How-To: Big 3 Install [Archive]

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bigtoyota479

08-18-2009, 05:05 PM

So, I decided to do this today. I already had a shitload of 2 gauge wire laying around, so I used that instead of 1/0. It will work just fine. I then went and purchased some 2 gauge eye connectors, and two new battery terminals to suit my needs. YMMV.

My shop. It's bigger than my house by 300 sq ft. Yeah, she bitched about it. But in the end I won.

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t149/bigtoyota479/Big3/P1010463.jpg

My toolbox. She got me the top half for valentines day one year. Is she a fucking keeper or what?

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t149/bigtoyota479/Big3/P1010465.jpg

Engine compartment. Kinda small, but room enough for my chicken fingers.

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t149/bigtoyota479/Big3/P1010466.jpg

Look at that dinky battery, and even smaller fucking wires!! Let's change that, shall we?

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t149/bigtoyota479/Big3/P1010467.jpg

Required supplies to make this happen.

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t149/bigtoyota479/Big3/P1010468.jpg

The big red wire was already prefabbed. It was just the right length, so I left it alone and just installed it. Hmm, what's that big red wire doing on my alternator?

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t149/bigtoyota479/Big3/P1010472.jpg

That big red wire? I hid it under here. The black cover over my radiator. Invisible wires FTW!

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t149/bigtoyota479/Big3/P1010471.jpg

Big red wire on my alternator. Almost looks factory!

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t149/bigtoyota479/Big3/P1010475.jpg

That little black wire? That was my old factory ground that hit both the body and the engine. The big one around it is what i replaced it with.

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t149/bigtoyota479/Big3/P1010482.jpg

Heating up the eye connector so I can tin the inside with solder and then add the wire.

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t149/bigtoyota479/Big3/P1010485.jpg

First ground wire is done! It's still hot, so I haven't done the heatshrink yet.

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t149/bigtoyota479/Big3/P1010483.jpg

Hmmm, that looks like a nice, big bolt on my tranny that I could ground to.....

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t149/bigtoyota479/Big3/P1010487.jpg

Heating up the second connector.....

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t149/bigtoyota479/Big3/P1010492.jpg

and then adding the wire while it's hot to ensure a good connection. You can see the insulation on the wire got a little hot, which is a good thing.

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t149/bigtoyota479/Big3/P1010493.jpg

Two new ground wires, and one old skinny factory piece of shit.

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t149/bigtoyota479/Big3/P1010495.jpg

That's a good body ground!

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t149/bigtoyota479/Big3/P1010496.jpg

Grounding strap UNDER the bracket for a nice, solid connection.

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t149/bigtoyota479/Big3/P1010497.jpg

Put the electrical plugs back on the bracket, and you can't even see it. more hidden wires FTW!!

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t149/bigtoyota479/Big3/P1010498.jpg

Final connections solid as hell! Hey, it still runs too!

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t149/bigtoyota479/Big3/P1010499.jpg

Can't hardly tell anything was done. That's the way we like it!!

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t149/bigtoyota479/Big3/P1010500.jpg

_AnGeL_

08-18-2009, 05:08 PM

damn son. take pictures much?

looks good. what is that a 1.7 Liter engine?

bigtoyota479

08-18-2009, 05:09 PM

Ya, D17, non-vtec. 115 HP from the factory. Kind of a dog, but the fuel mileage is FTW.

Also, I took lots of pictures so I could put it in Crunk U, so it would be useful for others in the future.

Spider Monkey

08-18-2009, 05:12 PM

Big three? You installed two wires.

_AnGeL_

08-18-2009, 05:12 PM

Ya, D17, non-vtec. 115 HP from the factory. Kind of a dog, but the fuel mileage is FTW.

Also, I took lots of pictures so I could put it in Crunk U, so it would be useful for others in the future.

no joke, i wish i would've gotten the 00 civic they were trying to sell us when my dad got my car :crap: but i really wanted an 05, me being dumb FTL.

nice write up.

bigtoyota479

08-18-2009, 05:13 PM

Big three? You installed two wires.

3. Two black ones, and the red one to my alternator. There are pics of all of them ITT.

Toasted1

08-18-2009, 05:15 PM

nice writeup and your shop is the motherfucking shiznit!

Did you just built that or did it come with the house? Pretty sweet I would take that over a 2-car attached anyday.

