Notice a difference with Stillen Grounding Kit?

[deebo422]

Hello guys, I just finished installing the Stillen Grounding kit for my 3.5 CTV A/C.... I thought i was going to fell a difference but i didn't ........ Anybody having the same issue?........... Maybe i put them in wrong?

[Ferguson]

Can't comment on the Stillen kit. I installed the Sentient kit and noticed that several things worked a bit better - stereo was louder, CVT shifts were crisper, etc. The Sentient kit is 4 gauge wire while I think (not sure) that the Stillen is only 8 gauge? Wire size, and number of ground points could be the issue.

[QR25DE]

You're probably not going to feel any difference. It just grounds things better. It's not going to add 500HP. lol. Maybe 1-3hp at the most (and that's assuming the factory grounds are rusted/bad already). Eectrical things may work better as stated above though.

[Ferguson]

A grounding kit is not like adding an intake, exhaust, or pulley! It's just a way of ensuring that all electronic systems can function at their optimum level.

[Ranga14]

A grounding kit is not like adding an intake, exhaust, or pulley! It's just a way of ensuring that all electronic systems can function at their optimum level.

lol, I had been thinking about getting this but my Dad was like "don't waste your money, it won't add anything to performance" so I think I might lay off now.

[LongBeachCoupe]

Just an FYI.... It increased my MPG 10%.... If I had put it on when i first got my car... well i would have saved quite a bit of money.

[Ranga14]

Just an FYI.... It increased my MPG 10%.... If I had put it on when i first got my car... well i would have saved quite a bit of money.

The Stillen or Sentient?

[headhunt3r]

Just an FYI.... It increased my MPG 10%.... If I had put it on when i first got my car... well i would have saved quite a bit of money.

I thought that was with the Sentinel one though, not the Stillen one...

[LongBeachCoupe]

I do have the SBD kit, but just a + for grounding kits in general

[Ranga14]

I do have the SBD kit, but just a + for grounding kits in general

I can't seem to find it via Google, the SBD kit that is. :\

[headhunt3r]

SBD = SentientByDesign

zerothread/345479

I think I'm going to order mine this week... --- bought tires instead

Fixed!
Modified by headhunt3r at 10:30 AM 7/9/2009

[Rob.Vegan]

I have Sentient's kit and I didn't notice anything. My car is completely stock electronic wise though so I wasn't expecting any changes. My car's electrical had always ran perfect and now it still does. I expect it to kick in once I upgrade some audio and more lighting however.

It does make the engine bay look a lot nicer though I wasn't going to put in money towards a grounding kit until I upgraded some things in my car but I won the kit at our meet down in San Diego last December so wooohoo

[JIBRIL4life]

Bought my SBD kit last week its in the mail.

Nathan warned me that i wouldnt notice much in gas as i have 6MT and i am actually shifting the gears.

[Blackmobile]

racingline's grounding kit is out, and we all know that Joe's on top of his game with parts. PLUS!! they come in snazzy colors

[chow]

Ok.. I don't get you guys.

Please someone explain to me how a NEW grounding kit will help your car "PERFORM" better (E.G INC MPG?!) when your car is already NEW. On top of that, if we use logic, wouldn't nissan install a better electrical system (since it only costs them a few dollars) to pump out that extra 3hp or bump in the sound system? They would have more juice to advertise with, and a better selling point. So tell me.. How do these things make sense at all!?

If you think of it.. I installed my Greddy system and didn't notice a thing. That might have been a 2-3hp gain, which is attached directly to the engine. How can these wires free up that much HP!"?

[LongBeachCoupe]

Ok.. I don't get you guys.

Please someone explain to me how a NEW grounding kit will help your car "PERFORM" better (E.G INC MPG?!) when your car is already NEW. On top of that, if we use logic, wouldn't nissan install a better electrical system (since it only costs them a few dollars) to pump out that extra 3hp or bump in the sound system? They would have more juice to advertise with, and a better selling point. So tell me.. How do these things make sense at all!?

If you think of it.. I installed my Greddy system and didn't notice a thing. That might have been a 2-3hp gain, which is attached directly to the engine. How can these wires free up that much HP!"?

Well I can tell you how it "CAN" (not proven by me) work... When your engine is running, all the stuff thats electrical (pretty much everything) is getting current and dispersing it (the ground)... Think of it as intake and exhaust, the grounding kit is like a wider exhaust pipe bringing the ground current out of the situation, ergo less stress.

I got an increase in MPG, maybe it helps the cvt shift better? Im sure there are a lot of ways it CAN help out, especially with stress on the power (with subs etc)... I didnt say it gained any hp, but idk.

[toxik]

Ok.. I don't get you guys.

Please someone explain to me how a NEW grounding kit will help your car "PERFORM" better (E.G INC MPG?!) when your car is already NEW. On top of that, if we use logic, wouldn't nissan install a better electrical system (since it only costs them a few dollars) to pump out that extra 3hp or bump in the sound system? They would have more juice to advertise with, and a better selling point. So tell me.. How do these things make sense at all!?

If you think of it.. I installed my Greddy system and didn't notice a thing. That might have been a 2-3hp gain, which is attached directly to the engine. How can these wires free up that much HP!"?

i have my coupe for more than 2 years already.... not exactly new. oem stuff degrades quickly. this is where nissan saves money on altimas.

