Grounding Throttle Body

[NoSpeedLmt]

I was talking with one of my co-workers who recently for a Mazda3. He also is a member of one of the Mazda forums. One of the threads on there was about grounding the throttle body, which makes the throttle more responsive and may increase gas mileage. He has done so and claims that the throttle response seems better, not sure about the gas mileage though. Any thoughts on this?

 

[greasefingers]

You would have to elaborate more. If you mean grounding as in Earth, then the throttle-body is grounded as is the whole engine and chassis. Or do you mean grinding?

 

[NoSpeedLmt]

It's gounding as in earth.

 

[greasefingers]

I think you are only receiving part of the Mazda story. A throttle-body is a mechanical component. It is mainly an orifice with a butterfly valve inside it. So grounding it would be pointless. My 2003 intake manifold is metal, so the throttle-body becomes grounded because the engine is bolted to the body which is ground. Newer T4Rs, I believe 2004 and up have black plastic intake manifolds. The throttle-body may not be grounded, in this case, and does not need to be. There are some electrical sensors attached to the throttle-body (like throttle position sensor), which are grounded thru the electrical harness.

I believe you have been told an Urban Legend.

 

[NoSpeedLmt]

That's possible. That's why I wanted to find out what you guys think about this. Thanks for your replies.

 

[otterball21]

this sounds like the thread about Vtec fluid. Where some guy asked why his acura rsx..... was so slow... some smartie replied that he was low on vtec fluid. He called all the auto stores and dealers...and he called the acura dealership and they hung up on him..

grounding your throttle might be useful in electronic throttles that have a metal body. The throttles that are cable driven grounding it has no effect. Then you have the plastic throttles... those wouldn't do any difference.....

 

[PROZAC]

I've often wondered about those $150.00 kits containing multiple cables WHICH are for grounding purposes.

To me, it sounds like snake oil.

Many members bought this kit on the Acura Legend forums and of course because they just shelled out a buck fifty... they claimed everything from increased performance, etc.

I didn't fall for the hype.

 

[otterball21]

those kits work in old honda civics where there are alot of ground points. Some of the toyota celicas also work great. It doesn't really give you a crazy 10 hp boost though. All it does is help give it a tiny tiny better signal. Your headlights would be better grounded. Simple things that aren't grounded cleanly would be better.

Not really worth 150 dollars.

If I really have an issue like this... I run a 4 gauge wire from one side of the engine bay to the other side and ground it. So the battery has two ground points.

(Keep in mind.... if you have too many ground points and they all aren't clean your going to have ground loops... where the return path of electrons are lost thought a dirty ground, resulting in noise in stereo, electrical pulses... just little weird electronical quirks...