TSX0rz

hey all, i was wondering if anyone has or wants to write a full diy guide with pics on installing subwoofers and an amp including wiring. im not very audio/electronic/wiring savvy and am desperately in need of some help. ive searched for one but to no luck :'( . hoping someone here can help me out thanks in advance guys.

gfxdave99

http://www.electronixwarehouse.com/e...installamp.htm

http://www.clubknowledge.com/page5.html

http://www.caraudiohelp.com/how_to_i..._a_car_amp.htm

http://www.crutchfieldadvisor.com/S-...all_steps.html

:search: :search: :search: :search: :search: :search: :search: :search: :search: :search: :search: :search: :search: :search: :search: :search: :search:

zazen721

i think he meant in the tsx and not just some general info....

elduderino

If you want to become a DIY audio installer, let me give you a word of valuable advice:

Do what the professionals do - learn on other people's cars!

In your case, volunteer to help your friends. Talk your friends into buying some gear on the premise that you will help put it in. Make your mistakes on your friend's 95 Integra, not your TSX. Then when you've learned enough to be dangerous, you can take on your own car.

(P.S. While said lightly, I am totally serious.)

Dan Martin

gfxdave's links will give you a good idea in what's involved with installing your own amp but there are a few TSX specific items you'll need to address.

Issue 1: Running the 12V wire to the amp.
You need to get through the firewall and there aren't many grommets available for this. If you have a 5AT you can use the grommet that is normally occupied by the clutch like Ortiz did (http://www.acura-tsx.com/forums/show...&threadid=3900). If you have a 6MT there is a grommet that is accessable from the engine bay. It's located directly in the center of the firewall about 4-6" below the wipers.
Here's a pic:


Yes I know my engine is dirty...
As you might notice I just have the wire with the plastic wrap going throught the firewall and no grommet. This is a big and I have since installed a grommet there to prevent water from entering behind the dash.

Issue 2: Remote power-on switch line.
Because you want the amp to switch on and off with the car you need to tap into a switched power source for the remote lead. I just tapped into the positive wire to the power adapter in the center console under the arm rest but there may be easier ones to get to. I had the center console practically disassembled anyways so it really wasn't a big deal.

Issue 3: Hiding the cables
I ran the cables under the trim panels along the driver’s side of the car. This is where the service manual comes in handy. There are a bunch of clips holding the trim down and if you don’t know where they are you’ll have a bitch of a time removing them. I can scan a few of the pages for you if you need.

Issue 4: Getting sound to the amp.
Most of us have just used a Line Output Converter (LOC) and tapped into the signal wires going into the rear 6x9's. It works well but just make sure you take the signal from both speakers and not just one.

Issue 5: Grounding the amp.
I just drilled a hole next to the spare tire and used a self-tapping screw to secure the grounding cable. This is by far the easy way and I have had no problems with this method in either of the cars that I have installed amps in. Some people have experienced a ground loop situation when they ground at the chassis (you’ll hear a humming noise coming through the sub if you have a ground problem). In this case there are a couple solutions: a) use a GLI to filter isolate the ground or b) run a new ground to back to the battery.

I think that’s about it. Allow a good 2 hours to do everything correctly. It took me the better part of a day just because I struggled a lot finding a good grommet for the power to pass through but knowing what I now know I’d be able to do the whole install in an hour.

elduderino

Good write-up, Dan. Glad to see you've plugged your leak : )

I would add a couple of things:

Put a fuse at your (+) battery terminal. This keeps a pinched wire from burning your new TSX to the ground.

According to the factory wiring diagrams, there should be a remote turn-on wire at the factory amp in the center console (yellow/green, also feeds the window antenna booster coil). This is what Acura uses to turn the factory amp on and off with the radio, rather than with the key. If you care, there you go. If you don't have a voltmeter, don't even think about looking for this wire. It's NOT in the same connector as power and ground, according to the diagram.

Dan Martin

Well it never leaked. I just wouldn't recommend anyone drive without one. It was only like that for a few days. I was actually more concerned with vibration chewing through the plastic casing around the wire and eventually into the power line.

I should have mentioned the fuse but the wiring kit I bought had one already installed so I didn't even have to think about it.

TSX0rz

gfxdave99: thanks for the links, ive seen most of them before, i was lookin for some specifics in the tsx auto but re-reading those sites did help.

dan martin: thank you thank you thank you. those pics from the manual would be a great help! that was one of my main concerns as i knew i would have to run the wires on both sides of my car and didnt want to break any clips. im planning to pull the signal from the 2 6x9's in the rear also with a converter. i have a 5at with no navi. how are the wires behind the stock head unit? are the wires hard to find? im tempted to go in and remove it to check out how the wiring looks and see if its beyond my ability lol. thanks for the info.

elduderino: thanks for the tip, but im not following what you mean? by fuse do you mean those 40wat 30wat etc things that come with the wiring kits? i need to tap the wire for the Yellow/Red, cavity A9 on a wiring diagram i found from this forum so that my amp turns on when the stereo is on? am i right in assuming this or was i told wrong? thanks again!

