Purpose: The big 3 upgrade replaces or adds in addition to your current wiring these 3 wires: battery positive to alternator, battery negative to chassis/frame, and engine block to chassis/frame. This upgraded wiring often times removes any bottle necks on current, thus allowing for a better and more stable power draw capacity and has sometimes improved engine idling. In the event you have a unibody vehicle (most cars and small SUVs), utilizing a strut tower is sufficient. Using OFC 4ga, 1/0ga or 2/0ga is recommended, but anything helps.

Estimated Time: 1 Hour | Difficulty: Easy

Tools Needed:

Equipment Needed:

Step 1: Measure and cut wires to length to connect battery positive to alternator stud, battery negative to chassis/frame, and engine block to chassis/frame.

Step 2: Measure approximately 5/8″ back from the ends of your wires and use your utility knife to remove the jacket, exposing the wire.

Step 3: keeping your wire strands tightly packed, place ring terminal on the exposed wire and crimp the end and apply heat shrink to seal gap. Additionally, you can use solder instead or in addition to crimping. Allow time for connector to cool prior to attempting to put on heat shrink.

Step 4: Replace or add first connection from positive terminal of the battery to the alternator stud. Be careful not to bridge the connection from the positive battery terminal to any part of the engine bay. It will spark and it will scare you. I know from experience. Replace or add second connection from the negative battery terminal to your chassis/frame. Replace or add third connection from the engine block to your chassis/frame.

Step 5: Have a beer! There isn’t much to the big 3 upgrade but it’s a great way to give your voltage a little boost, prevent any current bottleneck and ease engine idle.

Tips/Tricks:

  • The shorter the ground, the better. Keep your grounds as short as possible.
  • You can never have too many grounds. You’ll no doubt hear about “the big 4” which is just an additional ground.
  • Remove any paint you have on your chassis/frame prior to adding ground. Paint is non-conductive. Bare metal is the best option. After the connection is finalized, utilize a bit of paint to “seal” the connection to prevent corrosion.

Video Tutorial:

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