Resolved What is this wire on my exhaust?

[Silver71]

I was under my car looking around and I found this broken wire on the top portion of my exhaust, behind the engine and before the transfer case I believe? Looks like maybe a ground wire of some sort, but why? What is it, what is it for, and is it bad that it's broken?

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[Bud92gsx]

Looks like your ground strap..Where on the car is this picture from?

 

[greekgodchaos]

Pretty sure its a chasis ground, I took mine off when I did my DIY 3" exhaust...my question to the OP is what died and fused with your exhaust?

 

[OutKastGSX]

Its a ground. ^^and yeah...not really sure but im thinking fox?

 

[ChiTownHussla]

its to cancel out radio noise supposedly.....Some say it does more.....

 

[BogusSVO]

You can see where the wire broke from the connector on the exhaust.

Some sort of O2 sensor ground?

 

[DSM1G90]

Prob the rear O2 sensor connection wire. 2G's have two O2 sensors.

If not, its a ground wire that attaches to the pipe to chassis since the exhaust pipe isn't grounded since being suspended by rubber grommets.

 

[Silver71]

Glad to hear I'm not the only one who thinks it's a simple grounding wire.

Pretty sure its a chasis ground, I took mine off when I did my DIY 3" exhaust...my question to the OP is what died and fused with your exhaust?

Have you noticed any negative effects from having the ground removed? Maybe the original owner hit something and it got stuck there? Or something climbed on it somehow and died from the heat? Who knows... I should really rip it off next time I'm under there

Its a ground. ^^and yeah...not really sure but im thinking fox?

FireFox?

its to cancel out radio noise supposedly.....Some say it does more.....

Please, elaborate on "more"...

Prob the rear O2 sensor connection wire. 2G's have two O2 sensors.

If not, its a ground wire that attaches to the pipe to chassis since the exhaust pipe isn't grounded since being suspended by rubber grommets.

Highly doubt it's an O2 sensor. I've never thrown an engine light and it doesn't look to me at all like an O2 sensor.

Anyway, I've never thought about the fact that an exhaust needed to be grounded to the chassis. So there is some sort of static electricity buildup on the exhaust system? Do other cars have such a thing (there ARE other cars that have exhausts hung by rubber grommets)?

Just trying to figure out if I should worry about it at all, or simply take the thing off as it's useless as-is.

 

[BogusSVO]

If it is a heated O2 then the factory used it as aux. gound.

The Exh should be grounded thu the engine.

Most cars have some sort of rubber isolater used on the exhaust to cut down on the NVH.

 

[Diamond Star Werks]

Its just a ground. Its on mine as well.

 

[billyb]

from what i have read this wire is a ground for your starter and raido maybe a few other things. i put a monster system in my car and rosted it in half because i upgraded all the other wires and did not kno this one exist.. there for my car will not start (95 gs none/t) just to test my theory i climbed under my they have no clue. i have also posted on a few other sites and still get no awnser.. iv tryed bypassing the relay and ignition and iv been through 3starters and i ran new grounds on the battery and the one on top of the engine but this one in this pic is suppost to be hooked to the bellhousing from what other people say but both of mine are hooked to the exhaust?? any ideas? 98 re and took the same wire off and bam it did the samething. so i put the one off the 98 on to the 95 and it still doesnt start.. cud i have rosted more wires? wen yu hit the key or jump the starter solenoid it just clicks once and still wont turn over?? please give me sum ideas because i have tryed eerything and iv called all the shops i could think of and

 

[WES_393]

^ The ground wire shown in this thread has nothing to do with the starter, it's just a redundant addition from the factory.

It sounds like your missing the ground coming from the starter. It goes from the negative terminal on the starter to one of the bell housing bolts. It should not connect to the exhaust.

 

[luv2rallye]

That wire is not for the starter, radio, O2 sensor (O2 has it's own separate ground wires), or any other current carrying device (all devices have their own grounds to normally to frame). It is to ground out any static charge buildup on the exhaust pipe but is not essential to normal car operation.

 

[GRAVEDIGGER]

To the OP if you feel like reading...
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/bol...per-braid.html?highlight=exhaust+strap+ground

Or, if not just run the car and forget it was ever there like most people do with no ill effects.

 

[billyb]

if its not a ground to the starter then why wudnt my 98 start with out it but starts just fine with it? my 95 was just goin down the road and just cut off.. i put the wire back on the 98 and bam! she started rite back up. but still no luck with the 95

 

[DSM1G90]

if its not a ground to the starter then why wudnt my 98 start with out it but starts just fine with it? my 95 was just goin down the road and just cut off.. i put the wire back on the 98 and bam! she started rite back up. but still no luck with the 95

Different starter setups '' like was one vehicle a 420A and the other a 4G63, per chance?

Current runs from negative to positive in DC, why it's great to have tonnage of ground taps from the battery to various points on the vehicle so the current can flow easier. I have three grounds from battery: Intake manifold, transmission and firewall.