[Pawn]

SBD = SentinelByDesign

No, its Sentient. 2 different words.

Also, to chow, its not just a NEW grounding kit, they are (generally) better because they use better quality wires and/or have more grounding points than the standard system.

The "why doesn't Nissan just use a better one" argument isn't really valid, for the same reason that all new cars don't come with top of the line tires. Yes, they will improve traction and handling, but the cost of adding it in versus going with a cheaper substitute would hurt profits. Tradeoffs!

[ESP]

I'm not planning on getting one until I upgrade my audio equipment.In my last car which was an automatic, my home-made grounding kit made a noticeable difference in the smoothness of the shifts. That being said, it was also a five year old car too...and that slush-matic was crap to begin with...

[headhunt3r]

Sorry! My mistake on his name

[Sentientbydesign]

Sorry! My mistake on his name

It's ok. You're not the first and probably won't be the last. I'll go talk to one of the Admins about Capitalizing the first letter of each word to make it stand out more lol.

As for the "How is this going to make a difference on newer cars?" question, one plain, basic reason. Nissan grounding sucks!

This is all I can say and hopefully it will get the message across. If I ever expand my "product" line outside of the Nissan/Infiniti world, I won't make or sell anything for Audi or Honda. Why? Their grounding kicks a**.

The exhaust analogy is perfect. Most of the electrical components have a positive lead, but no negative return. Why? Because it's cheaper and easier to run it all through the chassis. This isn't efficient by any means.

I'm trying to like Stillen and their products, but their grounding kits are still an enigma to me (as are those hood struts that hyper-extend the hood). I've seen the design for some of the newer cars which is improved, but still has a way to go before their effective. Daisy-chaining 8 gauge doesn't really work...

Racingline's kits...the maxima design doesn't look half bad. The Altima kit...why?

[rjdmmfl1]

Honestly, you guys don't need a company to design a grounding kit for you. And honestly, when it coes to grounding, you will NOT notice a difference in using 8 gague wire vs 4 gauge wire, as both of them are overkill as it is...

what WILL make a difference, and what sentient by design does well is WHERE you attach the grounding points! I've seen homemade kits and "other" company's kits that have the grounding points installed at the WRONG PLACES...

if you have a factory engione ground, and you install your grounding kit NEXT TO the engine ground rather than on top of it... THEN YOU ARE A DUMBA$$ (and yes that person is on this forum)

In Sentientbydesign's kits, the lengths to "IMPORTANT and WORTHWHILE" grounding points are measured by him. He uses the right wires grounded at the RIGHT points, and that's why his kits are worth the money! I can not speak to Stillen's kits as I have never installed one or seen one installed.

Suffice to say, I did notice a difference in my MPG after installing Sentient's kit correctly. I didn't notice any improvement in the electrical system as I already had a "BIG 3" upgrade installed at the time....

[headhunt3r]

Gah I really wanna buy this... it'll have to wait until a few more paychecks and I've got some $ in the bank.

Tires came first, sorry!

[RaiderKID]

Might be a dumb question. But do you need an aftermarket battery to get the sbd kit?

[Sentientbydesign]

Might be a dumb question. But do you need an aftermarket battery to get the sbd kit?

No, but you do need to tell me if you do have an aftermarket battery lol. The Optima batteries are oriented in the opposite direction of the Altima battery and require slightly different wiring.

Thanks, Robert! Btw, when we going to do another meet? I wanna be on the commitee!

Gah I really wanna buy this... it'll have to wait until a few more paychecks and I've got some $ in the bank.

Tires came first, sorry!

$65 shipped to you! Post office came out with a new box which made shipping more affordable.

[Beak]

the volt meter on my escort shows 13.3 ith when i start my car. then it drops to low 12's even high 11s. this is with my radio OFF. so i know its not the 12 inch sub. before i get a kit i want to correct the problem first. tested the battery and its fine, im thinking about sayin eff it and getting a yellow top. what do you guys think? any ideas would be good. alternator? i kow what the dealership will try and pull. the will be like "its your system!!" eff them.

[Sentientbydesign]

the volt meter on my escort shows 13.3 ith when i start my car. then it drops to low 12's even high 11s. this is with my radio OFF. so i know its not the 12 inch sub. before i get a kit i want to correct the problem first. tested the battery and its fine, im thinking about sayin eff it and getting a yellow top. what do you guys think? any ideas would be good. alternator? i kow what the dealership will try and pull. the will be like "its your system!!" eff them.

Troubleshooting 101: ISOLATE

If you can disconnect your system without tearing the car apart, I'd do that first.

Ohm's law

V=IR

If your voltage is going down, that means that the current and/or resistance is going down. Getting resistance to go down is VERY unlikely. So that leads me to think it's the current.

I'd have the battery and Alternator checked, but I'm thinking the Alternator is a more likely cause due to the voltage drop timing.

[headhunt3r]

$65 shipped to you! Post office came out with a new box which made shipping more affordable.

I hope that's the price for the 3.5 cuz in an email the 2.5 was priced lower shipped

[Sentientbydesign]

I hope that's the price for the 3.5 cuz in an email the 2.5 was priced lower shipped

Hahaha. Forgot you were going to have it shipped to this side of the border. I was quoting shipping to BC.