I have asked many shops and techs and they all disagree on this one.
WHAT IS THE BROWN GROUND CABLE FROM THE RADIATOR SUPPORT TO THE VALVE COVER FOR?

Some say that it is just for the neg. clamp for when you are jumpstarting the car. Some say it is a redundant ground.

Arguments also say that it is not needed, but also some say that the engine management goes crazy without it.

Anybody know the real reason for the ground cable and your supporting resources. thanks

 

If you look at the cable coming from the negative post on the battery and follow it to the other end, you will see it is attached to the trans/engine. In some cases a smaller gage wire will also be attached between the negative post and the fender.

On my '90 Civic Si, the cable only goes to the trans/engine. So, to provide a good ground to the chassis, there is that cable between the valve cover and the radiator bulkhead. It is necessary, otherwise you are depending on just the grounding that comes from sensors or incidental engine or trans contact with the chassis.

 

Engine mgmt. and sometimes guages go crazy without this ground. It may be redundant or not but u better keep it. I had a motor that went nuts without it

 

I moved my ground. Since it grounds the head to the body, I just bolted it to the distributer and the body. Looks much better. Not that I have any engine management anyway.

 

can you at least change the wire to a better one, it looks like ***?

 

I changed all my ground wires to 0/1 guage Street wires power wire and used gold connectors to make it look better.

 

I don't know what it's function is, but I know someone who took their ground cable to the valve cover off and his car wouldn't start. Of course, he put it back on.