6N (and possibly more) amp and sub wiring route

Post Instructions on DIY modifications here - use all information with caution!
david burton
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6N (and possibly more) amp and sub wiring route

Post by david burton »

Just fitted my sub, amp, and head unit into my new motor (finally) so I thought I'd take one or two pics to help other people.

It might be good if Josh hosted the pics? That way if they are deleted from my site then people can still see what to do.

1) Peel back the passenger footwell carpet and insulation from the bulkhead. You should see something like the following (minus screwdriver!!):

Image

poke a screwdriver through one of the grommits (gently) so you push it out from the bulkhead. Go round to the engine bay and you should see it coming out like this:

Image
Image

Poke a wire through from the footwell, pull this into the engine bay and then tape up the beefy amp wire, then pull it back through:

Image
Image

Sorted. I needed a dedicated head unit supply too, but this is simple to do once you have the route from the battery sorted out.

Next, pull off the door seals and route the power wire (and remote lead, and sometimes a sub controller) down this to the B-pillar:

Image

The most difficult bit is routing the wires from the b-pillar to the boot. It has to go behind the trim, so wedge it open by the rear seats:

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then tape the wires to a straight rod (I used a snooker cue?!) and push it through to the wedged-open opening. Thread the wires under the seat to the boot. Hey presto! Do the same for the RCA wires from the head unit (they are easy to route from the head unit to the A-pillar, then it's just a case of repeating the door route like above) and wire up the amp and sub.

I earthed the sub near the boot light earth point, the left of the image is the boot opening, and the top is where the light is (on the LHS of the boot in the 6N):

Image

With the head unit, the only wire I used from the previous head unit connector was the brown/red wire - the switched power supply. The earth and power supply I routed myself. BTW, the red wire is the constant supply and the brown wire is the earth.

This should be fairly simple, but it still took me 2 hours to wire everything in properly and get it set up. I think this guide may be pretty universal, but don't quote me on the wire colours!
Last edited by david burton on Sat Dec 17, 2005 1:02 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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neilw
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Post by neilw »

Exaclty how i did it, (more or less). Going under the front doors I took off all the plastic trim and went under the carpet, theres a big void (with clips for wires) as this is where the main wiring loom to the back lights and stuff and pipe of the rear washer jets go. Looks like you used the same earth point as me aswell!
polo_chick
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Post by polo_chick »

Thanks for the tips peeps! Have a 12" sub and amp sitting waiting to be installed so will get beats in my car afterall! 8) :D
david burton
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Post by david burton »

no probs - did yet another polo install this w/e on my bird's car! Welcome to the forum BTW
polopowah
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Post by polopowah »

im gradually starting to get into ice, now really finished exterior, so cash will be going into an amp some better 6x9's, and upgrading the door speakers aswell, i've recently been doing a mates clio, which werent too bad, it helps that the car falls to bits when reaching for wires :lol:
now i've got another request to do an escort tonite :s man word gets around (and im not great at it :( o well)
-Ben-
jags53
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Post by jags53 »

great guide just what im looking for, shame the pics dont work, im looking to do my own install this, week, anychange of anyone hosting da pics, ill appreciate it very much, and im sure others will too.
cheers
david burton
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Post by david burton »

Yeah my webspace went down (for good) this weekend

am trying to find a new host for the webspace - somewhere with cgi, no ads and domain name hosting for free!

will getthe pics back up asap, otherwise send me your email address and I can email em to you from home.
jags53
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Post by jags53 »

cheers mate that would be great, i've pm'ed you my email addy
niks
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Post by niks »

hey mate that basically the same set up but im finding that the live wire taking too much current even when the cars off dont understand why do you have any clues???
david burton
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Post by david burton »

seems like you've got a drain somewhere. do you know what's using the current?

it shouldn't take any current unless your amp is permanently on
Crisis
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Post by Crisis »

Took exactly the same route pretty easy. Its a good way through, but sometimes gettin from the cabin to the engine bay is a bit annoyin trying to get it through and find the damn wires...

But all is well at the end of the day.
^Adam^
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Post by ^Adam^ »

ive tried this method in my car, but I cannot get all the insulation away from the bulkhead to push away the grommit! :cry: ive routed the rest of the cable easy enough, just this bit I cant do.

Another thing i am having problems with is getting the speaker wire into the doors, im having to drill new holes, but might have to take the door off but I cant be bothered.
david burton
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Post by david burton »

For my beefier wire - I've drilled holes in the bulkhead (not the door itself - I managed to squeeze that through the rubber grommit)


you can JUST do it without taking the door off - although it's a messy job :(
moynas
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Post by moynas »

Theres an easier route into the car! on my gti i took the air box off and found a take out gromit! on the left hand side ive droped fat arse 4 gauge cable through the hole!

it pops out over the fuse box! that way you can run remote/phono behind glove box etc and the power down drivers side with no interferance!
david burton
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Post by david burton »

must be different on the mk5 then.
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