Yea, if we can have a chain dragging behind our vehicles, then we would feel safe to have all static charges removed since that chain would be the flow channel for static to head to ground. But, since our cars ride on rubber tires, that static has to go somewhere to get to ground...and the braided cabling does the trick.

Ever get a light zap when you exit your vehicle when you touch a ground when you're wearing rubber soled shoes, or similar? Kinda scary thinking that if gas fumes were around when you discharged that spark that you might not be standing there anymore afterwards.

Why you take your gas can out of the trunk and lay it on the ground when you fill it at the station.

 

[luv2rallye]

if its not a ground to the starter then why wudnt my 98 start with out it but starts just fine with it? my 95 was just goin down the road and just cut off.. i put the wire back on the 98 and bam! she started rite back up. but still no luck with the 95

Because you don't have good ground connections from battery negative to starter bolt and to frame.

 

[billyb]

there both 420a.. one is a 98re and one is a 95gs. almost the exact same set. iv went through all the grounds that i can find and they all look good. im headed to work rite now but ill get on here around 6pm and put up the full story of the car. maybe that will help.

 

[luv2rallye]

The starter battery large negative cable must go from battery negative to starter mounting bolt (on the bell housing). It must have both terminal ends clean, no corrosion, and tight. Sometimes an old cable (or connection) will get a high resistance portion when it gets old or stiff. Even 0.05 ohms anywhere from battery post to starter itself is too much (0.05 ohms x 100A = 5V drop which leaves too little voltage left for starter to operate). Same goes for the large positive cable. I suggest replacing those cables.

There also should be a SEPARATE large cable from battery negative to body with clean tight connections. There exist other grounds but these two are the main power ones which MUST be good for engine starting and running. There should also be a braided cable from intake manifold to body.

 

[billyb]

iv already changed out the grounds that were on it wen it was running and didnt do nothen. i tryed to jump the starter solenoid and i even took jumper cables to all the grounds and hooked 12v to the trigger wire on the starter. still nothen. i replaced the starter and solenoid and didnt make a difference. it just clicks once wen yu hit the key. i took the ecu out and put it back in the next day and wen i hit the key it tryed to turn over for a slit sec then went rite back to just clicking once. the 98re has no title but its nicer then the 95. i will give yu the 98 if yu come fix the 95 ! iv worked on a bunch of cars from mustangs to 4wds but these dam imports i cant figure out to save my life. i was gona junk this 95 because i just ended up buyin a new car but this thing is puttin me to the test.. i worked on it a lil yesterday and it now has a decent dent in the side from a fist iv been reading forum after forum and iv tryed everything that everyone has came u with and nothing has worked even half way.

 

[LandSpeed-DSM]

iv already changed out the grounds that were on it wen it was running and didnt do nothen. i tryed to jump the starter solenoid and i even took jumper cables to all the grounds and hooked 12v to the trigger wire on the starter. still nothen. i replaced the starter and solenoid and didnt make a difference. it just clicks once wen yu hit the key. i took the ecu out and put it back in the next day and wen i hit the key it tryed to turn over for a slit sec then went rite back to just clicking once. the 98re has no title but its nicer then the 95. i will give yu the 98 if yu come fix the 95 ! iv worked on a bunch of cars from mustangs to 4wds but these dam imports i cant figure out to save my life. i was gona junk this 95 because i just ended up buyin a new car but this thing is puttin me to the test.. i worked on it a lil yesterday and it now has a decent dent in the side from a fist iv been reading forum after forum and iv tryed everything that everyone has came u with and nothing has worked even half way.

If you can work on a domestic you can work on an import.. I do both regularly and I'm not a mechanic. The laws of physics and electrical/mechanical principles of operation don't see a Japanese badge on the car and just say "f*ck it, there be dragons"

And sweet Jesus.. use spell check. You have bad grounds, I've had the exact same symptoms - fixed with new, properly installed ground leads.

 

[luv2rallye]

Try pulling the starter relay and apply +12v to the black-yellow wire. Should engage starter.
Do you have an alarm, TT, or any other wiring changes?

 

[billyb]

i dnt think there is a alarm (that i kno of) but the only wire changes is sum 0 gauge power and ground for my system and extra battery but i unhooked it all already. i will try the relay 2morrow but wudnt it bypass the relay and ignition if i put straight 12v to the trigger wire on the starter? yu can see where sumone else has already tapped into the relay at sum point but i had the relays tested at napa and they said they was good..

 

[WES_393]

Yes, but if the ground to the starter is faulty, it won't matter what you hook up to it. The electricity simply won't flow through the starter. And I know you say you've replaced all the grounds, but the clicking starter is a tell-tale sign that it's not grounded properly. Maybe try adding a ground between the engine and the frame.

And BTW, your profile says the 95 GS is a Spyder. If that's so, it has a 4g64, not a 420a.

 

[billyb]

its not a spyder, sry about the mixed up.. but i will go through all the grounds again to just to be %400 sure that its not the problem. 2 more weeks and im scrapping this piece of shi*. both of them. ill let yu kno the out come of checking the grounds. it acts just like a bad ground should but there all in good shape.. (new)