Do i REALLY have to drill through firewall?

[rampid360]

Is there a nice little spot that i can run 4 gauge wire through on a 95 240?   or do i REALLY have to get the drill out?
If I have to drill, where is the best/safest place?
Thanks
- Al

[DSC]

I don't know of any nice places...my hole is up above the pedal to the left. Maybe 8 inches above the clutch...its there from the previous owner.

[duderiffic]

Rampid!!
    My man the easiest way to go is under the car!! I ran 2-4's back from my battery and there is a factory gromet on the right side of the spare-tire well...  it worked out quite nice... I'll be posting pictures of it soon... when I post my stereo install...

Jeff

[misnomer]

I had enough trouble running 8 guage wire through the firewall above the pedals, 4 guage simply wont fit.

[kikz19]

duderiffic has the right idea.  I did the same thing.  One 4 ga wire through the rubber plug in the side of the sparetire well.    One suggestion though,  dont just remove the plug.  cut a hole in the plug the same diameter as the wire to that you still have the seal to keep out the moisture.   All you have to do is zip tie the wire to the fuel lines all the way back and string it up over the transaxle.  I cant remamberwhat  I tie it to but it has to be pretty obvious.

[sykikchimp]

how about on an S13??

[vancouvers14]

wires on the outside of the car is a bad, bad idea.  there should be a hole in the firewall.  just check an fsm

[rampid360]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Quote: from duderiffic on 2<img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':0'>7 am on Feb. 6, 2002
Rampid!!
My man the easiest way to go is under the car!! I ran 2-4's back from my battery and there is a factory gromet on the right side of the spare-tire well... it worked out quite nice... I'll be posting pictures of it soon... when I post my stereo install...

Jeff
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Dude, you are my new mesiah. &nbsp; I threw the car up on jackstands...less then 10 minutes followed a bunch of other wires, tied up my power wire (god bless zip ties) &nbsp;and everything was hooked up and working within the hour. &nbsp;I just got back from first test drive...so far so good...everything sounds great.

[240meowth]

alright, high five on the 4 gauge wire installation, i used a 6 gauge wire and ran it belowg the door foot rest on my s13 coupe, now that idea seemed to be a much better one. &nbsp;i was drawn into this place because i'm trying to install some stealth fog lights behind my vents under the signal light, but i don't want to drill another hole on the firewall, since i took me forever to do the frirst one for the battery.

so my goal for the thursday afternoon is to wire the 6 gauge wire under the car and use the existing &nbsp;hole for the fog wires.

[duderiffic]

Alas I am the master of double, even triple posting!! Yes!!!

Sorry to all!!

Jeff



(Edited by duderiffic at 3:52 pm on Feb. 7, 2002)

[duderiffic]

vancouver,
&nbsp; &nbsp; I'm going to have to disagree with you there... what is your basis for that opinion? &nbsp;I'm quite experinced in car audio installation, and if you just make sure and loom the wire, and keep it clear from moving parts it's fine... ever notice OE using out of the car wire runs? &nbsp;Because I have.

rampid!! That's awesome... yea I probably should have reminded you to do what kikz said... did you make sure and drill through that black thing? &nbsp;Instead of removing it? &nbsp;You probably don't want that moisture on your electronics or in your trunk :biggrin:

Jeff



(Edited by duderiffic at 6:55 pm on Feb. 7, 2002)

[duderiffic]

If you're cool like me than you too can post something three times!! I love dial-up!!

Jeff

(Edited by duderiffic at 3:51 pm on Feb. 7, 2002)

[AJ]

so what your saying is that there are no stock holes in a 95-96 s14? &nbsp;i have to run mad rca's back anyway, so i'm ripping up one side of my car, may as well do the other while i'm at it <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':)'>

[Jeff240sx]

Well. &nbsp;To expand on what Vancouver said, wires on the outside of a car is a bad idea. &nbsp;I have talked to a few car stereo installers, and the vibrations to the car will make the wire vibrate. &nbsp;Then, according to the Moh's Hardness Scale, a plastic/rubber/silicon insulator will give out before the steel that the insulator is rubbing on will. &nbsp;Basically, in a year, you will notice that whatever part of the wire is the least secure will have the insulation ground down. &nbsp;If it grinds down to the actual power wire, then your car will suck all the power out of the battery. &nbsp;So your car won't start, and that would suck. &nbsp;But there is also a chance that an extremely high amperage 12-volt current will run through your car, up the sheet metal, and zap the piss outta you when you go to open your door.
Besides.. that insulator the will eventually grind down is mainly to insulate the wire from static signals. &nbsp;So when it gets thinner, you will have cracking and popping sounds out of your subs. &nbsp;
My wires are run right next to where the ecu is located, and go through the grommet that the ecu is using.
-Jeff

[AJ]

where is that?.. passenger side kickpannel?

[Jeff240sx]

Yeah. &nbsp;That little black plastic thing, that comes off. &nbsp;You will see a clump of wires going to the engine bay, but you wont see light because there is a grommet fit for that bundle. &nbsp;You can slide an 8-gauge power wire through there, but I don't know about a 4-gauge.
-Jeff

[rampid360]

Well, not to worry...i figured the drilling part out by myself...i didn't want some huge hole in my trunk. &nbsp;As for the insulation weardown...I have enough zip ties on my wires to hold down the population of china. I dont think they will be moving any time soon. &nbsp;If they do, fine...new wire in what??? &nbsp;5 years??

[duderiffic]

Well anyways... I am a car audio installer, and as long as it is split loomed it's fine. &nbsp;So you just talked to me and I said it was okay!!! &nbsp;Dude I guess if the OE does it... than it must be bad!! Because I know after a year my cars wires shorted out and it stopped running... wait.. no it didn't!! &nbsp;

I am not retarded and I know how to run wires in a vechile.

