my tranny guy mentioned that I should upgrade the ground wire from the chassis/body to the tranny because if your car is revving faster you might need a bigger wire to get rid of the extra static discharge the car lets off. I think a start would to be sure the surface is cleaned up because it doesn't look like the guy sanded down the surface to re-connect the wire. Looks a little dirty. What do you guys think?
ground wire from body to top of clutch/tranny
- Thread starter TDIPWR33
- Start date
- Status
40X40
Experienced
when the motor is spinning, you creat a static discharge which gets let out into the coolant hence the reason why coolant is NEVER a lifetime fill. The static discharge let off by the engine has to go somewhere hence the ground wire I stated connects the motor/tranny to the chassis/unibody of the car. Now if you modify your car to rev faster then before, a larger wire maybe 0 gauge vs 4 gauge is what I have been told is required/recommended. That's why I ask if you guys know anything about this or why my licensed transmission guy/mechanic mentioned this to me. I also stated that the connection look a little corroded so a good start would be to clean up the connections for a better ground contact 
Last edited:
40X40
Experienced
Yes, you should repair any corroded/ missing/ damaged connections, but any 'upgrade' because your engine is spinning faster is utter BS.when the motor is spinning, you creat a static discharge which gets let out into the coolant hence the reason why coolant is NEVER a lifetime fill. The static discharge let off by the engine has to go somewhere hence the ground wire I stated connects the motor/tranny to the chassis/unibody of the car. Now if you modify your car to rev faster then before, a larger wire maybe 0 gauge vs 4 gauge is what I have been told is required/recommended. That's why I ask if you guys know anything about this or why my licensed transmission guy/mechanic mentioned this to me. I also stated that the connection look a little corroded so a good start would be to clean up the connections for a better ground contact
If anyone has another take on this, please chime in.
Bill
That cable is there to provide a return path for the current to the starter when starting the vehicle. There are other grounds that run from the engine to the chassis, but that one is the most substantial.
This static nonsense is just that. The cable does need to be clean and all connectors corrosion free, but that is to ensure proper current to the starter.
This static nonsense is just that. The cable does need to be clean and all connectors corrosion free, but that is to ensure proper current to the starter.
burpod
teh stallionz!!1
- Joined
- Nov 27, 2004
- Location
- cape cod, ma
- TDI
- 82 rabbit vnt ahu, 98 jetta vnt ahu, 05 parts car, 88 scirocco.. :/
rofl! this is probably one of the funniest things i've heard in a long time! haaaahahaaa
Bob_Fout
Oil Wanker
TonyJetta
Top Post Dawg
- Joined
- Sep 15, 2005
- Location
- Tucson, Az
- TDI
- '15 Jetta TDI SE / '06 Jetta TDI DSG Pkg0 / '96 Passat TDI
If static discharge is such a huge issue in automobiles, 1) why are tires made of rubber and 2) why don't cars drag a ground wire to earth gound?
If the main engine ground is in need of repair, then so be it...have it replaced. But not because some hack is giving you this line of bs.
Tony
Sent from my e-diesel fleet
If the main engine ground is in need of repair, then so be it...have it replaced. But not because some hack is giving you this line of bs.
Tony
Sent from my e-diesel fleet
some people do have wires that touch the ground, not as much now as before. The guy told me this after explaining to him I wanted to flush the coolant and that the VW stuff is a lifetime fill. That triggered the speech from him about maybe, putting a bigger wire in there. That no coolant is a lifetime fill because the static discharge would be let off into the coolant surrounding the engine. He mentioned that the trans am's had issues with static build up to the point where it would be hard to put it into gear etc... etc...
