Walkthrough on Big 3 on 94-97 Accord (pics and details!)

[prochobo 10+ year member]

First things first, if there is ANYTHING you learn here, let it be my mistakes. I'm just going to go over the specifics to this car, if you need general notes, refer to the big 3 sticky. Pics were taken with my phone.

Alright, I have a 96 Accord EX sedan, 2.2l and I assume all Accords within the same gen will be similar.

My results:I tested one song that I know to be taxing on my system: D4L - Betcha Can't Do It Like Me. Before the Big 3, voltage drops were down to around the 10.5 area. After, I see drops to 11.4v at the most. Lights still dim though, and that can only be solved with a bigger alt.

I'm running: Better Audio 1600m1 (aka RE 35.1) 1600w@1ohm, 2x 12" Type-Rs.

Materials used:

~6ft. 1/0 gauge "Kolossus Kable" from Knukonceptz

6 Stinger 1/0 crimp terminals

The "Kolossus Kable" is described to be equal to 2/0 cable by Knukonceptz. I think they are overexaggerating by just a little, but this wire is no joke, larger than the standard 1/0. It was a pain in the *** to get into the terminals!

Materials

First thing you need to know. DO NOT DO WHAT I DID BELOW!! Kinda ironic, I know. I did not use the stock ground location. If you follow the ground from your battery, it will lead to a ground in the area I circled. Use this ground by all means. The reason I didn't use it is because I noticed that the bolt was rusted, so I tried using a new 1/4" bolt in it's place. Well guess what, it SNAPPED off and got stuck in there //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/frown.gif.a3531fa0534503350665a1e957861287.gif. That's why I had to resort to using the ground place I chose. Lucky me, it won't get wet. It has been raining all day here, and when I popped by hood, I noticed it wasn't wet. Worse case scenario (someone answer this PLEASE), what happens if it does get a tad bit wet?

I repeat, do not use the ground location I did! Doing so will leave you unable to set the hood holder down in it's right spot because the wire will block it's resting place. In turn, the hood won't close all the way!

Battery -> Chasis grond, Engine block -> Chasis ground

This is what I mean about the hood holder. I had to zip tie it to my battery //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/frown.gif.a3531fa0534503350665a1e957861287.gif. Don't make the same mistake I did.

Now here's where i chose my engine block location. It's the left most bolt on the block, possibly the coolest also. The circled area indicates the "thingy that gets hot". While bolting the wire down, I put a 1/4" thick nut as a buffer between the terminal and the block in order to give the wire proper clearance away from the "thingy that gets hot"

Engine block location

The alternator was very straight forward and very easy to access. Move the rubber cap outta the way. You will then see the stock wire, along with a black round plastic "thingy" under the nut. Break the black plastic thing, you will anyways when you go to unscrew the nut. Note: You won't see it in the pic because I already broke it off.

Alternator

Now an overview of everything:

Red - My ground for battery and engine block

Green - Engine block location

Blue - Alternator location

If there is anything I missed/questions you have, please ask and I will be more than happy to help ya. Just doing my best to help people that help me //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

Click to read more...

 

[req 5,000+ posts]

looks liek you could have used a few more feet of wire.

the alt->bat seems to be quite stretched and near the header shield... id of ran that along the top of the radiator or something.

otherwise it does not look too bad.

 

[prochobo 10+ year member]

looks liek you could have used a few more feet of wire.
the alt->bat seems to be quite stretched and near the header shield... id of ran that along the top of the radiator or something.

otherwise it does not look too bad.

It looks like that from the given angle, from another angle, it's a good 3" away from it running along one of the hoses. I measured it out like that so it wouldn't sag or anything.

 

[johnecon2001 5,000+ posts]

I agree with req.. that thing is way too close to the heat shield. You don't want it melting in the summer and grounding out dude. I would suggest moving it ASAP.

Also.. get a drill for christ sakes, and drill out that bolt! That other gounding location may provide a good connection.. but... Ghetto.

You might want to switch the jackets on the cable too. Black usually = Ground, while Red = Power.

 

[prochobo 10+ year member]

I agree with req.. that thing is way too close to the heat shield. You don't want it melting in the summer and grounding out dude. I would suggest moving it ASAP.
Also.. get a drill for christ sakes, and drill out that bolt! That other gounding location may provide a good connection.. but... Ghetto.

You might want to switch the jackets on the cable too. Black usually = Ground, while Red = Power.

I don't really care about the jackets on the cable, nor do I have enough to do so. You're just repeating what the other guy said. From this angle, it only looks to be close to it. In reality, it's at least a good 3" away.

 

[XaznKewLguyX 10+ year member]

I have the same gen accord but my engine ground goes to my neg battery post. Is it the same if I just go from engine to ground or is it safer to upgrade engine to battery?

 

[prochobo 10+ year member]

You have to go from the block to you ground, not to the battery

 

[johnecon2001 5,000+ posts]

I don't really care about the jackets on the cable, nor do I have enough to do so. You're just repeating what the other guy said. From this angle, it only looks to be close to it. In reality, it's at least a good 3" away.

I repeated nothing. I gave you my concerns. If you choose not to heed any of them.. that's not my problem.

I'll watch for your "holy shit my car lit on fire" thread.

You should fuse that alt to bat wire too.

 

[loud1988honda 10+ year member]

Looks pretty decent to me. Good Job man.

 

[prochobo 10+ year member]

I repeated nothing. I gave you my concerns. If you choose not to heed any of them.. that's not my problem.
I'll watch for your "holy shit my car lit on fire" thread.

You should fuse that alt to bat wire too.

Dang no need to get all hostile. I thought you were repeating the statement about the heat shiled, I just now noticed the "I agree with . . ." I know I should fust it and I will soon. Lol you don't understand how poor I am right now.

 

[AcidicDreams 10+ year member]

I have the same gen accord but my engine ground goes to my neg battery post. Is it the same if I just go from engine to ground or is it safer to upgrade engine to battery?

just do the big 3 as stated... the point is to upgrade the electrical paths for power/ground for the rest of the vehicle.. the chassis -> whatever is upgrading the ground for anything grounded to the chassis... the engine to battery is important too b/c your alt grounds the the engine block, and since it's charging the batt and you are upgrading the power portion of that wire you need to upgrade the ground as well...

 

[frzninvt 10+ year member]

I have a 1994 and it is similar, the Engine to chassis ground is over near the timing belt cover on the opposite side of the motor. Would have been a little easier and much shorter improving it there. I did not bother. I did keep the stock 8GA battery to chassis ground but added a 4GA wire along with it, even that made a bit of a difference.

You can get a 135A @ 1600 RPM Alternator for $170 plus shipping on eBay, or a 160A for a bit more (~$200). I got the 135A and did the big three and my Orion's love it! My SQ improved quite a bit from it.

 

[Girard747 10+ year member]

You should fuse that alt to bat wire too.

I've never understood this. In a situation where the fuse on that wire would blow, the other wire (the stock one) would catch on fire, anyways. What good does it really do, especially if the stock wire is still in place, and still unfused?

 

[prochobo 10+ year member]

I've never understood this. In a situation where the fuse on that wire would blow, the other wire (the stock one) would catch on fire, anyways. What good does it really do, especially if the stock wire is still in place, and still unfused?

The stock wire is fused I believe. It runs to a fusebox. I know that lots of people leave that wire unfused, I don't see how it's going to get cut or get loose.

 

[Megalomaniac 5,000+ posts]

yea the stock wire is running through a fusebox, u would think the stock wire would catch wire,but hence the big 3 the current will automatically take the path with least resistance. but should still always fuse ur wires u never know what can happen.