Jeff
Jeff

[Jeff240sx]

Wow Duderiffic...
You're a #### of a nice guy. &nbsp;And Dude... if you said it, it must be right... &nbsp;and after seeing hundreds of your posts, I know you're not an #######. &nbsp; wait... no i dont!!!

Geez. &nbsp;I was posting to regurgitate information that numerous people have told me, including 2 of my friends that worked at &quot;Toyz and Noise,&quot; &nbsp;which is a huge stereo installation shop. &nbsp;And then you, come insulting, with your dimwitted sarcasm, and not backing up a thing you have said, except &quot;I am a car audio installer.&quot; &nbsp;
I truly believe that people should know the pro's and possible cons when making a decision. &nbsp;But apparently I can't give a glimpse of what could happen, because you are the Grand Pubah and your way is the ONLY way. &nbsp;
Besides, did I ever once say that it was a stupid idea? &nbsp;Or that you were retarded? &nbsp;I didnt even infer that. &nbsp;I mentioned a possibility of catastrophy, and a secondary idea. &nbsp;Then you got bent outta shape.
I know this was a can of worms that I didn't have to open, seeing as many of your other posts are helpful and informative, but this was whack man. &nbsp;Direct attacks for enlightening people.
Whatever.
-Jeff

[misnomer]

####, another bickering thread. This shouldn't be a daily occurance guys, stop being assholes.

I'm no pro at stereo installations, done two myself. Both times I ran the power wire inside the cabin for the simple fact that it's better protected from the elements. That's kind of a no brainer though. Leave a cheap plastic or rubber something or other out in the elements all year, and it'll be a #### of a lot more worn out than one left inside. If you can get the wire through the cabin, do that. If not, do it outside, but make #### sure it's secure and you check it every now and then to make sure the zip ties and wire aren't wearing out.

[9524tee]

look harder theres 3 holes that i can think of off the top of my head just squeeze it in through one of the holes with one of the rubber pieces ...

[mrfly]

I would have to agree that as long as you have a split loom protecting your power wire, or anyother wires run under your car it should be ok. That will protect it from most anything that would keep you from running it under the car. In my Sentra I couldn't find any holes or gromet to go through so I just ran the wire under the car and up through the spare tire area. It worked great and was a lot easier than pulling up the carpet or side plastic to run the wire under. On my S13 however, I found a nice gromet on the passenger side of the car that worked great. You can access it by removing the wheel well gaurd on the passenger side. It helps make for a more &quot;custom&quot; and hidden install.

[rampid360]

You guys dont seem to understand that I cannot fit my power wire through a hole next to something...its 4 gauge wire. &nbsp;If you're not current on the gauge scale....thats the size of the average persons index finger. &nbsp;And the &quot;cheap rubber&quot; is actually 1/8&quot; of plastic around the actual wire. &nbsp;I'm pretty sure in my case running outside the car was quicker and just as safe as drilling through my firewall. &nbsp;(keeping in mind i used close to 50 zip ties along the thing)

[silvia240]

i ran 4 guage wire through my firewall. there is actually a plug that is a little bigger than a wire. What i mean by the plug is that there is a black rubber piece that pops off. it is behind the master cylinder. a bit below and to the left. anyways, my point is that there is one where you can run it through. You might as well take apart the carpet on the drivers side to run the wire to the back, under the carpet. and i also have a 95 240

[duderiffic]

Jeff,
&nbsp; &nbsp; Yes I understand I am full of &quot;dimwitted&quot; sarcasm, that is one of my personality flaws I have learned to live with! &nbsp;I just figure, that if I am employed at a specialty car audio store, and have been for nearly two years, than I would have a clue about what I'm talking about? &nbsp;Wouldn't you think. &nbsp;

I guess my point is... I am aware of the possible dangers of running wire. &nbsp;I can consider the pro &amp; cons yes... I have no problem with drilling through a firewall, I just viewed an under the car run as easier... &nbsp;I had to run two 4 AWG wires back... there is no easy way to get that much wire to the back of a car. &nbsp;Where as running under the car was quite simple... took about a half hour.

I guess the only way I can back it up is to come back five years to say it hasn't had any problems, because it wont. &nbsp;

Seriously, I mean OE does it!!

I apologize if I hurt your feelings, I'm not trying to get people to hate me, &nbsp;I just feel that this is a perfectly safe, and industry accepted method of running power wires. &nbsp;

Jeff

[rampid360]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Quote: from silvia240 on 5:21 am on Feb. 8, 2002
i ran 4 guage wire through my firewall. there is actually a plug that is a little bigger than a wire. What i mean by the plug is that there is a black rubber piece that pops off. it is behind the master cylinder. a bit below and to the left. anyways, my point is that there is one where you can run it through. You might as well take apart the carpet on the drivers side to run the wire to the back, under the carpet. and i also have a 95 240
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Hmm, I tell you..i looked for an hour around there trying to find a similar plug and nothing. &nbsp; Are you sure it wasn't there from a previous owner?

[silvia240]

no cauz i did that myself.

[icer]

on my s13 there is a wire running from the kick panel to the fire wall and were the hole is theres a rubber like thing around it so i made a small cut and ran 12/2 wire through that and just used some electrical tape to seal it.Now i got a nice little lighted switch for my fog lights.

[Grant]

Hmm, interesting topic, but, I'd have to agree with Jeff (duderiffic) on this one. &nbsp;where would you run the wire if you relocated the battery? I've seen most run it under the car, and that would be the main power source for the car. I've seen a bunch of factory car wiring as well, so I think it would be a safe method. I mean having the wire in the engine bay is (to me) close enough to having the wire under the car.