TDIDaveNH
Left Lane Coal Roller at Large
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2009
- Location
- North Conway, NH
- TDI
- 1997 Passat TDI x2 1984 Buick Century 4.3 diesel. 2012 X5d 2012 Passat 6-speed
I really don't think a TDI is the car for you.....
holy cow, so many negative responses.... It was just a question, that has more meaning behind it then made out to be... what the guy told me is true, people do have wires that contact the ground, how is this completely bogus. I am too in depth with everything I do, I engineer engines myself, I rebuild them, I test them and modify them. This is not a surprise to me, what he is saying has a little meaning behind it. Is it something that really needs to be done is another topic, but I can see his logic behind what he told me. H made a reference to the old trans ams, and told me that the static build up effected the way the car felt when trying to place the lever into drive or reverse, w.e. He specializes in automatic transmissions and has been in business for 20 years. The car is twice as fast, and that wire is minimal in size. I have installed stereo systems and it all comes down to grade of wiring you use. They range from 8 gauge to 0 gauge and you will see how people tell you to upgrade the wiring in certain cases. So how is it complete bs that maybe it would be BETTER to upgrade this particular wire? It isn't, this is coming from someone far more competent then all of us combined. Does it not make sense that if the motor revs faster, is faster that MORE static buildup would be created? Camon guys, don't look for the slightest reason to come out here and try to put someone else down. I am new to this forum, and man if you cant state a fact or put out a concern freely then so be it. I will leave
macoombi
Veteran Member
Even if static build up was an issue, it wouldn't need a heavy gauge wire like 0 or 4 AWG to disipate it. Some 24 AWG cat 5 cable would be sufficient.
burpod
teh stallionz!!1
- Joined
- Nov 27, 2004
- Location
- cape cod, ma
- TDI
- 82 rabbit vnt ahu, 98 jetta vnt ahu, 05 parts car, 88 scirocco.. :/
i think we've gone to plaid here
burpod
teh stallionz!!1
- Joined
- Nov 27, 2004
- Location
- cape cod, ma
- TDI
- 82 rabbit vnt ahu, 98 jetta vnt ahu, 05 parts car, 88 scirocco.. :/
i'm sorry, i just had to quote this for posterity in it's pureness *cough*. this is awesome
Alchemist
Veteran Member
What's next, injector line magnets to polarize the fuel?
GTiTDi
TDIClub Enthusiast, Macht Schnell! Vendor , w/Busi
- Joined
- Oct 18, 2010
- TDI
- '91 GTI CJAA swap,'02 Jetta wagon ALH swap, '03 GTI 1.8T rally car, '03 Sprinter 3500
My mom said if I don't have anything nice to say to not say anything at all. So that being said there is nothing positive to add here!
Seatman
Top Post Dawg
The cables that drag on the ground from cars in the past was due to the materials the seats were made of and the awful clothes we wore, the two together caused the driver to become loaded with static and get a shock as he stepped out the car.
But now we've all moved on to better fibres the issue just isn't there.
Now when it comes to taking the piss, we're merely pointing out your tranny guy is nuts, it's nothing personal against you
But now we've all moved on to better fibres the issue just isn't there.
Now when it comes to taking the piss, we're merely pointing out your tranny guy is nuts, it's nothing personal against you
burpod
teh stallionz!!1
- Joined
- Nov 27, 2004
- Location
- cape cod, ma
- TDI
- 82 rabbit vnt ahu, 98 jetta vnt ahu, 05 parts car, 88 scirocco.. :/
back to the future
40X40
Experienced
Sorry you feel that we are putting you or your tranny guy down.... But he is feeding you a line of BS and you can't tell it from gospel.
The fact that you see any logic in his line of reasoning does make you look both gullible and uninformed.
I am pretty sure he is pulling your leg and laughing about 'the dumb kid' to his friends.
Sorry, but that is what I think is happening. I do not think any less of you for it.
Bill
The fact that you see any logic in his line of reasoning does make you look both gullible and uninformed.
I am pretty sure he is pulling your leg and laughing about 'the dumb kid' to his friends.
Sorry, but that is what I think is happening. I do not think any less of you for it.
Bill
40X40
Experienced
WE are not the one that is feeding you BS. I said I think the tranny fellow is treating you like a "dumb kid', not us.
Got it?
Bill
Got it?
Bill
I don't care who you are, only what you say here. If you guys are seriously though, gripping onto small things I say to make a class act out of it. Then Hell with it, im out have fun rippin on each other. There are forums out there in which members treat others with respect, otherwise the ones who act up get banned. Same thing goes on here. I have told the admin to delete this thread, so im sure if any others chime in it could cost you getting banned.
40X40
Experienced
\
YOU missed the whole meaning of my post. Your 'friend' the transmission guy is playing you for a fool. That is all.
Bill
- Status