Spider Monkey

08-18-2009, 05:16 PM

3. Two black ones, and the red one to my alternator. There are pics of all of them ITT.

Ahh

_AnGeL_

08-18-2009, 05:17 PM

nice writeup and your shop is the motherfucking shiznit!
Did you just built that or did it come with the house? Pretty sweet I would take that over a 2-car attached anyday.

x2, thats a ballin ass shop.

bigtoyota479

08-18-2009, 05:19 PM

I didn't build jack shit. Someone else built it for me. 25 large, and it was mine. 4" reinforced concrete floor. My Dad and I installed 200 sq ft. of overhead storage ourselves in about two evenings. Some day I'll take pictures of the whole inside and post them up here. I have so many fucking tools it would make your head spin!

When I got this place, it was a bare 2.5 acres. Nothing but grass. We have added everything ourselves. I'll get some pics of the property up sometime as well.

bigtoyota479

08-18-2009, 05:20 PM

I should add that it's 30 ft deep, 40 ft wide, so 3 useful bays in there. One is occupied by my 1990 4-Runner that I need to finish. One is empty so I can work on shit, and the other is full of....well....shit and stuff lol. The doors are 9ft wide and 9 ft tall.

_AnGeL_

08-18-2009, 05:23 PM

fuck, i wish i had a shop like that son! i would jam a paint booth in there so i can paint on the side.

bigtoyota479

08-18-2009, 05:27 PM

I would like to do that too, but it's a long time in coming. After I finish the 4 Runner, I need to get my 1969 Jag E-Type in there, tear it down, and install a shit load of new parts so it will run decently again. Currently, the tires are half rotted, the water hoses are rotten, and the fuel pump leaks. Oh, and the entire brake system needs overhauled.

_AnGeL_

08-18-2009, 05:32 PM

bigtoyota479

08-18-2009, 05:35 PM

Pics of jag? I don't have any digital ones, and it's over at my Dad's shop about 10 minutes from here. They moved to Seattle and left it in their shop down here, and are renting the house out, well, trying to anyway. No takers yet. Anyways, I'll get some pics up shortly.

bigtoyota479

08-18-2009, 05:37 PM

This is not my car, but it looks EXACTLY like this! Just a teaser till later.

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t149/bigtoyota479/i-1.jpg

_AnGeL_

08-18-2009, 05:39 PM

nice

Glock17

08-18-2009, 05:45 PM

Let me take all this off your hands.lol
http://i29.tinypic.com/rvfuz8.jpg

bigtoyota479

08-18-2009, 05:48 PM

Gat damn man, think I need to clean up a little?

Glock17

08-18-2009, 05:49 PM

I'll even take the duck tape away too at no charge lol,but srsly you have a huge work space.I like it.

_AnGeL_

08-18-2009, 05:52 PM

does it have a bathroom???? if not i hope its close to your house. it would suck having to take a major shit and having to walk like a mile to go to the bathroom lol

bigtoyota479

08-18-2009, 05:54 PM

it's only about 80 ft from my house. 25 or so paces. Right next door! No shitter, and no juice hardwired yet either. Just a couple of extension cords from my shed next to it. Wire is fucking expensive yo! Gonna be another 3-4 grand to get it hardwired.

The INSIDE of the shop is already wired, and has lights, as you can see. Also has a 100 amp breaker panel with breakers installed and wires run, switches, plugs etc. Just no mains yet. Lil bit at a time.

Glock17

08-18-2009, 05:54 PM

Our garage is of size but not as big as that one.I wanna get me a red Craftsman tool box like that of course i'd need more tools.

bigtoyota479

08-18-2009, 05:55 PM

Ya, that tool box is full too! Two drawers of ratchets, a drawer of wrenches, one of allen wrenches, one of pliers, and one of snap ring pliers. Very last drawer is all my half inch ratchet shit, along with breaker bars and torque wrench. I has lots of tools.

bigtoyota479

08-18-2009, 05:56 PM

Oh yeah, drawer of screwdrivers too.

pl8er

08-18-2009, 06:21 PM

Good job man!

Why didn't you just put the new wire on top of the old?

bigtoyota479

08-18-2009, 06:32 PM

Did you see my old battery terminals? Dinky little things with no way to securely add additional wires safely and have it look nice. I did leave the factory alternator wires in, those are the white wires underneath the red one on my positive terminal. The factory ground was a joke.

IamDeMan

08-18-2009, 06:59 PM

Big three? You installed two wires.

Your math is shitty dawg. I should give you another day off to meet with your tutor.

