Stereo upgrade/installation questions

[sylcurt]

Hi, after searching a number of posts and looking at pictures, I have a few questions, more about the car, than about the new stereo...

After dynamatting the doors, and installing the Focal door components, I installed my Angus sub box....so question #1 - when repositioning the module that was originally under the factory Bose sub, up to under the glove box area, is there a "right way" to mount it-meaning is there a right side up, or some type of proper way of attching it up in the new location?
(ex: velcro, double sided tape, metal strapping, etc)

Question #2 - related to the above, does the bottom of the plastic trim piece from under the glove box need to be cut away as seen in my first picture below, or as suggested in this link? http://www.pfarrout.com/nsx.htm

Question#3 - looks like there are lots of options for running speaker wire from trunk to head unit area, but for my RCA cables, I don't see any larger grommets in which to go through (between trunk and engine, and engine and cabin) I found some pics through searching, but don't recognize off hand where on the car these actually are? Because the RCA cable I am using is a large "all in one" cable, I would need a fairly large opening to pass through/// (see my last pic for the type of RCA cable I have)-end is large

Last Questions - for those who have used the jumper terminal in the fuse box for their main + power supply, have you experienced any issues using it, vs direct from the battery? (alternator whine, etc?) And for the ground cable in the trunk area, is there a spot that anyone has found works well?

Thanks for any help....looks like my RCA cable will be the biggest challenge at this point...
http://www.nsxprime.com/forums/showthread.php?t=129860

 

[shawn110975]

well I know that if you run the RCA or the power wires on the passengerside you wil get MAD engine noise as the altenator is on the passenger side. so I would run ALL the wires on the drivers side to stop this.

if you have already run the wires on the passengerside. well goodluck tring to get ride of the engine noise.

I tried re-grounding it, tried a direct wires to the battery I tried those engine noise reducers from radio shack. nothing worked. so I re-ran the wires on the driverside and not one issue. but I have since removed that system and put a small 4 channel Alpine under the passenger dash where that OEM sub was sounds great. if you like loud music all you need is the doors and center, that sub at the bottom is kinda pointless and you have no leg room for your passenger. I didnt like it so removed it and gave it away.

 

[clr1024]

I ran my RCA connections to the passanger side of the rear firewall,there is a rubber grommet there, so have speaker wire and RCA's running through there. I am only running a single RCA and three pairs of speaker wire though. If you are running two sets of RCA's then I could see that being a problem. Then ran the RCA's to the rear firewall around the ECU and up through the center armrest to the center console and to the stereo. I do not have noise issues.

 

[syndicate]

The power wires have nothing to do with engine noise by themselves. Its the RCAs that get the engine noise and they usually get noise from running the RCAs too close to the power wire. As a rule:

If you are running a sub amp only then you can run the power wire on the same side as the RCAs because any noise picked up (high frequencies) will be cut by the crossover in the amp.

If you are running both a sub amp and an amp for your highs or just an amp for your highs, then you should not run the RCAs and the power down the same side. I have have done it anyway on some cars and depending on the product and cable quality or sometimes the car itself, I have not had any noise issues.

Also, Honda ECUs are notorious for causing noise issues if RCAs are run too close to them. This isn't always the case, but I have seen it more than once in 15 years of professional car stereo installation. Obviously, the altenator is a source for EMI as well. Sometimes, I would hook everything up and lay the RCAs throughout the car in the general way I was planning to run them to test for engine noise. Do this with the radio volume one click from mute with the engine running and the windows up and all doors shut. Tap the gas and listen for high pitch revving coming from the speakers matching the engine revs.

I have some solutions for curing engine noise when you've taken every precaution and you still have engine noise. Feel free to contact me anytime via IM or cell 919-539-2131 if none of this made sense.

Good luck,
Jay

 

[EAC]

I'd like to know how to get wires ran to the trunk as well.

 

[clr1024]

I'd like to know how to get wires ran to the trunk as well.

I'll take a look at my car tonight, as I did this over six years ago, but pretty sure I ran all speaker and RCA on the passenger side trhough fire wall then up through center arm rest to stereo. I pulled the power from the fuse box in the engine and ran on the driver side of the car to the trunk. As for the ground I just ran the ground to bare metal in the trunk above the passenger side wheel. The remote I pulled from the power antennae. If you have an aftermarket that doesn't always switch the power antenae on, I would just run that up the center console, behind the rear interior pieces with the RCA's as well.

