yungone501

iTrader: (4)

Firstly, I didnt read through this long arse thread soil I say something that's been mentioned or answered, SORRY!

I recently did a DD install on my 03 TL. Couple of things:

1. Change the factory speakers. You will truly be amazed in the difference of quality. I went with some Polk component door speakers for front and rear. Phenomenal difference. Besides, the stock door speakers are freakin cardboard!

2. If you have a factory amplifier for door speakers, get rid of that too. I bought a $100 Jenson 4 channel amp from CarToys and that made a big difference as well. This will require either jumping/looping input and outputs at factory amp or (the best method) running RCAs to your 4 channel amp (2 pairs) and run INDIVIDUAL speaker wire from the amp to each of the four speakers using a minimum of 16G wire. Factory speaker wire is ridiculously small and I'd be surprised if it carried and more than 50-70w!

3. Get the steering wheel audio control module if you didn't already. It allows you to keep your steering wheel controls and is (somewhat) easy to program. Most steering wheel buttons just send different resistances for different functions. The module simply intercepts this signal (which is practically useless to most aftermarket stereos) and converts it to a readable/interpretable signal. I initially used one for my stock steering wheel and then after doing an 08 TL-S steering wheel retro, was still able to use it again but had to reprogram due to the use of different resistances from the stock wheel.

4. Be sure to crimp, solder and heat shrink both powers and grounds that provide your primary supply to each amplifier you use. And don't be lazy, run both hot and ground all the way to the battery or distribution block. Most people do not realize when you attach a 4G ground cable to the chassis for supply grounding, you're starving and possibly damaging your component. Reason being is that the ground from the battery to the chassis is only using a 6g-8g cable so how can a smaller cable provide enough ground for a larger cable? Go directly to the negative post on the batty or the engine block which is usually supplied with a 4g or bigger cable. If you're trying to get it all over with and be done with it, run a 2g from the negative post to the chassis somewhere. But don't use and existing bolt or stuc and especially if it's a painted surface. Drill and tap a new hole in a part of the chassis that's a heavy gauge steel piece.

5. Don't ever assume that your factory charging system is adequate for whatever you throw on your car. Doing a load test at idle is the best way to determine (without full out diagnostics) if your alternator can hang or not. Turn headlights on, A/C on, stereo on and up, and even your flashers. Using a viltmeter, take a reading on top of the battery posts (not the terminals) and if it's reading atleast 13V after roughly 2-3 minutes of idle time, it's safe to assume that you're good and won't be stranded anywhere late at night when your battery dies because you neglected to do this test.

civicdrivr

iTrader: (9)

Its recommended that a ground cable is as short as possible to minimize ground loops (also keep the power/ground wires away from the speaker/signal wires). Running it to the negative on the battery is about 10ft of cable.

yungone501

iTrader: (4)

This would be the primary reason one uses large diameter cable all the way to the battery. You have to remember, a 4g or larger cable carrying MAYBE 20-25 amps (for sub and door speaker amps combined) at most will have absolutely zero resistance. If that were the case then remote battery setups would not be a practical install. If you are, however, talking about a cable or wire that's close to meeting its limits in terms of amperage your (civicdrivr) statement would have been true.

BigHausCL-S

Agreed!!!!

Also, if you wanna be able to play DVDs while driving(I know I do) you have to connect the parking brake to the ground in your harness. This tricks the safety feature in your deck to think its in park and "safe" to watch a movie.

civicdrivr

iTrader: (9)

Even when you do a battery relocation, the grounding point is within a foot of the battery. Ive not seen one single car that relocated the battery to the back and ran a ground wire to the front.

yungone501

iTrader: (4)

So the positive cable is ok to do this with but not the negative? Really...