Dan Martin

There's really no reason to remove the head unit. You don't need to hook anything up to it if you use a LOC off of the rear 6x9's. The only thing you have to do is to run the remote line to the cigarette lighter. To do that you just have to remove the CD storage bin and the cup holders. You could use the cigarette lighter under the CD storage bin and skip the removal of the cup holders but I found that everything is really tightly wrapped under the storage bin so I just ran the remote lead to the power outlet in the armrest because there is more space to work with there.

You shouldn't have to run wires on both sides of the car, just the drivers side. I'll take some pics of the instructions tomorrow (if I don't, send me a PM to remind me!). Definitely use the grommet that Ortiz used if you have the 5AT. It's way easier to push the cable through. The grommet is not ideal because you can't see the cable when it enters the back of the dash. You'll also have a shorter run when you use Ortiz's grommet.

As for the fuse elduderino mentioned, it is inline with the main 12V cable that connects directly to your battery. It looks like this:


or this:


Don't worry about attacking any of the wiring harnesses...you don't need to. The power outlet will switch your amp on and off with the car.

TSX0rz

so all i have to do is tap the 6x9's for the signal, then run a line from the LOC into the cigarette lighter (im assuming the power outlet where i would plug my cell phone charger?) and run the a wire straight to my battery and i will be done? oh yeah and that fuse thing, thats just the cable that i get if i buy one of those wiring kits right? btw how do the wires look for the outlet? this info is really making it easier but im still not too confident about doing this haha. oh yeah if its easier for you to just email me the pics, my email is kwok@csupomona.edu. whichever way is easiest for you is fine with me, thanks again

Dan Martin

You've got things a little mixed up...

If you were to plug the wires from the 6x9's directly into your amp, you'd blow your amp because the signal would be too high. The LOC takes this signal and converts it down to a level your amp can handle. It doesn't need to be hooked up to a power source. Check out http://davidnavone.com/adaptor_products.htm and scroll down to N-777. This is the type of LOC I would recommend. Some amplifiers now have an LOC built into them but make 100% yours does before you plug a high-level signal into it.

Basically you've got 4 things you need to hook up:
1) Amplifier +12V - This is the big red wire you run through your car and hook up directly to the battery. You put the fuse on this line.
2) Amplifier ground - You screw this to the body near the spare tire. It should be as big as your +12V cable but black.
3) Remote power on cable - Inside the amplifier there is a little relay that allows you to turn your amp on or off remotely. This relay will turn the amp on when there is positive voltage running through the remote cable. This cable is usually fairly skinny because there isn't much current being carried by it, just enough to tell the relay to turn on. I think blue is the standard color but it really doesn't matter.
4) Audio signal - This is where the LOC comes in. One end of the LOC splices into the leads coming into the 6x9's. The other end has RCA jacks that hook up to your amp.

Thats it!

TSX0rz

your right, my mistake with the post, i forgot to mention the LOC. thanks for the list, now i know what i need to buy before i start attempting the install. im pretty confident with everything now but am still iffy with the remote power on cable and the whole concept of tapping, splicing wires and that kinda stuff. i can picture it mentally pretty good, i just hope i can perform! cant wait to see the pics dan your help is greatly appreciated

Dan Martin

Just go to Best Buy or Circuit City and pick up a wiring kit. It will have everything you need (less the LOC) to hook up your amp. The only tools you need are a philips screwdriver, a crimper (for crimping ends on the cables), a pair of pliers, and a drill. The drill is for mounting the ground to the body. You drill a small hole, just big enough for the screw to grab.

Dan Martin

Here's a shot of the manual on how to remove the side trim:

To remove the center console panel (where the cup holders are) just use this method: http://www.acura-tsx.com/forums/show...hlight=removal

e_lectro

I used a different grommet... follow the wire set with the green clips to the firewall, I used that one. I covered the power wire in split loom and electrical tape like stock and you never notice it.

Also as a plus, that grommet is easy to get to and east to take off/put on.

TSX0rz

thanks for all the help fellas, its been very helpful and i appreciate it greatly, gonna get started on this next week or so after i finish all my finals. ill post the results when i get it done!

bob shiftright

I want to use that same dead-center hole in the firewall to run the cable for a LE-30 laser jammer, which is thicker than a single power cable so I didn't want to try threading it through the larger, main wiring harness grommet on the passenger's side of the firewall. I discovered that there's a rubberized backing pad behind the smaller grommet and the heater core seems to be immediately behind that. My questions are 1.) how did you fish the wire through or around the backing pad and air ductwork? Did you fish to the driver's side or passenger's side? and 2.) where did you get the 20MM (?) grommet or "blind plug" that you eventually used to fill the hole? I couldn't find anything suitable at either PepBoys or Home Depot. Thanks!!!!

Dan Martin

I removed the covers under the steering wheel and above the pedals to give me a little more room to work under there. Basically I just fed a good 3 or 4 feet of wire behind the console until I could see it spooling out the side. I don't think there's any textbook way of doing it but two people would probably make it easier.