 

[EAC]

I'll take a look at my car tonight, as I did this over six years ago, but pretty sure I ran all speaker and RCA on the passenger side trhough fire wall then up through center arm rest to stereo. I pulled the power from the fuse box in the engine and ran on the driver side of the car to the trunk. As for the ground I just ran the ground to bare metal in the trunk above the passenger side wheel. The remote I pulled from the power antennae. If you have an aftermarket that doesn't always switch the power antenae on, I would just run that up the center console, behind the rear interior pieces with the RCA's as well.

As far as getting it through the firewall. That’s my main concern, I don’t want to drill any holes. Are there bulkheads already there that I can run the wires through? It doesn’t actually get ran through the engine bay, right?

Right now, my audison amp is sitting behind my seat. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>

 

[clr1024]

As far as getting it through the firewall. That’s my main concern, I don’t want to drill any holes. Are there bulkheads already there that I can run the wires through? It doesn’t actually get ran through the engine bay, right?

Right now, my audison amp is sitting behind my seat. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>

I didn't have to drill any holes, but my amp is in my trunk. The only things I had to route to and from the cabin were the RCA cables and speaker wires.

The power cable I routed along the outside perimeter of the engine and then into the trunk.

Since your amp is in the cabin already you only have to route the power wire to the engine bay and fuse box. You could run it up behind the interior rear pieces, by the ECU to the passenger side and then out the existing hole, run it along the backside of the engine-side of the firewall to the fuse box from there. Of course this may depending on the guage wire you are using. As for the ground you could cut carpet, lightly grind the paint of a nearby piece of metal on the car so it's bare then put a star washer on a self tapping screw and screw it in.

 

[EAC]

I didn't have to drill any holes, but my amp is in my trunk. The only things I had to route to and from the cabin were the RCA cables and speaker wires.

The power cable I routed along the outside perimeter of the engine and then into the trunk.

Since your amp is in the cabin already you only have to route the power wire to the engine bay and fuse box. You could run it up behind the interior rear pieces, by the ECU to the passenger side and then out the existing hole, run it along the backside of the engine-side of the firewall to the fuse box from there. Of course this may depending on the guage wire you are using. As for the ground you could cut carpet, lightly grind the paint of a nearby piece of metal on the car so it's bare then put a star washer on a self tapping screw and screw it in.

I don't want the amp behind my seat, I want it mounted in the rear trunk :redface:

 

[captngaryr]

Remember, I believe there is a gas tank between the cabin and the engine bay. Be very careful drilling holes, it could ruin your whole day!.

Gary

 

[sylcurt]

Yes, exactly, and that becomes the real source of my problem....I don't know the car well enough to know where all the potential pass-through areas are...the service manuals and drawings give some help, but they don't account for all the other things that are bolted over top of that specific part of the chassis, and actually gaining access to work with it.

RCA's - from headunit area to trunk(amp)

4 Gauge Primary power from fusebox in engine bay behind driver to trunk (amp)

Speaker wire from Trunk (amp) to head unit area (to patch in to OEM harness) along with remote on

The challenge will be the firewall seperating cabin and engine , as well as the one between trunk and engine....that midengine setup is awesome, and what defines the NSX, but makes it a bugger to get cables to trunk....lol

Thanks so much however for the replies....I've basically got the entire interior gutted at this point, and still don't see anything big enough to push RCA's through....

I also do not want to do any drilling if possible ....nice if there was a large existing grommet that I could push them through...

I am seriously debating mounting the amp behind the passenger seat, but with using the sub in the footwell, its already snipping off some space. If I have to slide the seat 2-3 inches forward, its really going to be bad...that is why trunk was my first choice...

 

[NSX2398]

IIRC, the cable for the optional CD changer runs through the drivers side of the firewall. Even if you never had the CD changer, I would think that there is still a grommet or at least a hole there. The cable to the CD changer isn't huge but I would think it should be easily enough to accommodate a power cable, remote, and ground ... or maybe a number of speaker wires. I just don't know if it's one of those things that could only be done at the factory or if its accessible.

 

[clr1024]

I don't want the amp behind my seat, I want it mounted in the rear trunk :redface:

OK took a look tonight to verify:

Power cable from trunk to fuse box:

I ran the power wire from the trunk on the driver side through the engine to the fuse box. You will need to pull back the carpet to see the grommet.

