Big 3 Upgrade '08 Altima 3.5SE Sedan

[SilkySmoove]

Has anyone done the Big 3 Upgrade on on their '07/'08 Altima sedan yet, primarily with the V6 engine? If so, any pics of the install/process would be more than appreciated. What 0-gauge wire did you use, KnuKonceptz Kolossus, welding cable, etc., and how many feet should I get? Also, how would I go about fitting a Kinetik battery under the hood since the post are opposite from stock?

Thanks

[bina12834]

theres a couple of threads around here of a member making custom grounding kits.....use the search function. i would post the links to the threads for you, but frankly i dont feel like doing the work for you.

[SilkySmoove]

I have tried to use the search function but it does not prove to be very effective as far as I have noticed. I will take another stab at it, however feel free to post info in the thread if you happen to come across anything.

[rjdmmfl1]

Kinetik battery place the battery in with posts closest to the driver's side of the vehicle. I used a 4 gage butt connector and extra 4 gauge wire to extend the factory ground wire. I unsnapped the cable holding down the power distribution block, then straightened the curved fuse going to the alternator. This allows you to put it on the positive post of the Kinetik battery, a little awkward and crooked, but it goes on nonetheless.

For my Big 3 upgrade, I ran 0 gauge Stinger 99.99% Oxygen free copper wire. About 12 feet total. Upgraded negative battery terminal to vehicle chassis... Upgraded engine ground to chassis.... upgraded positive power wire from battery terminal to alternator (hard as hell to get to in the 3.5L engine bay)

here's a few pics of my engine bay...






Modified by rjdmmfl1 at 7:26 PM 12/22/2008

[SilkySmoove]

Thanks for the informative/insightful response. Earlier today I was taking a look at the alternator position and was raking my brain as to how on earth I was going to be able to move around in that area to make the proper connections..........and you have confirmed my initial thoughts......"hard as hell!!!!"

Just curious to know, do you think that installing Nate's grounding kit first would be a viable option for me since I am simply trying to eliminate slight headlight flicker at high volumes???? Obviously it is cheaper than purchasing the 0-gauge necessary for the Big 3 upgrade.

I am currently running a Sundown SAE-1000D @ 1ohm on a 12" AA Havoc (1200W RMS) and a Kenwood eXcelon KAC-X40 on my Infinity Kappa components. As far as electrical I am running 2-gauge RF power and ground wire with a Duralast Gold up front and a Kinetik HC600 in the trunk.

[Beak]

gangster job buttttt....how the hell are you going to clean ur k&n (injen) filter its getting dirty mang....

[rjdmmfl1]

Thanks for the informative/insightful response. Earlier today I was taking a look at the alternator position and was raking my brain as to how on earth I was going to be able to move around in that area to make the proper connections..........and you have confirmed my initial thoughts......"hard as hell!!!!"

Just curious to know, do you think that installing Nate's grounding kit first would be a viable option for me since I am simply trying to eliminate slight headlight flicker at high volumes???? Obviously it is cheaper than purchasing the 0-gauge necessary for the Big 3 upgrade.

I am currently running a Sundown SAE-1000D @ 1ohm on a 12" AA Havoc (1200W RMS) and a Kenwood eXcelon KAC-X40 on my Infinity Kappa components. As far as electrical I am running 2-gauge RF power and ground wire with a Duralast Gold up front and a Kinetik HC600 in the trunk.

OK, regarding the grounding kit, I doubt it will make much difference. The most important aspect of the Big 3 upgrade is the upgraded power wire to the alternator. If your system needs more power (i.e. dimming lights) improving the grounding will only partially aleviate the problem. If you'd like, you can use the upgraded engine ground to chasis from the grounding kit... however, generally speaking, you always want you power and ground wire to be of the same gauge. So if you're going with a 0 gauge power wire to the amplifier, you should also go with a 0 gauge upgraded ground wire from the negative battery to vehicle chasis. (*note* the Big 3 should be done IN ADDITION TO the factory charging system, it should NOT replace it) add these on top of the existing wires. There are a number of checkpoints between both the power and ground of our factory charging system that feeds information to the computer. You WILL throw codes or alter engine performance if you remove any of the factoy power or ground wires!

