DiamondJoeQuimby

iTrader: (2)

First, let me preface...I forgot to take pictures so I'm sorry. This is also kind of long so bare with. I wanted to put Sirius in my wife's 05 TSX but did NOT want to put the antenna on the out side of the car so I started taking stuff apart.

I used a Starmate replay inside the dash pocket below the climate controls. This unit has the smallest Sirius antenna btw.

Here is a basic write up:

1) Remve the lens covering the rear domelight. Unscrew 2 phillips head screws releasing the domelight assembly from headliner. Unplug domelight assembly, set aside.

2) Removing passenger c-pillar: Use a small pick tool or small std screwdriver to pry out the "side curtain airbag" plug. This is about 2.5" long and uses the expanding plastic clip to attatch. Slowly work your pick around the plug and you should be able to pull it free to the point where you can grab it with your fingers. Once you get a hold of it wiggle (technical term) it back and forth (or to and fro if you prefer) until it pops free. The rest of the panel is held in with standard panel clips. Use a panel removal tool to release these so you have room to work behind the panel. I did not take it completely out,just pulled it free to the point to get to what was behind it. Personal preference about what you feel comfortable doing.

3) Loosen headliner in the back. There are 2 panel clips in the headliner pretty close the the top ofthe rear glass that hold it into a cross member. Simply pull these free so you can access underneath. (optional, remove the plastic round plug infront of the domelight. Not really needed, but it will let you have easier access in the headliner. To remove, turn counterclockwise 1/2 turn and pull down)

4) Unplug factory XM antenna. Behind the c-pillar you removed is a connecetion for the antenna. It is high in the pillar toward the rear of the car and is a 2 wire black connector. The wires are very thick approx a 12ga size with all the insulation. Follow the antenna toward the center of the roofline. There are 3 wire rentention clips holding it to the rear roof x-member. Either pop these free, or cust the electrical tape to release the cable.

5) Unbolt the antenna from inside. You will nee to either pull the headliner down a bit or access it through the hole where the domelight was. Use a 17mm wrench or socket to take off the nut holding the antenna to the car, KEEP THE NUT!!!!! You should now beable to pull the antenna assembly free of the car.

6) Antenna disassembly. There are 4 #1 screws holding the antenna base to the antenna cap (body color). Take these out and keep them. Be careful not to strip them coming out. They are very soft. You should now be able to free the cap from the base and rubber seal. Keep the rubber seal intact. With the cap off there are 2 more #1 screws visible on the circuit board. Remove these you will not need to keep them unless you plan to re-assemble at some point.

7) Crossraods. At this point you can take the easy way (cut the 2 cables a few inches from the assembly) or take the hard way to take the antenna cables free from the assembly. If you can remove the cables from the black clip more power to you. I could not. There is a small white retainer on the black clip, remove this and try to work the cable free from the clip. I ended up shredding a cable so I just cut the stupid thing. After I finished taking it apart I realized you may be able to un-solder the cables from the circuit board. If someone pulls this off, let me know.

You should now have an empty aluminium antenna base, a rubber weather seal, a body color cap, and 4 small #1 screws. If so, pat yourself on the back, have a beer...you are on the downhill slope my friend.

8) Ream out the antenna base. The hole in the base (that is next to the threaded stud you removed the 17mm nut from and the hole you pull the factory cable out from) needs to be opened up to accommodate the Sirius antenna cable. I used a 1/2" Uni-bit to open the hole up. It is aluminium so it should be pretty easy. Befor you start look at how the rubber seal fits around the square raised portion of the base. When you ream out the hole try to leave a little sliver of material there so it will still be sealed on all sides. A 1/2" hole should do this okay.

9) Antenna re-assembly. Run the Sirius antenna cable through the top of the base so the anteanna will sit in the recess of the base. I ended up with a pretty tight bend of the new antenna to fit through the hole I drilled but it was okay. If you are concerned about rubbing, put a dab of silicone caulking and let dry so the cable cannot touch the metal edge. The Sirius antenna is shorter than the cap on the base and obviously the aluminium is not magnetic to the new anteanna will just flop around in there if you leave it be. I took a couple of small pieces of 1/2" wather stripping and put them on top of the Sirius antenna to fill the gap when I put the cap back on. Put the rubber seal back in place before reattaching the cap. When the seal is squared up, snap the cap back on to the (in order from the bottom) rubber sea, antenna base, Sirius antenna, and weather stripping. Now you can use the 4 small #1s to reattatch the cap.

10) Re-assembly of car. Pretty straight forward here, just do disassembly in reverse. The only potential hiccup, when running the new wire down the c-pillar make sure you avoid all of the curtain airbag stuff. There is a channel and some clips you can wire tie around to stay free and clean of it all. From here, run the cable to wherever you install your Sirius tuner. I won't go into detail on the rest of the install. I am pretty sure a search will get you all of the info you need in this regard.

FWIW, I used a Starmate repaly and a SNHOND3 from Soundgate for my aux input.

DiamondJoeQuimby

iTrader: (2)

Tried to edit: If you want to buy another assembley before (or after) you start here is a link with p/ns in all colors. It is #18 in the list. Technical drawing at top, p/ns below.

http://www.acuraoemparts.com/delray/...All&vinsrch=no

ComptechTSX

got any pics of the Sirius Starmate install??....i wanted to do this with my car. by putting the starmate inside the compartment above "not an ashtray". If it's recessed the remote should still control it nicely, and keep the theives away i figured. Badd ass though on the conversion, mad props for originality

DiamondJoeQuimby

iTrader: (2)

I'll get some...like I said I was lazy on pics when I out it in. I put it toward the front of the compartment. The door still closes. I too wanted to make it look completely stock. (thus thrashing the stock antenna) I also plan on adding a flush trim plate for it,again too lazy when I put it in to finish that part.

abs

Wow. You are brave. What you've managed to accomplish is like the holy grail of Sirius conversions. Kudos to you.

Just out of curiousity (and a little off topic) why did you use the SHOND3 instead of the Blitzsafe HON-AUX DMX V.2(x)?

DiamondJoeQuimby

iTrader: (2)

I work for a Soundgate dealer and get the part at cost

abs

Good reason!

keg1997

Is the Blitzsafe better than the Shond? I've had the SHOND for a year but have yet to have it installed for my Sirius...still using the radio frequency.