.
09-02-2007, 12:13 AM
#12
There are a set of grounds in the rear compartment area near the divers taillight, this is where everything from the power windows back ground to, like tailights fuel pump etc.
Mark
Mark
09-02-2007, 12:35 AM
#13
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On modern day turbo cars, I have seen a ground kit cure a lot of problems. Turbo lag especialy. At my shop we intall ground kits all the time from cars like WRX to Evo VIII's and it not only cures turbo lag but increases power in the process. It is never a bad idea to clean your grounds, and if you feel up to it, increasing the wire guage of your grounds to make them more effective.
09-02-2007, 02:02 AM
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cleaning the grounds is easy - all except that bell housing ground and don't drop the nut in the open clutch inspection hole in the bellhousing (great design...)
here's a schematic with all the grounds. well worth the effort and using sandpaper and a little dielectric grease when reassembling helps keep things working when you put it all back together.
here's a schematic with all the grounds. well worth the effort and using sandpaper and a little dielectric grease when reassembling helps keep things working when you put it all back together.