IN regards to your amps, SUndown makes some great amps, and that 2 gauge Rockford wire is equivalent to many company's 0 gauge wire in terms of actual wire thickness... both good choices!

[SilkySmoove]

Thanks a lot for the info. I think I am going to go ahead and order one of Nate's grounding kits for the performance improvements I have been reading about as a result of it. Also, I am going to go ahead and try to find some decent flexible 0-gauge for the Big 3 upgrade.

Of the 12 ft. how much of that is the +batt to alternator? I ask because I intend on getting it in a different color from the grounds. What do you think about KnuKonceptz Kolossus 0-gauge? And what suspension upgrades do you suggest to take care of the little trunk sagging due to stereo equipment, eibach springs?
Modified by SilkySmoove at 3:55 PM 12/25/2008

[rjdmmfl1]

Thanks a lot for the info. I think I am going to go ahead and order one of Nate's grounding kits for the performance improvements I have been reading about as a result of it. Also, I am going to go ahead and try to find some decent flexible 0-gauge for the Big 3 upgrade.

Of the 12 ft. how much of that is the +batt to alternator? I ask because I intend on getting it in a different color from the grounds. What do you think about KnuKonceptz Kolossus 0-gauge? And what suspension upgrades do you suggest to take care of the little trunk sagging due to stereo equipment, eibach springs?

Modified by SilkySmoove at 8:51 PM 12/23/2008

For wiring, I'd stay away from knukoncepts, I tried it in the past and it was cheap garbage... Just some thin, flimsy wire on a 0 gauge jacket... Copper costs money, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is... I would say 5 ft of one color for the power , and 7 ft of another color for the ground upgrades... For my chasis grounding , I used a double input 0 gauge ground terminal, ran both the battery ground and engine ground to that... Hope this helps

For suspension , eibachs are a must, system or not

[rjdmmfl1]

dude, don't be fool by this bull$hit...

http://cgi.ebay.com/KnuKoncept...%3A50

copper clad aluminum is 90% thin, cheap, flimsy aluminum layered with 10% copper... aluminum has only 65% the conductance of copper by volume...

so that means IF the strands were equaly the size of comparable copper wire, it would have only 65% the comparable conductance. HOWEVER, since the KnuKoncepts wires are much thinner than the real copper wires, the conductivity is even less... WHY?... we because the thinner the wire of comparable material, the less the conductivity due to increased resistance in a thinner gauge wire... so now we are changing BOTH the thickness of the wire AND the quality of the wire...

IN SHORT, the conductivity of thin copper clad 0 gauge wire has about 1/3 the conductivity of comparable 99.9% Oxugen free copper wire of thicker stand size.

NEVER, EVER, EVER buy copper clad aluminum wire!!!

If sentient by design was selling this crap in his kits, I would scream FAIL untell he longer sold them, but sentient sells HIGH QUALITY 99.9% Oxygen Free Copper in his grounding kits! That plus the benefits I saw after using his product are why I support his grounding kits!

from what I've read, KnuKoncepts Kolossus Ultra Fleks wires are should be ok to use

http://cgi.ebay.com/KnuKoncept...A1318

just stay away from copper clad aluminum wires

[SilkySmoove]

Thanks a lot my man. I sent sentinent money for the grounding kit back on the 23rd but I still have not heard back from him yet. I was looking forward to getting the kit and 0-gauge from him but he has not hit me back yet

[rjdmmfl1]

Thanks a lot my man. I sent sentinent money for the grounding kit back on the 23rd but I still have not heard back from him yet. I was looking forward to getting the kit and 0-gauge from him but he has not hit me back yet

Well keep me updated on what you do about the Big 3 kit... if you don't get it from Sentient, i will show you how to get a 0 gauge big 3 setup with 100% Oxygen free copper for around $70... IMO, it is almost impossible to get it for less than $70... the $80-90 that Sentient is charging is not a bad price at all!

[SilkySmoove]

Well keep me updated on what you do about the Big 3 kit... if you don't get it from Sentient, i will show you how to get a 0 gauge big 3 setup with 100% Oxygen free copper for around $70... IMO, it is almost impossible to get it for less than $70... the $80-90 that Sentient is charging is not a bad price at all!