The grommet I used came from Acura. It was $0.50. Unfortunately I don't know what the part number is but I just brought the mangled plug that I pulled out of the hole and asked what they had for grommets in that size.

bob shiftright

Thanks! I'll try that.

I pushed the grommet through and into the deep, dark recesses behind the firewall! BTW, what I thought was the replacement Acura Grommet (20MM Plug, blind) lists for something like $2.33 (US)! It's not going to break the bank, but about, geez, about $2.31 of that must represent profit!

Dan Martin

I think it totally depends on what dealer you go to but some will bend you over on some of the simplest things.

bob shiftright

That's the advantage if they just went to their generic box-o-grommets rather than the Official Acura parts catalog!

bob shiftright

That center hole in the firewall is a really good place to get through!

Thet grommet is p.n 95551-20000 PLUG, BLIND (20MM)

I first tried fishing to the left (passenger side) with no success. Seems the AC evaporator and heater core are in then way. So I then fished to the right (driver's side) and the fish easily came out around the gas pedal, I then re-fished horizontally behind the console and pulled my wire out under the glovebox where I wanted it. Thanks, Dan!

Dan Martin

No problem Bob. Glad it was useful.

atrain0187

how would a toggle switch be added to turn the amp on and off when wanted from the driver seat? I have everything i need to install my amp and subs, and have done it many times before but never used a toggle???


any help greatly appreciated

CJams

Why would you use a toggle switch when there is a remote turn on?

jd33

Someone asked me for more info on getting through the firewall so I thought I'd post how I did it:

The power wire was a bit of a pain in the ass, but it is definetly do-able. You'll see the factory cables going through a gromet right in the middle of the firewall - this is the one you want to use. Cut a 1/2 inch slit in the grommet beside the factory cables and insert your wire through this hole. I had to use some really stiff 10 gauge wire (bright colour so you can see it) first to get through the hole. (Cable snake would work also.) If the wire is getting blocked by something, keep bending the tip in different directions until you can force it through. Then just keep pushing ample wire through the hole so that you will be able to see it on the other side. Once you've done this, you should be able to look up above the gas pedal and find the wire all bunched up. Now attach your 8 or 4 gauge wire to this and pull it through the hole. Then route that wire over near the fuse box so that you can run it under the door trim.

Make sure you disconnect the battery before doing any of this. If you have any other questions, feel free to ask. Good luck.

greendestiny

after 3 months of owning my TSX, i finally got tired of the stock sound bass...and decided to install my sub.

Okay, the power wire is the bitch. 4gauge awg so I took the same route ortiz did. I put a small 3/4" hole drilled through the firewall next to the main wire harness...it was super easy..it took like two minutes. I think this is the best way to do it and less risky because if you're trying to shove a 4gauge wire through that rubber boot, you might screw something up...such as accidentally cutting into a wire on the harness.

Anyways, pulling up the panels on the TSX was a lot easier than I thought. Removing the backseats to continue routing the wire was also very easy as the design was practically the same as my 1996 honda civic couple...i knew exactly where to look.

Overall, the install took me 2 hours because i was being meticulous...

i'm also disconected my 6x9s, ran in into speaker level inputs into my amp, and the amp powers on without requiring a remote wire... the subs hit really damn hard for me, and I'm only using 1 12".

dark inspire

good work man! since ur relatively new, i'll let u know:

Picz First, Post Second

Adamantiium

Is there any way for the remote wire to get hooked up besides the cig lighter and center console?

daicacharco

you can use other things but i forgot how to do it =X but there are other choices available but i think thats the easiest one.

willyt2006

I don't have a wiring diagram but isn't there a accessory 12 volt line at the DVD player in the trunk on navi equipped TSX's?

If mounting the amp in the trunk that might be the easiest. (on a navi car of course)

Cheers

jonnerd154

Yes, but amplifiers require a lot of power - much more than the stock wiring was designed to carry. You have you use a high gauge wire that attaches directly to the battery.

willyt2006

I understand for the main supply to the amp you'd need a large gauge wire but for the remote turn on via an accessory 12 volt line you don't, just enought to flip the amp turn on the internal relay.

Thanks

tmcao55

So is there a 12V source in at the DVD in the trunk of the NAVI TSX i can use as a remote wire? If so can you tell me the location and color of wire?

Davetsx2007

I know i may be a bit late but, depending on you personal preferences you might not want to use a LOC on the rear 6x9 lines, reason being, i dont know about anyone else here but when
I'm installing a sub in my car i intend the sub to play frequencies down to its capabities, in other words i want it to hit low.. You will not be satisfied in this sense if you use a LOC on the 6x9's, i did the same thing and i hated it, I eventually did some research on this site and grabed the signal from the lines that run between the HU and the stock amplifier, the frequency response is flat there and hasent passed through the crossover that is within the stock amplifier... It is up to you...

theanomaly

the signal at the 6x9s is LPF'd, right? you wouldnt happen to know which wires your tapped into, or a pic of it? im just being lazy

kcx1112

All of the link mentioned above are no longer working. If anyone have step by step pictures on how to install amp and sub, that would be great. THANKS

subzero7

excellent post