Nice work BigT.

bigtoyota479

08-18-2009, 07:22 PM

Maybe I should do some more of these in the future. I do odd little projects like this from time to time. Should I do another one when I actually install my amp and sub?

bluecar

08-18-2009, 07:23 PM

I think the ground to the strut tower is weak. I wouldn't have used that spot.

bigtoyota479

08-18-2009, 07:28 PM

I think the ground to the strut tower is weak. I wouldn't have used that spot.

What would you have used for a chassis ground? I'm open to suggestions.

bluecar

08-18-2009, 07:31 PM

What would you have used for a chassis ground? I'm open to suggestions.

Is there a subframe of some kind? Even BC has a steel subframe.

I would be inclined to sand the strutbar and the bracket so it isn't going through paint.

bluecar

08-18-2009, 07:34 PM

I do like the two grounds off the battery vs the way many people do it on ca.com.

bigtoyota479

08-18-2009, 07:36 PM

bigtoyota479

08-18-2009, 07:37 PM

I do like the two grounds off the battery vs the way many people do it on ca.com.

Do they daisy chain them? Battery to body to chassis? I don't go there, so I has no idea.

bluecar

08-18-2009, 07:40 PM

Yeah, there is a subframe under the engine and trans in the front. However, all of the bolts are recessed in it, at least as far as I could tell. Tough to say without looking some more.

I had figured the bare nut conducting to the bare bolt would be enough, hence the reason I didn't sand it down to paint. I'll do some more looking tomorrow and see what I can find, or possibly tonight after my BBQ steak dinner.

I also had thought about some of the bolts that are on the fenders or the firewall, but the biggest I could find had a 10MM head, which is too small for the lug on the end of my cable. That's another reason I used the strut stud, the diameter of the stud and the hole in my lug were a perfect match.

I'd seriously look and see. If the bolts are recessed, what about the nuts in the back? Hell, if you had enough threads, you could put another nut on there. Fortunately, on BC there is a hole in the frame ( I guess where robots lift it.) I sanded that down real good and stuck a bolt in it. I grounded to tranny as well.

Do they daisy chain them? Battery to body to chassis? I don't go there, so I has no idea.'

yeah

bigtoyota479

08-18-2009, 07:44 PM

Daisy chaining FTL, IMO.

Yeah, I'll do some looking tonight on the subframe and see what I can find. I still have about 3 ft of cable left and plenty of ends, so I can make a new one in about 5 minutes. The shock tower was quick and easy, so go figure lol.

IamDeMan

08-19-2009, 07:38 AM

I think the ground to the strut tower is weak. I wouldn't have used that spot.

I have used strut towers with no problem before. It is a unibody so what is the diff? I doubt using the sub is that much more effective if at all. If it isn't as convenient and offers no real perf gain, why use it? I guess its speculative on my end, but I don't see how it could be that much better.

I use 2 grounds off the battery as well, but that is mainly because I find it easier lol.

_AnGeL_

08-19-2009, 08:55 AM

I have used strut towers with no problem before. It is a unibody so what is the diff? I doubt using the sub is that much more effective if at all. If it isn't as convenient and offers no real perf gain, why use it? I guess its speculative on my end, but I don't see how it could be that much better.

I use 2 grounds off the battery as well, but that is mainly because I find it easier lol.

this.

Spider Monkey

08-19-2009, 10:15 AM

Your math is shitty dawg. I should give you another day off to meet with your tutor.

Nice work BigT.

Get off my nuts before I remove your Internet.

jesus

08-19-2009, 10:35 AM

The interwebz are a series of tubes.

IamDeMan

08-19-2009, 11:23 AM

Get off my nuts before I remove your Internet.

lolumad still

Spider Monkey

08-19-2009, 11:26 AM

lolumad still

So now do I pay you back? lel

IamDeMan

08-19-2009, 11:31 AM

So now do I pay you back? lel

I dunno, do you?

Spider Monkey

08-19-2009, 11:32 AM

:sneaky:

bluecar

08-20-2009, 06:56 PM

bigtoyota479

08-20-2009, 07:30 PM

So the bare nut on top of the connection, connected to the bare stud isn't enough?

bluecar

08-20-2009, 07:35 PM

So the bare nut on top of the connection, connected to the bare stud isn't enough?

I would sand the bottom of the connector too. You don't have to sand much.

In the end, Iam may be right and this may not matter a whole whole lot, but I am just a do it all the way kind of guy...convienience be damned.

bigtoyota479

08-20-2009, 08:05 PM

Yeah, I hear that. I was also thinking that the shortest cable possible for all things was better. Less resistance that way, and shortest path to ground is always best.