Just because you've never seen it done doesn't mean it's not the correct way of doing it. In fact, the ONLY reason that it's done is because there is no high amperage power source in the rear of almost all vehicles. Here at the shop, when installing massive wattage systems this is something that's never done. Technically speaking (as previously mention yet somehow disregarded) the factory chassis grounding system will NOT support the wattage pulled by the components. Let alone supplying all that wattage PLUS your factory chassis grounding demands...ever wonder why they sell "hyper-ground" kits??? Hmmm?

civicdrivr

iTrader: (9)

Who the hell said anything about the factory grounding system? I didnt. I simply said thats it's recommended to keep the ground wire short; ie - not running 10ft+ from the trunk (were the amp is) to the engine bay (where the battery is). If you are running a thick gauge ground wire to the battery, guess what! Youre still piggy-backing onto the factory, thin gauge grounding system! Imagine that! Is it not common sense to use a thicker gauge wire when installing an amp or relocating the battery? Hell, the Big-3 upgrade has been mentioned here many times, and its recommended to upgrade the stock grounding system to thicker wiring.

Proof read before you come off like a fucking asshole on the forum. Thats the #1 way to be sure you never get help from anyone. But then again, you clearly know it all, so you'll never have to ask. We shall all bow down to you, for we are lesser then thou

CL-S progression 01

iTrader: (2)

k after much reading on the clarion they seem to be a big POS and many people experience all kinds of problems which i definitely dont want.

SO i wanna get a kenwood now, it's got the garmin gps which is just LOVELY.

the one i'm looking at is the dnx 5190, also comes with a backup camera with LIGHTSSS whaaat!!! i just hate having features that are not used on anything really. so i would like to get the camera, and obviously the sirius radio will be hooked up as well

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Kenwood-DNX51...ht_4715wt_1101

what u guys think about that one??

so i need to get the steering wheel thingy (just ordered), and the sirius radio shyt, and then i should have everything i need.??

yungone501

iTrader: (4)

Wow dude chill man. What's wrong with you and why are you getting so offended over an Internet based discussion? Will it make you feel better if I say you're right or "wow, look hot intelligent civic is with all of his Almighty wisdom and knowledge!"?

Anyhow, I do automotive electrical work on a DAILY BASIS. You are just a person who parrots unuseful information and if disagreed with or questioned, a arrogant disrespectful kid comes out to play. Hence your childish little attitude.

While ur crying about getting butthurt, I'll go back to making a much earned and deserved $40 an hour due to my accurate/experienced gained knowledge. As a man, you need to know when to lower your pride and say maybe you were wrong. Not react in such a way that's not only embarrassing for you...but it makes me feel embarrassed for you too! Lmao...wow.

CL-S progression 01

iTrader: (2)

just bought the sirius reciever and antenna... damn there is so many things to get to make this all work..

the deck (which comes with the gps antenna, rear view camera, and mic which needs to be wired up), then the metra harness, the dash kit, then the steering wheel button integrator, and then the sirius unit which has an antenna as well... so i'll have two on my baby... damn.

man this is gonna be one EPIC day.. i love hooking up new shit in the whip.. hiding all the wires is so gratifying too... at least for me

civicdrivr

iTrader: (9)

This isnt the only thread that youve reacted in such a way that turns off other members. Maybe your last post just made me snap with your douchebag tone (which was really cemented when you mentioned how much you make). If youre being sarcastic, red text goes a long way towards showing it.

Now, getting back to the our discussion, we were talking about ground wires. You said you ran it from the amp to the negative post on the battery. My response was to keep it short. Not use thin gauge wire, not use the factory ground system, or whatever else you can think of. Simply, keep the ground wire short. I assumed it was common sense that the ground wire wouldnt be a cheap little 8awg cable, but instead a nice 4awg cable (larger if you are running multiple amps and a distribution block - though Im sure youll twist my words here as well) to a clean, unpainted point on the chassis (again, common sense).

With that said, if Im wrong, Im wrong. I admit it, always have and always will. Im not here to make anyone think I know everything. Because I dont. Just like everyone else thats on here, Im here to learn. Facts or sources to back up your position help. Just saying "here at the shop....." doesnt mean anything to me. I, too, can say "they do it this way at shop XYZ". That doesnt mean its right. Present your side like an adult and youll get treated like an adult. Right now, you look like a pathetic e-thug.

Im done taking Progressions thread off topic. If you have a problem with me, feel free to PM me. I assume we can hash things out like grown men, not babies with a keyboard.

Congrats! BTW, I've had good luck running the GPS antenna right above the HomeLink with the cable running up the A pillar. It keeps the antenna off of the exterior while being high enough to get a signal.

