Is there any place to run a power wire (for sub) though the fire wall with out drilling a new hole? If I have to drill a new hole were would the best place be to drill?

mo

 

I ran mine through an existing grommet where all of my wiring ran into the kick panel between the heater box and inner fender

 

I like to keep any aftermarket stuff "hidden" for a clean as possible appearance. Heres how i routed mine. You cant tell theres any after market sound equipment in the car, until you see the subs and the deck ofcourse.

Red wire is the power wire, the yellow is an extension cord for lighting. I attached it to the battery, and fed it through the frame horn.




Exited on the passenger side frame horn, next to the antenna.


Pulled out antenna grommet, and drilled a hole slightly smaller than the power wire, then forced the power wire through for a perfect seal.




Pulled the wire through on the inside.


I ran it along the side of the car, under the carpet, all the way to the amp.


Its not too easy to do it this way, cuz u have to remove alot of stuff to make it work, but it avoids "drilling" into metal.

 

to do that do you have to have the fender off? or just the fender well cover? need more info ( even though pics are very vewry helpfull

 

Ok, it was a while ago, but i dont think you can even reach the antenna through the fender well cover. Even if you got it off, its still tight in there. Im not a big fan of removing the fender cover, they never go back on the same. I would suggest just removing the fender, and going at it through there. In my pic, it looks like i have the nose off as well. But i have a firebird, so thats just the headlight taken out.

1) Remove fender .
1a) Take out all the top bolts (3 of them hold the hood on, so be careful).
1b) Take out the giant bolt at the bottom/back of the fender.
1c) Take out the little sheet metal screw/bolts in the fenderwell (7mm i think).
1d) Take out the small screws holding the fender to the air dam and one "support" towards the front of the fender.
1e) Remove the 4 nuts holding the fender to the nose. You have to be creative with this one, extensions, and universal joints help.
1f) Remove antenna.
1g) Remove antenna "base". Its the little disc at the bottom of the antenna.. The top screws off, then the little spacer comes off.
1h) Pull fender out from back, the lift up to clear the antenna, then pull the front out by sliding the whole thing towards back of car.

2) Now you can see the antenna grommet, and you have the frame horn, and battery area exposed to do whatever.

3) Pull out the antenna grommet. (disconnect it from the radio/deck first, so you dont damage anything).

4) Drill a whole.

5) Force the power wire through.

6) Assembly is reverse of removal.

 

thanks man.. if i gotta take the fender off so be it.It doesn't sound too hard or time consuming.. do you know if i have to take out head light or anything?
Guess ill start it monday morning or late monday night after i get outta work....

~ some one should make this a stiky this is some very good info, for people that dont want to drill though their firewall.

 

theres a much easier way, there is a hole in the firewall on the driver's side, i took pics of how i ran my amp wire in my 87, also did it the same in my buddy's 89

 

You dont HAVE to take the headlights out. In a firebird, it just makes getting to those fender to nose bolts alot easier. You may have to take thebattery out though, and then go at those nuts from the cavity next to the battery.

You could also do it Formula's way, but i had way too much stuff going through that grommet already, there was no way i could fit a power wire through. I have 6 gauge wires, and 2 vacuum lines goin through that lil grommet so its kinda tight,

 

Running power cables next to a antenna wire can cause static.THrrough the firewall is your best option.

 

I usually listen to a CD, but i havent noticed any issues with the radio the few times i do listen to it. I used to get decent reception before, but then i put the antenna back on (the screw-in long part) and it got much better. Occasionally ill lose reception when i go into an underground parking lot, or sometimes a bridge, but i had that problem before the sound system install.

You might be right about the static, but i have yet to notice any issues.... Just my 0.02.

 

im going to go with the way online170 showed me. I like the fact that the wire is almost completely hidden and I dont have to run it across my engine bay

 

online170 you really need to protect that power wire where you ran it through your frame horn. I can totally see vibrations causing the metal to cut through the insulation and bad news.

 

there was a gromet under the heater box in my car it might have been used for something but mine was empty so i used that

 

i found a spot by the stearing colum but u mnade the mistake of running the rcas next to the power wire so i have to re-run the rca's to the other side of the car so i wont hear my alt thought my speakers

 

what are RCA's?


And yes youre right about the vibration damaging the wire. That was an old wire i was using to figure out how i wanted to route it, i have since replaced it with new wire, and wrapped the spots on sharp edges with closed cell foam, and taped all around. I need to wrap it in something else, because i dont know if the foam can withstand any heat, but so far so good.

I also rode in someone else's thirdgen over the weekend who has 12" subs in the back, and everyonce in a while, youd here a THUD through his speakers in tune with the engine...... So he picks up noise, but its never happened to me. Maybe i got lucky.

 

sorry I was not clear ( was tired when I wrote it)

I'm picking up alt noise.
RCA's are "Used to connect elements in an audio setup. They contain two sides each with separate connectors on the ends"

im going to re-rought my rca's away from my power wire. and if the noise is still their then going to do a few things

 

The rule of thumb (When possible) is to run the RCA's on the opposite side of the car from the power wire. If you must cross the rca's with the power wire than make them cross in a "+" not parallel = . One trick I use if I have to cross them is to put something dense in between them, such as DYNAMAT. The grommet that online170 is using, is the same one I usually use. for protection from abrasion I usually use some split loom tubing in the areas where it passes through metal, and maybe some silicone sealant. If it cant move in the hole, it cant get chafed.

 

i ju ran mine thought the top past the hood brackt and then down the door on the bottem under the plastect peice and th just hid all thw wires

 

Please don't anyone else do that.
(Fixed the spelling)

 

u can run it under the car from the battery to the spare tire, and put a grommet there. u just have to run it like a fuel line, but i would suggest inside the car just like those pics show, thats the way i ran mine

 

i ran the cables and everything with out drilling but good to know for another project

 

you could and it would be very easy but i wouldnt wanna do it on a third gen cuz these cars sit so low. i would never do it here where i live cuz the roads suck and my car scrapes pretty often your best bet is through the fire wall and up the passenger side under the carpet next to the door sill