Engine Bay Amplifier Hookup (Pictures)

[AtlasMick]

I am amazed at how simple hooking up an amplifier is with this car. It lends itself perfectly to aftermarket sound systems with the battery right against the firewall and the grommet placed conveniently next to the battery.

The following is a descriptive how-to amplifier wiring:

Right indicates to the right of the vehicle when driving.
Left indicated to the left of the vehicle when driving.

1) Locate and disconnect the negative battery cable.

2) Disconnect the positive battery cable.

3) Remove battery. The nuts that keep the J-hooks attached to the metal holder over the battery do not need to be completely removed. They may be loosened and then wiggle the j-hooks until they come undone to avoid possibly loosing the nuts.

4) Remove the battery tray.

5) You will see the rubber grommet with wiring directed through it to the right of the vehicle.



6) Pull back the rubber grommet gently to avoid tearing the rubber. It is fairly strong. Inside you will see a white plastic piece that the grommet surrounds. Try not to remove the rubber from the plastic, it is a pain to get back on. You will need to insert a screw driver to push down the white plastic piece's tabs to remove the grommet.



7) The grommet is sealed to the wiring that it surrounds. You must cut a small hole in the grommet. I did this by facing my knife away from the bundle of wire and pushing in slowly, till an appropriate sized hole for your amplifier wiring is made.



8) Inside the car the grommet is easily acceseble from the floor of the vehicle. No removal of carpeting is required. Simply route your cable through the hole and go back to the engine bay. It is suggested to have a lug installed to the end of your cable for easy installation on the stock battery post, similar to the following. (I used a 3/8)



(The light in the upper right of the picture shows the location of the grommet from the floor of the vehicle. This picture is upright, you will notice the stock floor mat, and right kicker panel on the right. The grommet is just behind a bundle of wires. )



9) Pull the cable through the hole made in the rubber grommet earlier. Remove the nut on the positive terminal and thread the battery lug you installed on your cable and then reassemble.



(Afterwards it will look like this)



10) If possible now, bend the cable down at a 90º angle from the housing of positive terminal. You will then be able to re-install the stock positive terminal battery cover.



11) The grommet is easily re-installed by pushing back into the firewall hole. (unless you removed the rubber grommet from the white plastic ring, good luck if that's the case, it took me forever)

12) Re-install battery tray and battery.

13) Close hood. Drink beer.

[PhreshhWun]

This looks a lot cleaner than the other method I've seen before. In the oem audio plus video on youtube, they run the power wire from the battery to the drivers side grommet and send it through.. this removes the effort to hide the power wire from going across the engine bay .. Thanks ! Great pictures too by the way