Grounding Cylinder Head Test Results (2024 CX-5 Turbo)

[dunhillmc]

This has to be the easiest install, ever.

I hope someone else will do this mod and log their results at WOT....

View attachment 328056View attachment 328057

What grounding kit did you use?

 

[madar]

I work with a guy who races dirt tracks. He said they use this "mod". He knew what it was right away

 

[AL Cx5]

What grounding kit did you use?

I use to make kits for the Gen3 Hemis, Charger, Jeep, Challenger, Ram guys 10 years ago.

Simply buy a ground cable from the parts store with lugs on both ends and bolt it on per my pictures. No kit required.

 

[AL Cx5]

I work with a guy who races dirt tracks. He said they use this "mod". He knew what it was right away

Class racers are looking for every HP they can find. An extra 15 HP wins races.

I bet he didn't need to see 20 or 30 posts in the past 30 days confirming this and a dozen dyno tests to put this mod on his car.

I ground my cylinder heads on my 1100 HP NA Hemi. Why leave 15 HP on the table.

 

[ColtX-5]

I'm guessing, if this works, that maybe the ground is siphoning off the electronic noise from the engine management system, allowing better data flow between electronic modules making things more efficient? I dunno. Also agreeing with HyFlyer. I'm told that the head, head gasket, and block acts like a capacitor ,and the ground strap is an electronic siphon.

Perhaps reduced noise reduces errors in ignition and fuel commands. OTOH, this sounds like the K&N argument; more flow capacity must mean more power, whether the engine can ingest it or not. It is just too easy for the engineering team to design a larger air filter or add a ground strap if it gives 15 more HP (8%!!).

OP, how do you think the straps works to increase HP? Why the head and not the block? Does it help to connect to the negative battery terminal instead?

 

[sm1ke]

I bet he didn't need to see 20 or 30 posts in the past 30 days confirming this and a dozen dyno tests to put this mod on his car.

Let's remember that we're here to share information and learn about our cars together. I know it can't always be sunshine and kumbaya around the campfire, but we should encourage each other when possible. There's nothing wrong with asking questions.

 

[AL Cx5]

Perhaps reduced noise reduces errors in ignition and fuel commands. OTOH, this sounds like the K&N argument; more flow capacity must mean more power, whether the engine can ingest it or not. It is just too easy for the engineering team to design a larger air filter or add a ground strap if it gives 15 more HP (8%!!).

OP, how do you think the straps works to increase HP? Why the head and not the block? Does it help to connect to the negative battery terminal instead?

Sure, connect to the battery neg if you like. It made 15 HP on a 6.1l v8. My guess it makes less on our 2.5l.

The injectors and coils fire from a neg signal from the ECU. My best guess, this fires these items quicker or with more voltage from the COPs. This would be a nice PHD engineering thesis project.

Folks could start a Go Fund Me account and we will strap down the Mazda down on the rollers and do a serries of tests. I'll post the results for all to see.

Some BRAVE soul will install one and log engine load at WOT with and without a ground and post it. I've done my WOT tests 10 years ago. ICE engines have not change that much in 10 years.

Interesting that our wiz bang high tech, high compression 2.5l makes 74.8 HP/L and an old school pushrod, low compression 6.4L Hemi makes 75.8 HP/L. As a general rule, as displacement increases, HP/L degreases. Neither of these are on the cutting edge compared to race engines. It's pretty common to get +130 HP/L out of a NA 8L pushrod race engine at 14:1 cr these days.

I still like our Mazda CX 5 and aware that after all the hype it's HP/Displacement falls in line with push rod engines. It's a fine DD engine. Mazda did a fine job designing the rest of the CX 5 as well.

I'm curious how the power changes to engine load at a set RPM. We can see from the previous tests it worked best in the lower RPM range at WOT. I might make logs going up a steep grade in a day or two.

 

[AL Cx5]

Let's remember that we're here to share information and learn about our cars together. I know it can't always be sunshine and kumbaya around the campfire, but we should encourage each other when possible. There's nothing wrong with asking questions.

Warning noted. Thank you for not banning me.

I commend you on being a moderator. I moderate a FB page and have to weigh if I want to warn, delete a comment and/or ban a person. It's often a judgement call.

I'm frustrated reading the same discouraging reasoning I delt with 10 years ago. I encourage ALL to prove it right or wrong rather than sit behind a keyboard.

I find these finely crafted negative comments discouraging as well. Examples, Snake Oil or this data is 10 years old or I need more posts or data confirming this works, doesn't encourage me to try something and share it with this community. I will play by this forums rules. I only ask that the rules be applied evenly.

This post was started to help our community improve performance and FE. I was sarcastic in the post above, take responsibility for it and offer my apology if it discourage or offended any fellow members. I'm new to this forum and still learning what is permissible or not.

Please delete this if this is doesn't fall within the guidelines of this forum.

Again, thank you for doing this thankless job!

 

[ColtX-5]

My 2016.5 already has a ground strap running from the right-rear of the head to the right strut tower. It appears to be at least 8 gauge.

 

[N7turbo]

I intend to get tuned and dyno this year or next. It would be easy to do an extra pull with a ground connected if I had it preinstalled.

I did wonder about the head vs block connection. I had read somewhere that one may be better than the other but I'm not sure how to choose--do you want the one with less resistance?

 

[stickerbush]

My 2016.5 already has a ground strap running from the right-rear of the head to the right strut tower. It appears to be at least 8 gauge.

My 2024 also already has a ground strap. It's attached to a bracket with some other smaller wires.