I am interested in how you can show me how to get the Big 3 kit. I only have a little over a week to get the kit and get it in before I have to head back to school for the spring semester. Thanks a lot man.
Modified by SilkySmoove at 3:56 PM 12/27/2008

[rjdmmfl1]

I am interested in how you can show me how to get the Big 3 kit. I only have a little over a week to get the kit and get it in before I have to head back to school for the spring semester. Thanks a lot man.

Modified by SilkySmoove at 3:56 PM 12/27/2008

i"ll shoot you an email with my cell phone number.... give me a call, anf we'lll get it ordered and shipped to you ASAP

[SilkySmoove]

i"ll shoot you an email with my cell phone number.... give me a call, anf we'lll get it ordered and shipped to you ASAP

I think I am good to go on acquiring some wire to do my big 3 upgrade. There is a guy on CarAudioClassifieds selling 1/0Gauge HyperFlex for $2.50/ft. Here is the link below, just figured I would pass on the good find. Just go to the last page to see his updated list of what he still has available.

http://www.caraudio.com/forum/...rflex

Thanks for all of the help. I will most definitely keep you posted on the upgrade process.
Modified by SilkySmoove at 5:50 AM 12/29/2008

[rjdmmfl1]

x

I think I am good to go on acquiring some wire to do my big 3 upgrade. There is a guy on CarAudioClassifieds selling 1/0Gauge HyperFlex for $2.50/ft. Here is the link below, just figured I would pass on the good find. Just go to the last page to see his updated list of what he still has available.

http://www.caraudio.com/forum/...rflex

Thanks for all of the help. I will most definitely keep you posted on the upgrade process.

Modified by SilkySmoove at 7:02 PM 12/28/2008

its cool, that's what i was gonna have you to do.... get it by the foot from this guy on ebay! http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISA...10824

but at 2.50/ft, that's not a bad deal at all... as long as its real OFC, with a high thread count... i can vouch for the ebay guys... can't vouch for the guy on that forum....

in any case, I would advise you to check the connections on his ring terminals, and if they aren't solid, just cut them off, get new ring terminals, get them professionally crimped on, and get some heat shirnk tubing like this

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors...A1318

and heat shrink the ends!

good luck on your project!

[SilkySmoove]

Two questions:

How did you manage to get to the alternator without removing a bunch of stuff?

Did you connect your engine ground to the same point on the chassis as the battery ground?

Any additional pics you have of the install would be great as well.

[rjdmmfl1]

Two questions:

How did you manage to get to the alternator without removing a bunch of stuff?

Did you connect your engine ground to the same point on the chassis as the battery ground?

Any additional pics you have of the install would be great as well.

PAIN IN THE A$$!!! its not easy at all... you're gonna need patience and a lot of fancy ratchet tools to get the job done... otherwise, you'll need to go at it from underneath the car.... it may be easier to get at it by pinching off and moving the radiator hose to the side, but I didn't do that

yes, engine ground and battery ground both were grounded to the same point in the chassis...

I don't have additional pics, and I'm not in cali.... I doubt I'll be getting back in there to take install pics...sorry

[SilkySmoove]

PAIN IN THE A$$!!! its not easy at all... you're gonna need patience and a lot of fancy ratchet tools to get the job done... otherwise, you'll need to go at it from underneath the car.... it may be easier to get at it by pinching off and moving the radiator hose to the side, but I didn't do that

yes, engine ground and battery ground both were grounded to the same point in the chassis...

I don't have additional pics, and I'm not in cali.... I doubt I'll be getting back in there to take install pics...sorry

Diiiizzaaayyyuuummmm.............aight. One more quick question:

Where on the engine block did you attach the engine ground?
Modified by SilkySmoove at 8:30 AM 12/30/2008

[rjdmmfl1]

Diiiizzaaayyyuuummmm.............aight. One more quick question:

Where on the engine block did you attach the engine ground?

OK, when you take off the engine cover on the 3.5, on the left, you'll see two small grounds, and then you'll see the larger factory engine ground...

i connected the two smaller grounds with Sentient's grounding kit, and then I threw my 0 gauge ground on top of the factory engine gorund, and ran that over to the point on the chassis where i upgraded the battery ground also...

on a side note, i saw someone with 0 gauge grounding kit... /// not only that, but he didn't even have the factory grounding points hit, just grounded random parts of the engione bay..... that's a prime example of somone not knowing WTF they are doing!

