[robhurlburt]

So i was attempting to remove the front seat to get the proper signal for the LOC of the amp, and the friggin bolt stripped. The thing felt so soft, it almost took no effort. :evil: I hate the torx bolts!

Anyways, now i can't access the amp wiring How else can I get a signal for the LOC?

I pulled up the carpet next to the seat and found a tunnel with ALL the car wiring going to the rear of the car. I was planning on tapping into that, but it looks like there are a couple of the same colored wires, especially the ones i need to tap into :roll:

My next option was to come directly off the door speakers, and it seems this is my only option now. few questions...
1. To get the proper signal, i am assuming I have to run the LOC to each door?
2. How do i get access to the door speakers? I tried popping the grill off, but that doesn't seem right. Does the panel need to come off? How do I do that?
3.How can I run the wires back into the car? Most cars have a connector that protects the wires when they run from the door to the interior of the car.

looks like i am going to need another sunday to finish this project:x

Thanks for all the help!

 

[ctrlz]

Why don't you try raising the seat as far as you car and sliding forward? Then remove the one bolt which holds AMP1 in place. The amp then kind of swings up and out. You may need to disconnect the harness. At any rate you can remove the amp and that may give you more room to work on the harness to add wire taps or whatever. There is also the option of wiring directly to the amp. There are photos of an opened AMP1 around here somewhere.

 

[robhurlburt]

i tried doing that, but i couldn't seem to get access to those wires no matter what i did. i couldn't even get my fingers in there to unplug the amp. I'll try again. It seems the wires are really short and even when i unscrewed the amp, it really didn't go any where.

Do you know where to wire off amp 1 if i can get it out?

Would that be better than going through the doors?

thanks

 

[Diggs]

I had the same problem. I went into the doors and tapped after the speaker and ran wires back into the car and to the rear. PITA, but it works.

 

[robhurlburt]

how did you run the wire through the grommet from the door to the car?

thanks

 

[Diggs]

how did you run the wire through the grommet from the door to the car?

thanks

I didn't. The wires come out the bottom right corner of the door panel (aided by the fact my Image Dynamics 6.5's needed a thick gasket to keep the magnets from rubbing the window, the door panel never was flush in the corner). I wrapped them in black electrical tape so they would match the other wires in the door jamb. I fed them under the door molding a little below the level of the dash and then under the door sill halfway along the bottom and then to the rear of the car. No one has ever noticed them and I have had 0 problems for several years now.

 

[robhurlburt]

thanks for the reply. I just tried getting amp1 out with no luck. I am going to have to go to the door speakers. How do you remove the panel. I think you have to pop off the door handle and there are 2 screws under it, but i can't get it off. I'm too affraid to break anything in this car...

edit, found it
http://www.trolltuner.com/tech/files/SS%2BDoor%2BTrim%2BStrips.pdf

 

[robhurlburt]

well, i always wanted to pull the door speaker out because i always thought they sounded bad even though they were after market. Nice kenwoods in there, 200W max, nice tweeter and rubber surround. Sure enough, they were 4 ohm, just like i suspected. What difference does that make? Will the 2 ohm speakers sound better?

I don't think anything in this stereo was done right by the previous owner :roll:

 

[Nickshu]

Can you get straight line access to the bolt if you move the seat back/forward??

If so you can drill out the center and pop the head off the bolt. Then you may have to drill out the entire bolt and tap it, then install a new bolt. Sometimes you can get the bolt out if you drill on center with a left-handed drill bit (have to get at a specialty tool store). I've had my share of broken bolts!!

If you can't get access straight up and down, you can try to cut the head of the bolt off with a Dremmel tool and cutoff wheel.

 

[robhurlburt]

thanks for the info nicksu. to me its not worth it to go through all that trouble just to get access to the amp. I already wired one side up, and I just realized i don't have enough speaker wire to take care of the other side.

I think i could have had the project done by the time i got the bolt out, if i had just enough wire.

 

[ctrlz]

Then you may have to drill out the entire bolt and tap it, then install a new bolt. Sometimes you can get the bolt out if you drill on center with a left-handed drill bit (have to get at a specialty tool store). I've had my share of broken bolts!!

There are many extractor tools which may allow you to remove the bolt without having to re-tap anything. The problem here is these bolts use thread locker which is pretty strong.

If you have room to work, I think an extractor is the way to go.

 

[robhurlburt]

thanks, but i'm not even going to mess with it.

how about the 4 ohm speakers, will they make a difference?

 

[Diggs]

thanks, but i'm not even going to mess with it.

how about the 4 ohm speakers, will they make a difference?

4 ohm speakers will half the output of the speaker which is probably why they don't sound good. You could leave them in if you amp them, otherwise you need a 2ohm speaker.

 

[tomhoey]

Relax you don't need to get the seat out.

You sound like you're almost there, you just need to get access to the trunking by the sill, and to get that you have to be rough with the carpet and bend back the cover of the trunking. It takes a fair bit of force, but can be done. When you're in you'll see a fat bundle of wires, but the ones you're after are twisted into pairs to which makes it easier.

The polarities are: (to quote Saba's guide)
Left - Grey/ White

Left + Green

Center – Yellow/ White (you don’t have use these center wires at all)

Center + Violet/ White

Right – Grey/ White

Right + Blue


Just look for the twisted pairs.


I used a blade to expose 5mm of copper, and soldered on my feed to the LOC, quick bit of tape and you're done.


No need to touch the seat. If you want the AMP1 out, you can get a torx bit with a fairly short handle, it's only held in by one torx bolt on the inner side of the amp under the seat, then it slides out from retaining lugs. I got mine out when I was contemplating tapping line level but it's not worth my hassle / risk and LOC works fine.

 

[robhurlburt]

thanks for the help, i actually just wired off the door speakers. It only took me 30 mins or so, so now i will just do the other side. Pretty easy.

No matter what I tried i could not get access to amp1. I should have just gone off the front speakers to begin with.

 

[robhurlburt]

anybody know of any cheaper 6.5s that i can replace the kenwoods with? All the lower priced speakers, $50 or below are 4 ohms, exactly what i'm not looking for.

Thanks