1G The truth about the exhaust ground strap?

[fivestardsm]

I have been reading up on all the poor gas mileage threads, and believe me there is quite a few out there!! The most common thing that I have seen is the "myth" about the grounding strap from the body to the exhaust.

Does anyone really know if the ground strap on the 1G's really hinders the gas mileage performance, or not?

This for some reason struck a bell inside my head when I heard it, because the only car that I really got somewhat descent mileage in, was one that I actually took the time to hook it back up. It was also the first one i ever did and I wanted every thing to be "right" !! Anyway, I'm gonna research this with the local dealership, but if any one has positive proof (#'s), please let me and everyone else know. Especially now with the un-godly gas prices. Personally, I plan on hooking all mine back up just to be on the safe side.

Steve.

 

[fusion_ta66]

Why would anyone that was worried about it not hook it up? It surely is not a detriment to hook up the ground strap, and it is very easy to do as well. I fail to see the dilemma here

 

[fivestardsm]

Originally posted by fusion_ta66
Why would anyone that was worried about it not hook it up? It surely is not a detriment to hook up the ground strap, and it is very easy to do as well. I fail to see the dilemma here

There is no dilemma. I just want to know. And I think that there are others that could benifit by reading this and who are wondering themselves!

 

[sleepinGSX]

Are u talking about groundin the exh mani. ? I cant see how that would effect gas mileage, but i dont know.

 

[Violater101]

No, there is an ground strap underneath the car by the cat, or atleast thats what I think he is talking about.

 

[DrZiplok]

The strap is required to ground the oxygen sensor properly. If it doesn't ground well, you run the risk of it reading low (will cause the ECU to add more fuel) or not reading at all (will cause the ECU to go to an open-loop map which is conservative and rich).

 

[turbofanatic]

i don't have this hooked up on my tsi, and i was getting horrible gas milleage. but i didn't see anywhere to hook the ground wire up. there is no place on my downpipe, so where should i ground it at?

 

[jdmawd]

Originally posted by DrZiplok
The strap is required to ground the oxygen sensor properly. If it doesn't ground well, you run the risk of it reading low (will cause the ECU to add more fuel) or not reading at all (will cause the ECU to go to an open-loop map which is conservative and rich).

yup it will definitely make the O2 sensor read low if not hooked up. logger O2 readings verified that. its a very good idea to keep that connected. if not grounded, the O2 sensor will not read consistently above 0.88v

i don't have this hooked up on my tsi, and i was getting horrible gas mileage. but i didn't see anywhere to hook the ground wire up. there is no place on my downpipe, so where should i ground it at?

if you have a buschur or stock down pipe there, should be a screw or threaded hole for a screw on the front section of the down pipe. simply run a wire from that hole to the frame. (sand the paint/dirt off) and ground the d/p that way. grounding the down pipe will ground the o2 sensor.

 

[fivestardsm]

Originally posted by DrZiplok
The strap is required to ground the oxygen sensor properly. If it doesn't ground well, you run the risk of it reading low (will cause the ECU to add more fuel) or not reading at all (will cause the ECU to go to an open-loop map which is conservative and rich).

Violater101, that is the strap I was refering too.
The problem that I have been noticeing from what i read so far, is that on the 2G's there are 2 sensors, So i can understand why they would need the ground strap. But on the 1G's they only have the 1 sensor so what would be the benifical gain to have the ground? Was it just a precaution that the manufaturer took to make sure? I don't think that I've seen it on any of the other cars that have come through the swalvage yard where I work. But I could just not be paying attention. Shouldn't the manifold create enough ground. All the gaskets are steel.

Steve.

 

[95gstproject]

maybe this is why my car in not getting good gas mileage. i change both o2 sensor's and still don't get that better. but on my downpipe there is no where to put it!! i guess i could ground it somewhere else under the car?? i dont know

 

[chrisAWD]

i have the buschur....which has no place to hook the strap to, so i took an extra hose clamp, wrapped it around the exhaust by the strap and hooked the strap to that. done

 

[jdmawd]

Originally posted by chrisAWD
i have the buschur....which has no place to hook the strap to, so i took an extra hose clamp, wrapped it around the exhaust by the strap and hooked the strap to that. done

the 3" buschur down pipe has has the threaded section for the o2 ground

 

[Thalomos]

Can't u just ground it somewhere else under the car?