CL-S progression 01

iTrader: (2)

i got 2 of them to put somewhere so.. we will see

still worries me tho cause the glass has to kill the signal strength... tho it may work but likely it'll be more prone to losing a signal. it can never be strong enough imho. i think i may just put them on the roof in a stealth fassion/ assiuming the cord is long enough

yungone501

iTrader: (4)

Civicdrivr- it's all good man. Sorry we got off on the wrong foot. More over, if I pissed you off, it was purely unintentional. I'll man up here and be the one to say sorry not because any other reason than I like this forum and it's members. You've offered good advice as most here have. No reason for those of us with knowledge to argue or become irate when really nobody was even wrong. Hopefully that extinguishes any fires between you and I.

civicdrivr

iTrader: (9)

Oh, the cable will be long enough. I ran mine from the headunit, under the dash to the driver side, up the a-pillar, and back across the roof to the center, and still had a good 4 or 5 feet that needed to be coiled up.

I apologize as well for flying off the handle in the manner in which I did.

97BlackAckCL

iTrader: (6)

MTEAZY

Alpine stuff, McIntosh MX406 + MPM4000, Nakamichi stuff, Pioneer 8000, Panasonic B Tube

yungone501

iTrader: (4)

Sorry, one more thing: just make sure and run a ground to the battery.

Just saying...

;-)

Epiphany

So I'll probably be doing a new head unit in the near future myself, but can't find a decent DIY for the CL. Does anybody know of one that exists? Also if I get the deck/dash kit/wiring harness, is there anything else I need? How involved is this process?

civicdrivr

iTrader: (9)

The longest part is taking the dash apart. Wiring up the radio is easy as long as you can read a wire diagram. Just match up the diagram for the new radio with the one supplied for the harness.

BTW, one thing to note - If you want to make the install completely reversible (i.e. - no cutting wires) you'll need to pull out a pin from one of the unused slots in the new harness to place where the steering wheel wire is. The harnesses Ive used dont have a pin already there. The steering wheel control unit only uses one wire from the car, and they always neglect to put that on in

Or you can just use a vampire clip to connect to it, your call

Epiphany

If I have a harness is soldering and cutting required? I don't have wire cutters or a soldering iron.

civicdrivr

iTrader: (9)

Soldering is recommended for the best connection.

CL-S progression 01

iTrader: (2)

the harness u buy connects to the factory harness so you are not soldering wires from the main harness of the car... the metra harness u buy clips on to the factory harness. the metra harness is the one u must solder to the harness that comes with you new deck.... this way u can work outsie ur car and not in the center console.

civic what i am still not certain on tho is.. when it's wired up through the harness... is everything going to work out with my speakers, without that line output thing.. cause there has been some conflicting info on that...

also u kinda lost me with the steering wheel adapter and how to wire it up. thought u meant.. pull out one of the connections in the metra harness that is not used but where and how to hook it up i am lost

civicdrivr

iTrader: (9)

It will work, but in my experience the output was low. But as I said, I hooked up a sub as well, and that was overpowering the speakers even with it turned all the way down. Wire it up without the LOC and see how it sounds. You may not notice it since youre just using the factory amp/speakers.

Yea, Im having difficulty wording it properly.

Basically, the Metra harness doesnt have a pin for the steering wheel controls. Its just an empty slot on their harness.

What the Metra harness does have is two flying leads for antenna/amp turn on. I took the one I wasnt using out of that slot and moved it to the slot where the steering wheel control is. I may have a pic of it somewhere.

CL-S progression 01

iTrader: (2)

that was a bit more descriptive.. pic would be swell.. but i think what u said that was helpful enough to figure the rest out. i hope.

CL-S progression 01

iTrader: (2)

k so i bought the kenwood ddx 419..

trying to hook up the harnesses together along with the SWI-Jack and i'm kinda LOST

its not clear where to put the wires on the swi-jack.. i got the black and red obviously but there is blue, yellow, white, orange, and green which i dunno where they GO..

i wanted to install tyhis tomorrow morning but i dunno if i will have my answer so i am not going to proceed any furthers...

help needed gentleman

Skirmich

Hell I think setting up the SWI Jack is easier without the METRA Harness but then again cutting the OEM isnt a clean Install (I used alot of Tap Splices) what I do recall is that there is 1 remote green maybe? I
think it would be easier just to buy a wire tap splice and installing Before the Metra Harness to Avoid Soldering...