 

[N7turbo]

Interesting that our wiz bang high tech, high compression 2.5l makes 74.8 HP/L and an old school pushrod, low compression 6.4L Hemi makes 75.8 HP/L. As a general rule, as displacement increases, HP/L degreases. Neither of these are on the cutting edge compared to race engines. It's pretty common to get +130 HP/L out of a NA 8L pushrod race engine at 14:1 cr these days.

I love pushrod V8s. Owned an LS1 WS.6 for a few years. That 5.7L motor worked out to around 75-80 hp/L with the longtube headers.

But with the 2.5T we're looking at 100 hp/L and 130 lb ft/L. Tuning will no doubt push those numbers closer to 120 and 160. With a good tune I think this engine can match what my Trans Am was putting to the wheels. Not bad!

 

[AL Cx5]

NA and Boost is mixing apples with oranges. 2.5t 93 oct is 102 hp/l and a Dodge Hellcat 6.2 is 114 hp/l., 707 HP. The HC Demond makes 165 hp/l off the show room floor or 1.66 0 to 60.

It's pretty easy to bump a stock HC 6.2l to a 1000 HP with a pully change and tuning, or 161 hp/l. A dedicated race HC engine makes north of 2000 HP.

I pick a Hemi because I'm familiar with it, LS makes lower hp/l than a Hemi but is a fine platform. The Gen 3 Hemis keep winning the Engine Masters NA contest year after year is a good yard stick on which platforms make the most hp/l. The Hemi has the best cylinder head design and 2 spark plugs per cylinder. It's hard to tell a Hemi block from a LS block. Like Chrysler copied GM and made it better.

We are enjoying our little 2.5t with a tune. It has low end power right were needed for merging and passing. It's FE as well. With that said, it looks like the turbo was an after thought by the way they routed the TIP. That hurts FE and hp/l. Tuning and a few bolt on mods sure help turn up the wick some.

It's amazing how much more efficient newer engines are vs. stuff 20 years ago. I thought 400 HP in a street car was amazing. Today 1000 HP street cars are a dime a dozen on pump gas. A low 8 second 1/4 mile drag car had a big SC with nitrous. We run low 8s NA. LOL

Mazda does many things very well and others not so well. Over all I'm a converted Honda guy to a Mazda.

Still there is no replacement for displacement.

 

[AL Cx5]

My 2024 also already has a ground strap. It's attached to a bracket with some other smaller wires.

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Nice find. I have laid a large gauge ground cable on top of Toyota Camry grounds and pick up power and FE. Try this for your self and report back!

Funny story, I put a ground cable on my daughters Camry hoping to save her some gas money. I asked her a few months latter if she saw a reduction is gas costs. She replied she didn't know but could pass cars where before she couldn't! You can't make this stuff up!

 

[sm1ke]

Warning noted. Thank you for not banning me.

I commend you on being a moderator. I moderate a FB page and have to weigh if I want to warn, delete a comment and/or ban a person. It's often a judgement call.

I'm frustrated reading the same discouraging reasoning I delt with 10 years ago. I encourage ALL to prove it right or wrong rather than sit behind a keyboard.

I find these finely crafted negative comments discouraging as well. Examples, Snake Oil or this data is 10 years old or I need more posts or data confirming this works, doesn't encourage me to try something and share it with this community. I will play by this forums rules. I only ask that the rules be applied evenly.

This post was started to help our community improve performance and FE. I was sarcastic in the post above, take responsibility for it and offer my apology if it discourage or offended any fellow members. I'm new to this forum and still learning what is permissible or not.

Please delete this if this is doesn't fall within the guidelines of this forum.

Again, thank you for doing this thankless job!

Thanks for understanding @AL Cx5. Note that this wasn't even a "warning", just a bit of a reminder. I can understand your frustration and I know you're a fairly new member - I myself am fairly new to moderating so I appreciate the kind words. And I apologize for using the term "snake oil", I didn't mean to cause offense or treat this mod as snake oil, I just wanted frame the situation in a way that I thought would be easier to understand.

As much as we can, the team tries to be as neutral as possible, so if at any time someone feels that there is some bias or unfairness going on, just call us out on it or report it. I would do my best to explain/clarify moderator actions when necessary.

 

[jadmt]

My 2024 also already has a ground strap. It's attached to a bracket with some other smaller wires.

View attachment 328120

2023 has the same ground strap. I would be surprised if they all don't have it. hard to tell where the lower bracket is attached too but looks like the block. Next time I change oil I will look up from below and see but best I could see is a bracket that appears to go to the block.

 

[Koko_Bandit]

I intend to get tuned and dyno this year or next. It would be easy to do an extra pull with a ground connected if I had it preinstalled.

I did wonder about the head vs block connection. I had read somewhere that one may be better than the other but I'm not sure how to choose--do you want the one with less resistance?

Yes in practice. You will want an unpainted/uncoated surface to have a low resistance connection.

 

[jadmt]

Yes in practice. You will want an unpainted/uncoated surface to have a low resistance connection.

the ground strap on mine are definitely going to brackets that are painted/powder coated.

 

[AL Cx5]

the ground strap on mine are definitely going to brackets that are painted/powder coated.

I use a star washer between th ground cable lug and car body. This digs in.

The I coat the area with dielectric grease.

Since there is some interest I'll post latter today details how I ground my cars.

With that said, I know this works but another method might work equally well.

How do I known it is working? I have a clip on dc amp meter used alot in solar panel installs. I start the engine, turn on the HVAC fan on high and head lights. Normally the ground will show 12 to 14 amps running though it if it's in the proper location.

 

[AL Cx5]

Until I make an install post, here is a link for a 2' long, 2 AWG ground cable.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/ (commissions earned)