I suppose to do it 100% right, I should have put the connector UNDER the strut bar, and sanded the paint off the body there.

bluecar

08-20-2009, 08:08 PM

I suppose to do it 100% right, I should have put the connector UNDER the strut bar, and sanded the paint off the body there.

this is what I am trying to get you to do.

bigtoyota479

08-20-2009, 08:24 PM

Well then you should have just said that lol. I'll do it on Sunday when I don't have to work.

CockMuncher

08-31-2009, 08:22 PM

Bigyota, grab yourself some Gunk and a brush and clean that engine bay! Then top it off witht he CD2 spray. You can get them from Walmart or autzone/oreillys

IamDeMan

09-01-2009, 04:19 PM

Bigyota, grab yourself some Gunk and a brush and clean that engine bay! Then top it off witht he CD2 spray. You can get them from Walmart or autzone/oreillys

Why? It is a basic commuter. The fuck do I care if the engine bay of an econo box is clean or not.

bigtoyota479

09-01-2009, 07:26 PM

LOL! That's 1.5 years worth of grime too. With the wet season coming here in the Pacific Northwest, erm, no. I'm not going to clean it. This spring, maybe. But for now, I'm going to have rain for the next 9 months. I'll wait.

CockMuncher

09-03-2009, 06:17 PM

Why? It is a basic commuter. The fuck do I care if the engine bay of an econo box is clean or not.

a Clean car is a fun car to drive! dont hesitate, sanitate!

IamDeMan

09-06-2009, 08:05 AM

a Clean car is a fun car to drive! dont hesitate, sanitate!

It doesn't matter how clean an econobox is, it isn't a "fun" ride, just a practical ride. Clean engine bays for basic commute doesn't stiffen my rod, bro.

CockMuncher

09-06-2009, 08:43 AM

It doesn't matter how clean an econobox is, it isn't a "fun" ride, just a practical ride. Clean engine bays for basic commute doesn't stiffen my rod, bro.

Ive always been a neatfreak for some reason. Must be all the cock, idk. I ride clean, no matter what the vehicle may be. I'll clean your car for free if you are in the DFW ever :p

maddskillzz

09-06-2009, 10:04 AM

Ive always been a neatfreak for some reason. Must be all the cock, idk. I ride clean, no matter what the vehicle may be. I'll clean your car for free if you are in the DFW ever :p

Only time i ever clean under the hood of any of my vehicles is if i know im going to have to work on it:crap:

90lac

09-14-2009, 12:55 PM

hey got a question dont feel like being flamed or called a nube on ca or any other shit like that so hear is the question. would it make that much of a difference if i put a ground going from the battery - to the engien . i already have the engien ground done and the bat - to frame done but i was just wondering if adding another ground would do any thing for my voltage. its at 14.75 now and a little more wouldn't hurt.

bigtoyota479

09-14-2009, 01:00 PM

I don't think you're voltage will get much higher. The voltage in your system is controlled by the regulator in your alternator, so unless you get that tweaked, you're pretty much maxed out. I'm actually surprised you have that much, considering that most alts cut off at 14-14.5.

I'm kind of confused as to your grounding question, though. Do you have a ground from the battery to engine, and battery to frame? Or did you go battery-frame-engine?

90lac

09-14-2009, 01:09 PM

i just went battery to frame and im wondering if i add one from battery to engien if i would hurt any thing seeing how the engien is already grounded . the main thing is i just have an extra piece of 0 awg laying around and a terminal so i figured well hell why not

bigtoyota479

09-14-2009, 01:21 PM

Most factory battery to engine grounds are puny, to say the least. When I did my install, I removed it and installed my 2 AWG strap instead. The engines are isolated from the frame by the rubber in the motor mounts, so anything you can do to make it better is good. It certainly won't hurt, and will be better than factory, but as to whether or not it increases your voltage, I can't say.

DO IT!!! DO EEET NOW!!!

90lac

09-14-2009, 01:47 PM

yeah im going to do it today .who knows my voltage might go up ill check it before and then after then post the results . as far as the alt its a EA 250 amp 14.75 at idle and the battery is an optima 34/78 980 and klmx wire

IamDeMan

09-15-2009, 05:46 AM

Ive always been a neatfreak for some reason. Must be all the cock, idk. I ride clean, no matter what the vehicle may be. I'll clean your car for free if you are in the DFW ever :p

No thank you, I am not anal about my 97 cavalier with power nothing and dents to match. :rofl: