Conversions & Swaps LSX Engines in Non-LSX Vehicles
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

computer grounds?

Old Dec 26, 2007 | 04:22 PM
  #1  
leonpiper69's Avatar
Thread Starter
TECH Resident
iTrader: (3)
 
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 804
Likes: 3
From: levittown PA
Default computer grounds?

i hear (read) about people talking about good grounds?

the only groung i have hooked up to anyhting on my car is the negative cable from the batt to the engine block.

what other grounds should there be (if any) because now that i have my motor running its runs like crap and it ran fine when we pulled it out (i drove the car into my garage (roasted the tires in the driveway) but now it wont idle for the life of it.
Reply
Old Dec 26, 2007 | 04:33 PM
  #2  
cherryelky305's Avatar
TECH Resident
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 751
Likes: 0
Default

there are usually three ground wires in the harness and should be bolted to the back of the drivers side head, thats stock location. and in general the engine should be grounded to the body or frame and the frame should be grounded to the engine, basically it should all be connected. You can never have to many grounds just not enough.
Reply
Old Dec 26, 2007 | 04:38 PM
  #3  
lsxyj's Avatar
Launching!
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 200
Likes: 0
From: clovis nm
Default

also how long did u let it run it will take a bit for the computer to relearn itself also how long has it not run ur injectors may need to be cleaned
Reply
Old Dec 26, 2007 | 05:03 PM
  #4  
Schwanke Engines's Avatar
LS1TECH Sponsor
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 849
Likes: 3
From: Springfield, MN
Default

There are three grounds on an electric fan harness and only two on a non. The single ground in the front is for the fan power relay. The two grounds on the back of the harness are for the clean and dirty grounds from the harness. The clean grounds are your sensor grounds, ie. the crank, cam ect. The dirty grounds are more for your coils. You do not want to have these grounded on the same bolt because the power going through them is different and the dirty ground could interfere with the clean ones. We always keep a practice of putting on one the back of either head. This ensures there will be no interference issues.

On a side note, you should always run a single ground from your battery to your engine, and one from your battery to your chassis. I have seen where a ground was run to the chassis and then to the engine. The end result was the engine would not function properly. Hope this helps with your issue. If not, make sure to get a scan tool and diagnose the problem properly. To many times people end up spending more money on parts that are good rather than spend a couple hundred bucks and maybe there was a loose wire.

Sorry it got so long.

Good Luck,
Mark
Reply
Old Dec 26, 2007 | 05:59 PM
  #5  
leonpiper69's Avatar
Thread Starter
TECH Resident
iTrader: (3)
 
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 804
Likes: 3
From: levittown PA
Default

thanks for the replys and i have a matco pathfinder scanner. once i hook up my obd2 port i'll run it and see whats up code wise and sensor wise.

as far as running the engine. i only let it run for llike 20 seconds (the radiator is not hooked up yet) and i wont idle on its on but once i had oil presure on the gauge i cracked it up to about 4 grand it sounded great it just wouldnt idle w/ out some throttle?

now that i read this i remember disconnecting the grounds on the back of the head from the donor car, but i dont recall hooking them up. i'll have to check that.
Reply
Old Dec 26, 2007 | 06:55 PM
  #6  
67rsss's Avatar
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (4)
 
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,062
Likes: 0
From: Twin Cities, MN
Default

Leon, go to the Help! section at your LAP, and get a few braided ground wires. Connect your block to your frame, your frame to your body, and your core-support to your frame. If you can, run a ground wire to the block from the batt (Big one) and a smaller one to the fender rail or core support. This will ground the vehicle. The computer itself has a lot of grounds that should all go to the engine block.
Reply
Old Dec 26, 2007 | 11:39 PM
  #7  
G-Body's Avatar
sawzall wielding director
20 Year Member
Photogenic
Photoriffic
Shutterbug
iTrader: (4)
 
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 3,148
Likes: 12
From: Downers Grove, IL
Default

Don`t worry about the engine not wanting to idle right now. It just has to re-learn the idle. My engine did that the first time and still does it if I have the battery disconnected long enough. Just give it enough throttle to keep it running, and slowly back down till it will idle. It may take 30-45 seconds of slowly backing out of it for it to re-learn the idle.
Reply
Old Jan 2, 2008 | 04:41 PM
  #8  
zman1969's Avatar
TECH Enthusiast
20 Year Member
Liked
iTrader: (91)
 
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 662
Likes: 12
From: Dallas Tx
Default Grounds

VERY Very Very important! in older cars ive seen speedometer cables that melted because that was the only ground from the block to the chassis , now add all the current day electronics (compared to the old cars) and it gets very sensitive . my wifes suburban almost went up in flames -how i got so lucky ill never know!the braided fuel hose was rubbing on the body-between the bellhousing and it arced thru the braided cover to cause a massive fuel leak- how it never ignited ill never know, so i replaced the fuel line and added a seperate ground from the block to the chassis- live and learn
i dont think you can have too many good grounds!
Reply
LS1 Tech Stories

The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time

story-0

Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin

 Verdad Gallardo
story-1

6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-2

Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph

 Verdad Gallardo
story-3

Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-4

Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!

 
story-5

Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes

 Verdad Gallardo
story-7

Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power

 Verdad Gallardo
story-8

10 Camaros You Should Never Buy

 
story-9

10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die

 Verdad Gallardo
Old Jan 2, 2008 | 04:43 PM
  #9  
Schwanke Engines's Avatar
LS1TECH Sponsor
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 849
Likes: 3
From: Springfield, MN
Default

2nd that
Reply
Old Jan 2, 2008 | 06:13 PM
  #10  
chevycamaro350tpi's Avatar
Staging Lane
15 Year Member
iTrader: (7)
 
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 50
Likes: 0
From: Texas
Default

I have mine connected to the firewall. Should I move the grounds to the driver's side head?
Reply
Old Jan 2, 2008 | 07:23 PM
  #11  
LS1MCSS's Avatar
TECH Junkie
iTrader: (18)
 
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 3,831
Likes: 8
From: Dover, Arkansas
Default

Originally Posted by chevycamaro350tpi
I have mine connected to the firewall. Should I move the grounds to the driver's side head?
Yes, thats where they are supposed to be.
Reply
Old Jan 3, 2008 | 02:24 PM
  #12  
leonpiper69's Avatar
Thread Starter
TECH Resident
iTrader: (3)
 
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 804
Likes: 3
From: levittown PA
Default

i doublr checked and they are connected on the driver side head.

i wonder if not having one of the o2 sensors hooked up would cause it not to idle? but i thought it would be in open loop till it warmed up so the 02 wouldnt even matter?
my buddy was over the other day and he thinks i have a vacuum leak, but i thought that would make it idle high?

its been too cold to work on it (even with my turbo heater) so by this weekend i will have the radiator and serp belt on it so i can let it run longer and figure somw stuff out.
Reply


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 10:40 AM.

story-0
Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin

Slideshow: This heavily modified 1971 Camaro mixes classic muscle car styling with a fifth-generation Camaro interior and modern LS3 power.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-12 18:06:42


VIEW MORE
story-1
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them

Slideshow: From wobbling harmonic balancers to failed EBCMs, these are the issues that define long-term C5 ownership and what repairs typically involve.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-05-07 18:44:57


VIEW MORE
story-2
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph

Slideshow: A modern Camaro transformed into a retro icon, this limited-run "Bandit" build blends nostalgia with brute force in a way few revivals manage.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-21 13:57:02


VIEW MORE
story-3
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked

Slideshow: Cadillac didn't just crash the high-performance luxury vehicle party, it showed up loud, supercharged, and occasionally a little unhinged...

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-16 10:05:15


VIEW MORE
story-4
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!

Slideshow: Top ten most powerful Chevy trucks ever made

By | 2026-03-25 09:22:26


VIEW MORE
story-5
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP

Slideshow: Hennessey has turned the Silverado ZR2 into a 700-hp off-road monster with supercharged V8 power and a limited production run.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-24 18:57:52


VIEW MORE
story-6
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes

Slideshow: A one-off sports car that looks like a vintage Italian exotic-but hides a C6 Corvette underneath-just sold for the price of a new mid-engine Corvette.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-23 18:53:41


VIEW MORE
story-7
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power

Slideshow: A heavily reworked 1972 K5 Blazer swaps its off-road roots for a low-slung street-focused build with modern V8 power.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-09 18:08:45


VIEW MORE
story-8
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy

Slideshow: There are thousands of used Camaros on the market but we think you should avoid these 10

By | 2026-02-17 17:09:30


VIEW MORE
story-9
10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die

Slideshows: Which one of these myths do you believe?

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-01-28 18:10:11


VIEW MORE