Speaker wires and RCA cables from to/from trunk.

I ran these on the passenger side of the trunk, there is a grommet/opening there. Around the passanger side of the engine routed with zipties. To get into the cabin there is another grommet on the pasanger side firewall, right next to the fuel filter. From here I ran in it on the inside of the firewall up the center of the car to the head unit.

Hope that helps.

 

[clr1024]

Remember, I believe there is a gas tank between the cabin and the engine bay. Be very careful drilling holes, it could ruin your whole day!.

Gary

The gas tank is double lined, and you can tell where it is when you pull back the trunk lining, I put the ground over one of the near/over one of the wheel arches. You could ground to the firewall as well. That would be the only hole I see having to drill. Depending on how you mount your amp.

 

[mokjwk]

I mounted 2 amps in the trunk 1 mono block for the sub and 1 for the door speakers. Ran power off the jumper blocks in the engine bay. Routed power wires on drivers side to amps in the trunk and all RCA cables and speaker wire on passenger side to the speakers. I have no engine noise at all and it made for a very clean installation. I will post pics asap. Currently my car cover is frozen solid as I had to park her outside to work on another vehicle. (damn winter weather).

 

[trainingrevolution]

When I had my amp mounted in the trunk I pulled a Monster Cable 4-channel wire through the grommet behind the passenger seat its in the top corner. I didn't have any problems with noise or heat by mounting my amp in the trunk, and I live in Austin, TX with a Black/Black car. I used the jumpstart terminal for power. I now have the amp mounted in the footwell - and just run a pair of component speakers without a subwoofer.

 

[NSX2398]

I now have the amp mounted in the footwell

Do you mean "under the glovebox"? How did you run the power cable?

 

[mokjwk]

Attached are the pics for my stereo install & CF layover. SOrry about the picture quality, trying to take at night in the rain.

 

[jdmturtleracin]

I ran everything through the large grommet on the passenger side of the vehicle. Mounted Amp (JL Audio HD600/4) where the OEM CD changer was mounted.

Wires through grommet consisted of 4 Gauge Monster Power, Monster 404 XLN RCA's, Monster XLN Speaker Wires, remote wire, etc etc.

I have no feedback what-so-ever. Just make sure you use quality cables, and power wires as these are key to any great sounding stereo.

 

[sylcurt]

What is this DIN plug for?

Got looking in behind the center console, where the center tweeter is...anyone know what this plug (DIN style, looks like CD Changer cord) is used for? Curious more than anything....( I have put a piece of red tape beside it in the picture, sorry 1st one should be rotated one notch)

Also, Thanks for all the great ideas for wiring and where to pass through...anyone got any tips on how to securely mount the power sterring module under the golve box?...do you really need to cut away the majority of the plastic trim under there for it to fit?

Curtis

 

[syndicate]

Re: What is this DIN plug for?

That is probably the factory cell phone wiring.

Jay

Got looking in behind the center console, where the center tweeter is...anyone know what this plug (DIN style, looks like CD Changer cord) is used for? Curious more than anything....( I have put a piece of red tape beside it in the picture, sorry 1st one should be rotated one notch)

Also, Thanks for all the great ideas for wiring and where to pass through...anyone got any tips on how to securely mount the power sterring module under the golve box?...do you really need to cut away the majority of the plastic trim under there for it to fit?

Curtis

 

[sylcurt]

Thanks Jay, I totally forget about the OEM phone....I was thinking it might have been something that integrates into the OEM head unit like the CD changer and use it for possible Ipod integration...through an adapter cable...

 

[NSX2398]

Actually, you might be interested to know that such a head connector exists. It's up behind the driver seat just before the cable goes into the trunk to the CD player. This is where the SOS IPOD integration box gets connected.

 

[sylcurt]

Thank you for sharing....

 

[STANJR]

I am installing a Pioneer X920BT and have a popping sound occur when I turn my car off. Pioneer has said use RCA cables with grounding wires because I had a grounding problem. This did not work. At Pioneer's suggestion I took my car to a Best Buy installer who tried using a resistor to eliminate the problem to no avail. I contacted Pioneer again, and now they say to try a transistor to regulate the "trigger voltage on the amps".

Does anyone have a idea the might fix this problem.
Thanks