Jump to content
Sign in to follow this  
jcarter1885

Stock Big Three Upgrade

Recommended Posts

I have a 2003 Saturn Ion with a 2.2L Ecotech Engine with a stock 105A alternator, im trying to upgrade my big three but im running into obstacles so im coming here for some creative input. Yesterday I pulled the box out my trunk and finally took the spare out since its pointless in being under there and got to my starting battery (located in trunk where Saturn puts them). I completed the Big 1 so far using Kicker 1/0 Gauge ground wire and my voltage is outstanding so far when I idle I dont stay 14.0v to 14.1v (use to be 13.7v to 13.8v) when I crank my car im at 14.3v to 14.4v (use to be 14.0v to 14.1v in this Texas Summer Heat we been in the 100's last few days) and when music playing while on highway I sit at 13.8v to 14.0v depending on how much my air is blowing (use to be anywhere between 13.5v to 13.7v).

I started looking under my hood to start on the ground for my alternator and its to tight of a fit for me to mess with so im going to take it to a shop so they can do it for me, then I noticed that I cant seem to find a ground wire leaving the alternator to engine block or frame of car maybe its on the rear side of alternator where I can see or get to with moving stuff around. So I found a shop who will assist me in grounding my alternator and one dude up there ask me why am I trying to do this since alternators are already mounted on engine blocks, then ask him if they will do it and how much then he points to the main dude who says yeah he will do it and understood why I wanted to do this.

Ok... I just look a little harder and couldnt find a ground wire but there is an object that the ground wire that has a 10 wire going to it coming from under the engine block and it disappears not sure where its coming from and a 10 gauge wire to the engine block with a 4 gauge wire leaving the engine block to the frame.

Question #1: What wire should I upgrade: just the 4 gauge itself to a kicker 1/0 gauge ground wire or find where the 10 gauge is going to and if its coming from the alternator ugrade that ground also. If I have to just upgrade the 4 gauge wire to 1/0 gauge I can do that myself.

Question #2: The 4 gauge has a flange nut on top of the terminal ring with a flange nut under the terminal ring tighten to the frame and no paint is scatched off. I know I should scratch the paint off but wondering if I should keep the flange nut between the terminal ring and frame as Saturn grounded it or should take it away and just have the terminal ring touching the frame itself?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Question #3: Where the 10 gauge and 4 gauge wire are grounded to the engine frame, they are seperated from the engine block with a flange nut like the question above: can I leave that nut their or should I take it off and have the terminals touching the frame itself?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

if doing the big 3, do everything in 1/0 at least. bigger is ok, but not really necessary. when i did mine, i did the grounds right to the chassis for a nice clean connection

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

yeah i know that and appreciate your info, thats what Im upgrading my wires with Kicker 1/0 gauge. that still does not answer the questions i posted

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Sign in to follow this  

×