[SilkySmoove]

I received Nate's grounding kit and installed it today. Tomorrow I should be receiving my 0-gauge in the mail to do my Big 3 before I leave to go back to school in the evening.

How do you suggest properly connecting the Bat + to alternator wire and where did you route it?

Where did you route the engine ground to keep it and the alternator wire as far apart as possible since their connections are in relative close proximity to one another?

Also, I could attach the engine ground to a bolt on the side of the engine closets to the battery correct? To avoid the longer run from the other side.
Modified by SilkySmoove at 2:46 PM 1/3/2009

[rjdmmfl1]

I received Nate's grounding kit and installed it today. Tomorrow I should be receiving my 0-gauge in the mail to do my Big 3 before I leave to go back to school in the evening.

How do you suggest properly connecting the Bat + to alternator wire and where did you route it?

snaked mine under the injen intake, in front of the engine, over to the mounting point

Where did you route the engine ground to keep it and the alternator wire as far apart as possible since their connections are in relative close proximity to one another?

their connections are not in close proximity! Engine ground is on TOP of the engine... look at my third picture, look at the wire loom snaked to the front left corner of the engine.... that's the factory engine ground. I snaked that in front of the engine, and grounded to a point on the chasis where my factory air intake use to be bolted!

Also, I could attach the engine ground to a bolt on the side of the engine closets to the battery correct? To avoid the longer run from the other side.

NO.... improving the engine ground should be done on top of the existing engine ground, not to some random bolt

[SilkySmoove]

Whats up man.......its been a while but I am finally getting back around to doing this since I am home on spring break. I have both the grounds done but I am having EXTREME trouble trying to get the bolt off of the alternator to run that wire. How did you manage to do this without removing the radiator hose along with other things????

Thanks in advance.

[rjdmmfl1]

Whats up man.......its been a while but I am finally getting back around to doing this since I am home on spring break. I have both the grounds done but I am having EXTREME trouble trying to get the bolt off of the alternator to run that wire. How did you manage to do this without removing the radiator hose along with other things????

Thanks in advance.

well I did it, but it was NOT easy... getting it off wasn't that hard, but getting it back on after putting the o gauge upgrade wire took about an hour by itself!

[SilkySmoove]

I was finally able to get it off and get my wires ran. I ended up using 4-gauge instead of the 0-gauge though. I still notice some slight headlight flickering at HIGH volume. Do you think that is possibly due to my battery? It is a Duralast Gold.

[rjdmmfl1]

I was finally able to get it off and get my wires ran. I ended up using 4-gauge instead of the 0-gauge though. I still notice some slight headlight flickering at HIGH volume. Do you think that is possibly due to my battery? It is a Duralast Gold.

yes, that's a voltage issue... your best bet is to get a good dry cell battery (like a Kinetik 1800) for under the hood.. and then run a second kinetik (or something like a Batcap) in the trunk

[SilkySmoove]

Yea, that's what I figured. At the time when I first got the car, back in November '07, the Duralast Gold was the biggest thing I could find with the proper post fitment. So the HC1800 it is. As a side note I also have a HC600 back by the amps as well.

With just the HC1800 up front you have no dimming at all? I'm running roughly 1400W rms.

[SilkySmoove]

yes, that's a voltage issue... your best bet is to get a good dry cell battery (like a Kinetik 1800) for under the hood.. and then run a second kinetik (or something like a Batcap) in the trunk

One last question on this issue. I notice that with the post installed the Kinetick batts are a few inches taller than the stock batt, so I was curious if hood clearance is an issue at all with these batts????

I can get my hands on a HC1400 with reverse terminals to eliminate the need for bending and extending stock wires for about $150 BNIB.

[rjdmmfl1]

One last question on this issue. I notice that with the post installed the Kinetick batts are a few inches taller than the stock batt, so I was curious if hood clearance is an issue at all with these batts????

I can get my hands on a HC1400 with reverse terminals to eliminate the need for bending and extending stock wires for about $150 BNIB.

well, the general rule is, try to get the biggest battery in the stock position as possible. THe wiring really wasn't that difficult... but if you ONLy have 1400 watts RMS running through your system, I guess ut won't hurt to use the HC1400

and no, hood clearance is not an issue with these batteries