Grounding

easy to do!  can make a plate with attachment points for the grounding blocks/points, etc. then cover it.  lengths will be something to look at but, we got every Mazda represented (well almost) at the meets.. I am excited about this been wanting to make something!

If we get Gonzo in we can have the v6 Mazdas covered as well.

And 10 points for making a tech category John!

So in reading up on "grounding", I come across the benefit of "improves drivability". Anyone want to clarify that for me?

Throttle response, usually. Better current flow makes everything happen faster, every electric component works better. The benefits are most noticeable on cars with electronic throttle bodies.

Ok so Nate, what day(s) should I plan on heading up there?  I figure HIDs will take a bit on each car, and we can go to town doing grounding if we so choose and can get parts cheap enough.  Worst case we'll be able to see better at night. 

I'll give the wire place down here a call and see what they have as far as stranded copper 8ga high temp stuff. 

Black, 8ga, stranded copper:
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=100-174

Still searching for eye ends.  Can you see what size ring we'd need? with a bolt under the hood?  Last time I got RadioShack ones and had to drill them out to make them big enough.

http://www.wiringproducts.com/

Hit the motherload. 

Let's grab one wire from a local audio shop, measure the hell out of your and my car for cable lengths and bolt diameters, then another weekend we can make the lengths and install it with the super-cheap new website's stuff.  I'll compare prices on 8 gauge vs 10 gauge and see if we'd save a ton by dropping a tad. 

Ring Terminals: for comparison let's say 1/4" rings and vary the gauge
8awg not avail in non-insulated, so insulated vinyl red: $2.54 for five
10awg we can get non-insulated and use black heat shrink purchased separately: $1.82 for five
We'll definitely need bigger rings but I'm a measure twice cut once type of person. 

Wire cost per 25ft spool:
8awg black: $28.28 ($1.13/ft)
10awg black: $15.12 ($0.60/ft)

10 gauge it is!

wow that is the motherload!  I used 1/4" rings and fit perfect

Did some reading, and at the distance we'll have to run it, the price diff for 8awg would be needed but we can always do 1 order and get higher qty and cheaper unit price and split shipping.

I'm also thinking about wire looming groups and heat-shrinking the split-offs to keep it better looking, no crazy colors just more of the wiring harness style rather than 8 separate wires snaking all over the place.

Found this from a guy that did it with a v6:
NEG. ------> the ground bolt right behind the fuse box under the battery hold down bracket ( i removed the stock ground cable that atttaches there, and replaced it with the NRG ground cables)

NEG. -------> to an upper bolt on the throttle body

NEG. -------> egr upper mounting bolt on mounting bracket -------> to the pass. side bolt on hood vent perch -------> to the front valve cover (front most plastic engine cover bolt)

NEG. -------> Injen intake damper monting bolt(sand down the tab to bare metal, this helps ground the MAF) ------> to the right most upper bolt of the cooling fan module

NEG. -------> thru the firewall -------> to the first ecu housing mounting bolt

He did a total of 8 sections and daisy-chained some (not really desireable but better than nothing since our intake manifold is plastic) so that fits the ebay distribution block we found or even a smaller one with more room for a logo... :-)

I call bs on grounding the maf tho, the thing's in a plastic housing...