Wire Tap Splice (Sold @ Autozone for Dirt Cheap)





And NICEE! the DDX 419 its the newer version of my DDX514 I think they upgraded the Pre-Amp (To 4V) and Changed the Interface get the iPhone Cable ASAP!!

Heres an Old Pic of my DDX514 just installed:

Skirmich

OK let me rember a little...
Theres 2 Cables going out ot the SWI Jack that are obvious Leads
(+ and -) BLACK for Ground, 1 RED for +12 (You can use the ACC fuse with an Add-A-Ciruit fuser)

1.- The ones you said "blue, yellow, white, orange, and Green" are for the Steering Remote wire Locate the Steering remote Pin, it must be the A3 use this pic as a reference:

Use the GREEN cable on the SWI JACK for the Steering remote!

2.- There must be 1 Blue/Yellow Cable coming out of the SWI Jack thats the Remote return to the HU! You must locate the Remote cable on your kenwood HU!

3.- Now Locate the Kenwood Pin on your KENWOOD HARNESS! guided by my Installation Manual of my DDX514 it must be the Light Blue/Yellow.:



With that only you have to Program the SWI JACK but that must be the easiest part!!

Hope this info Helps you Out!

CL-S progression 01

iTrader: (2)

just re-read the instructions and it said i only need to use the white in pin 3.. and then the red + and the black - ...

then the blue/yellow i got as well, forgot to mention that... i'm surprised tho i only need one wire.. the white. (which was listed in the other set of instuctions)

if i read it all correctly should be done fine... but who knows really lol... will find out tomorrow tho... thanks for the quick reply

CL-S progression 01

iTrader: (2)

2 wires are not connected that come from the kenwood deck.. one is the orange/whitestripe wire that labeled DIMMER, this is because orange/white striped wire on the kenwood harness is labled as ILLUMINATION so is the SOLID orange on the metra harness... therfore i now have the orange/white wire on the metra harness LABELED dimmer just sitting there... WHERE DOES IT HOOK UP


also the MUTE brown wire on the kenwood harness is not hooked up.. where doees that get hooked up to??


much appreciated guys

Skirmich

OK the Orange is for Dimmer what it does is when you turn on your headlight it dimms the screen for 50%...

You need to tap a light that goes on when you turn on your headlights! I used the Central Glove box light just tap the red wire On the light and your done...

Skirmich

I didnt Use the Mute wire, I think its used when you have a button in the steering for it... I just use the ATT button on the Kenwood HU (1 Click into the Volume Dial) for that matter.

civicdrivr

iTrader: (9)

I usually left one of the dimmer/illumination wires disconnected. Regardless of which one I connected, when the parking/headlights turned on, the radio would dim.

Skirmich

You use Park Lights/Headlights at night anyway....
The only way of Actually dimming with the Headlights only is to tap the Headlight itself... The Fog Light Switch only gives ground.

civicdrivr

iTrader: (9)

Im confused by this.

Are you saying that connecting it to the stock illumination wire that the radio wont dim because its not tapped into the headlights?

Because if the headlights are on, the parking lights are on. No if, ands or buts.

Skirmich

Nevermind I might missread your comment... hehe

CL-S progression 01

iTrader: (2)

guy thanks a million you are superbly helpful. i'm about to install right now i cannot wait!!! will keep you all posted fellas :-)

CL-S progression 01

iTrader: (2)

k its installed, mic and antenna are wired up too

swi-jack is programmed for car but the buttons i cannot get programmed so far... instructions are confusing.

im going to re re re read them and hopefully this solves it.

civicdrivr

iTrader: (9)

Ok, I thought it was me since I was working on limited sleep

CL-S progression 01

iTrader: (2)

still didn't program the pac. something isn't going according to plan i may need a resistor it says but first i need to check the voltage on the white wire with it disconnected. mehh

some other time i'll wokr out the bugs it's 30 degrees out i'm not havin it

civicdrivr

iTrader: (9)

Resistor for what?