[Capbill]

Hondata is pointing out the two wires that come from the ECU board to the manifold. The so called 'grounding kits' do NOTHING to improve this specific path. Anything to the battery ground does not improve current return path while the engine is runnning since the alternator/ its mounting bracket is the source of + voltage & thus the return path has to be good going back to it.
If the two ground wires to the manifold are loose or corrosion starts to impair the current path then when that current is shunted to the ECU case thru the body that current could damage the circuitry on the board.
If one removes those wires to install the IM gasket then one must assure that the connections are tight.
I have seen a couple year old never disturbed grounding bolt on the engine block directly to the ECU, have corrosion under it such that the ECU controlled fuel pump relay would not activate & thus the engine cranked but would not run.
I question the redirecting the wires to the valve cover instead of the manifold since the torque of the bolt on the valve cover would be less than to the thicker metal of the manifold. Also, the aluminum valve cover expanses & contract more than the steel bolts thus tends to loosen the bolts.

 

[Glimpse]

I have seen a couple year old never disturbed grounding bolt on the engine block directly to the ECU, have corrosion under it such that the ECU controlled fuel pump relay would not activate & thus the engine cranked but would not run.

This is indeed the case; when playing with my K-Pro I forgot to attach this grounding point, and the ECU wouldn't provide fuel.

This definitely shows the importance of having a clean ground at this point.

 

[Jaymeister]

Is the logic that with the Hondata gasket the original ground location is no longer effective because of the gasket material? Or should you do this regardless whether you have a stock gasket or Hondata gasket?

 

[Glimpse]

Is the logic that with the Hondata gasket the original ground location is no longer effective because of the gasket material? Or should you do this regardless whether you have a stock gasket or Hondata gasket?

Personally I'd do it regardless, since it is a shorter path to chassis ground.

But it is an issue with the Hondata gasket, because the gasket is plastic. The plastic electrically isolates the intake manifold from the engine.

 

[Capbill]

no, hondata states that the 7? bolts are providing ground. I have a plastic manifold & it is still not grounded to the valve cover so the gasket is a non-issue. I would parallel it to the engine block, not the valve cover for the above stated reason, but not remove it from the existing location.

 

[9/11 RSX-s]

The so called 'grounding kits' do NOTHING to improve this specific path. Anything to the battery ground does not improve current return path while the engine is runnning since the alternator/ its mounting bracket is the source of + voltage & thus the return path has to be good going back to it.

So you are saying that running a wire from the wiring harness ground point on the manifold to the battery would not make a better ground? That it would be better to ground to the alternator bracket or what ever it is attached to (block/head)?

 

[Capbill]

Yes. When current is flowing, there is a voltage drop even a very small one since there is always some resistance however small in the wire/ metal path. Since the alternator is the source & is charging the battery, the voltage at the alternator output is say 14.4 v, at the mounting bracket 0v, then at the battery hot terminal it is 14.39v(battery 'stand alone' voltage is no higher than 12.5v) & at the battery ground terminal +.01v. In fact there would be less voltage drop in the system if the battery was disconnected completely since it is always being trickle charged.
The shop manual schematics show the common grounding point being the engine block & the body. Thus it is important to have good connections at all block & body connections more than at the battery.
Of course, to start the engine the battery is indespensable.

 

[TheSilverBullet]

if i have (good) stock ground connections, do i need to add any ground wires for K-Pro?



i added two #8 wires. one from the egine block (left side) to the body and one from the engine block (right side) to the battery. (btw - i think this is a waste of time but why not..)

if this is not the way to go, where should i add grounding wires? (i will add wires, but i'm not moving the orginal stock ground wire connection from the intake to the valve cover. if that was a better connection Honda would have put it there)

questions: since the battery is grounded to the body, will adding a ground from the block directly to the battery improve grounding running or starting?

and since the alternator is grounded to the block, is adding a ground from block to anywhere (battery/body) an improvement?

 

[Capbill]

My take is
no.
Ok, will not hurt.
Maybe a wire to the block in parallel from the intake but I think that to the valve cover is subject to loosening.
Batt to block will help for starting but nothing for running as I explained earlier you already ran the extra wire.
No, since you already doubled up the block to body one.

 

[TheSilverBullet]

thanks for the help old salt, j/k........

 

[SpooN-FED]

I have the Hondata IMG and KPro, and I haven't rewired anything. I have no problems at all after using this setup for 4 months.
Just to be safe I might just get an aftermarket grounding kit in the future.