2k3TL

I can't figure out were to wire my power cable. I can't find a good passage threw the fire wall on the drivers side. plus I don't wont the wire running all over the place. so if you can help thanks for the tips. rember i have a 2003 3.2TL

NsX Pilot

who said u had to run it thru the car ?? why not to the underbody ....ur going to the trunk with it anyway .

shawhite

there is a rubber gromet ont he fire wall just right of the sterring column if you are looking for it under the dash and near the top and close to the middle fo the car if you are looking under the hood.... simply punch a hole in the gromet and run the power wire thru it.....do a search on it.... it has been discussed quit a few times....

digitalgm

underbody? NO WAY! This is one of the worst things you can do. Take shawhites advice on using the grommet instead. I posted a couple pics of where to find the grommet and of me running ZERO GAUGE wire through it. Take a look :

here

AdamR

SwampGas

I just recently did this...the quick way:

1) DISCONNECT THE NEGATIVE TERMINAL OF THE BATTERY. Yeah..like...really do this. I shorted my system out by accident. I replaced the fuse, but the 4-ways still don't blink when I use the remote. Grrr. Just remember to have your radio code ready, since you'll need to enter it.

2) I used the grommet above the e-brake. Reach up the left side all the way to the top of the metal thing. You'll feel a bundle of wires going through the grommet. Poke a coat hanger through it. It requires a LOT of pressure to do it...might want to make a "pilot hole" with an awl or something.

3) Tape the power wire onto the coat hanger once it's through...LOTS of tape along a big stretch of the coathanger...it helps if you twist the power wire around it so it looks like a candy cane.

4) Goto the engine...the grommet is behind the wheel well. I used needle nosed pliars to get down there and grab the coathanger, then I just yanked on it. Came right through.

As for running the wire, I yanked on the panel where the hood release is and it came off...ran the wire under that. Little tricky to get back on. Then the wire can just go under the plastic floor panels..they pop off. I used the coathanger method to run the wire under where the driver's seat belt is.

shawhite

hey swampgas i know why your four ways dont work.... just read your instructions back to your self.... to me it sounds like you jammed the power wire thru a groment that was already being used for a bunch of other wires that are probably going to the fuse panel.... why would someone go thru that much trouble when the groment that both me and digitalgm mentioned is not being used by anything and fairly easy to get to.....

SwampGas

The particular grommet I used was recommended by lots of folks...

The flashers don't work because I cut a wire with a flathead screwdriver inside the grommet...which is why they recommended an awl or a coat hanger.

My instructions paraphrased a former board member's instructions who is quite good at this type of thing.

NsX Pilot

tell me why this is one of the worst thing u can do ??? first of all the insulation of the wire is fine for running it on the underbody ..ur gonna be coming from the engine bay off the battery anyway... second if ur doing a system that may draw any kind of major current ...ur gonna wanna keep it away from any signal wires and patch cables. Besides he didnt want cables running everywhere and this suggestion was just an alternative that he may consider.

Iggy

2k2tl,
Here is where I went through. The other grommet is totally acceptable, it just depends on your mood at the time:
my install
\Iggy

shodawg124

yea this is the grommet that i used also, cuz i had to run a 4-gauge wire for my sub. i used this grommet as opposed to the one iggy's talkin about cuz:

1. there's nothing running through this grommet, so i didn't risk damaging anything, and
2. i found it to be much more accessible than the other one.

if you need pics on where this grommet is, read this link:
http://www.acura-tl.com/forum/showth...threadid=37582

the pics make it nice and easy to understand what shawhite's talkin about.

digitalgm

Just a question : do you think its a coincidence that rarley are any OE electrical wires run under the car or outside of the car?

Point : the insulation on the wire is not made to be outside

Point : what does it matter if the wire is going to the battery anyways?!?!? Thats what you have a hood for.... there is really not that much water in the engine compartment even during thunderstorms

Point : the risk of a fire is enough to make me spend the extra couple minutes to run it through the car

AdamR

digitalgm

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2k3TL

Thanks for the advice guys I'm going to wire it tonight

NsX Pilot

I THINK YOU ANSWERED FOR ME HERE ALREADY .....SO WHY SAY IT IN THE FIRST PLACE

NsX Pilot

I DIDNT UNDERSTAND AT ALL WHAT YOU WERE GETTING AT HERE .......

>> Point : what does it matter if the wire is going to the battery anyways?!?!? Thats what you have a hood for <<

AND THIS ???

>> there is really not that much water in the engine compartment even during thunderstorms <<

1) I DONT UNDERSTAND WHAT THE HOOD AND WATER HAS TO DO WITH RUNNING THE POWER CABLE UNDER THE CAR

2)WATER IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT USALLY COMES FROM DEEP WATER ...EXAMPLES OF THIS ARE FLOODS OR MAYBE DRIVING THRU A DEEP PUDDLES

NsX Pilot

YOU KNOW ADAMR IVE READ A FEW OF YOUR REPLYS TO OTHER POST AND YOU SOUND LIKE A VERY INTELLIGENT GUY BUT THIS ONE DEFINITLY FELL SHORT .

digitalgm

When I re-read what I said, I can honsetly say that I dont know what I was thinking. Please bear with me as I was at work at the time and concentration on the ATL forums and work were a 90/10 split. What I was getting at in my post was the fact that anything run under the car is subject to alot of road debris, weather damage, etc. Alright, I was thinking about the plastic polymer insulation found on all of these cables regardless of gauge. It is a very malleable insulation and is quite susceptible to damage for even small things. I would imagine that even a small rock would tear a good amount of it off - not enough to expose the copper the FIRST time but it would happen again. One last thing to mention is the fact that ISACA rules have stated that all wire must be run in the car or in a conduit like a PVC pipe - I would suggest this method actually. It keeps the whole car sealed and intact!


AdamR

NsX Pilot

yes i would have sleaved the cable in a waterproof armored cable if i was goin to do it ...but lets keep an open mind...you never know in a few years they might be doin this way and the old way may be a big no no