 

[echo]

maybe this is why i am running rich and getting porr as gas mileage. does it not come grounded? i'm going to have to crawl up under there and check it out.

 

[Black_90TSI]

Does anyone have a pic of this ground strap you are talking about? I have an ATR turbo-back exhaust and dont remember hooking anything like that up.

 

[RedlinedTSi]

Yea, a picture showing where exactly it comes from and connects to would be great. My car has never had one since I bought it so I have no clue where it runs. I get decent gas mileage though, but I run fairly rich usually.

 

[RedlinedTSi]

Found a pic...

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[gsxstac]

WELL I HAVE A 95 AWD TSI AND MY STRAP HASNT BEEN CONNECTED IN AGES. BUT MY O2 VOLTAGE DEF SITS AT .915 AT WOT CONSISTENTLY. MY GAS MILEAGE SUX I THINK BECAUSE I HAVE 55'S, A WALBRO PUMP AND A BIGGER TURBO. TURBO CARS SUCK GAS PERIOD. ALL HOOKED UP TURBO CARS, 3000GT'S, 300ZX'S, RX7'S. THEY ALL DO. I CANT SEE A GROUND STRAP MAKIN THAT MUCH DIFFERENCE

 

[NewB2dsm]

My ground strap broke in half when i went to unscrew it. SO i no longer have one.

 

[PropXprt]

Originally posted by DrZiplok
The strap is required to ground the oxygen sensor properly. If it doesn't ground well, you run the risk of it reading low (will cause the ECU to add more fuel) or not reading at all (will cause the ECU to go to an open-loop map which is conservative and rich).

i totally agree.

 

[crashed97tsi]

Originally posted by gsxstac
WELL I HAVE A 95 AWD TSI AND MY STRAP HASNT BEEN CONNECTED IN AGES. BUT MY O2 VOLTAGE DEF SITS AT .915 AT WOT CONSISTENTLY. MY GAS MILEAGE SUX I THINK BECAUSE I HAVE 55'S, A WALBRO PUMP AND A BIGGER TURBO. TURBO CARS SUCK GAS PERIOD. ALL HOOKED UP TURBO CARS, 3000GT'S, 300ZX'S, RX7'S. THEY ALL DO. I CANT SEE A GROUND STRAP MAKIN THAT MUCH DIFFERENCE

damn my eyes hurt.

I have not had the strap hooked up either. I have a full exhaust, and when I'm not abusing it I get 30-34 mpg. I don't know why it was put there, but I have had absolutely no problems without it being hooked up.

 

[THEDUKE]

If you think about it its simple, the exhaust rusts & you are working with one volt or less. It dont take much to restrict one volt. The ground strap is a back up to insure the O2 sensor grounds properly so it can read at its full voltage.

 

[leet]

i suppose i should hook that back up :/ . thanks for the info guys.

Mike

 

[Awdboost]

There are a few things you guys need to take into consideration about the gas mileage and ground strap theory.

-The O2 sensor have 4 wires and one of them if not 2 are grounds.
-I think people that get the 25-35 mpg claims are doing one or if not two of these things. Drive all highway miles. Use the factory gauge to guess how much there gas mileage is or just are bad at math skillz. (The proper way to do it is fill the car until the pump stops. Drive around for at least 150-200 miles but make sure you record how many mile you drove. Then fill up the car again and let the pump shut off once again. Take the mileage and divide it but the gallon at the pump that you have filled, and that will give you your gas mileage.) Or the laws of physic do not exists on your car alone. :laugh:

 

[THEDUKE]

Yes you are right about the strap (2 are grounds) if you are using the 4 wire O2. I use a one wire because of price & going threw many of them because of racing fuel. the ground is still a backup & maybe even for some noise reduction for electronics. Back to fuel MPG, tuning of fuel & timing,tire pressure & other things can effect this & yes the easier you drive the better MPG you will get.You will not get any MPG with the boost kicked in. I get this 25 - 30 on the highway but can go threw a 1\4 tank real quick when tuning or just having fun. GOOD LUCK.