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Ok this is how you should run your wires in the S2000... I've done this in most car's I've wired and so far to date none of them have had any noise.
If you disagree with this, that's fine to each their own, but this as worked for me for many years with no problems, so if you have something negitive to say just move on because I really don't want to argue about this. I just used Monster Cable products for the pictures use whatever product you like. Just do your homework and don't buy junk,... this is one of those times you get what you pay for, for the most part anyway.
So here we go:
Parts: Battery terminals (positive and negitive): Power wire terminals(I use similar ones):
Power wire(the size you need will depend on how much power your system will need. The average S2K system will most likely need a #4. You'll need about 14'-16')
Fuse block(your fuse size will be decided on the power draw of your setup):
Distribution block if you have more than one amp: RCA's(depending on your setup, you can use a four channel and a dual for RCA's) Speaker wire (4 conductor wire is best and easiest to run):
There are some misc products will also be needed, such as tie-wraps 3" and 7", screws, ring terminals, fork terminals, shrink wrap in a few different sizes, tape, solder, and so on.
1. Power - Your Amp power lead should run from the battery to a fuse block close to the battery, from the fuse block across the engine bay away from the battery and should enter your car on the right hand side of the engine bay under the brake master cylinder. There's a wiring grommet you can fit the wire though after making a small hole in it. Next run the power wire down the drivers side of the car (reason for this is most of the power leads in the car run to the drivers side of the car... ie: fuse panels, ECU, wiring harnesses, etc...) run it into the spare tire area and leave any slack on the power wire behind the drivers seat. (this should be minimal if at all) It should also go though anothor fuse block or fused distrabution block before you connect it to the Amp.
If you have an Alpine Head unit, most of the nicer ones require you to get a direct fused line from the battery. This time run a #10 power wire from the battery to an infuse then onto the HU.
2. Grounds - The is very important. You should ground your amps with the proper size grounding wire. What is the right size? Well if you ran a #6 power lead you can step the ground down to a #8 if you ran a #8 step it down to a #10. However some people say you may get better power transfer if you use the same size ground as your power wire.
Each amp should have its own ground wire directly to the car's body. Look for unpainted bolts usually goldish in color. The use of ring terminals are execellent for grounds. Crimp the ring onto the end of the wire, back out a good grounding bolt and sucure the ring under the bolt and replace the bolt tightly (locktight is a good idea as a loose ground can drive you crazy) As for grounding the HU, this should get the same attention to detail. Run a ground wire to a bolt that is directly connected to the frame/body of the car. If the bolt or bolts you choose to use have paint on them or under the bolt this must be sanded off for a good ground connection.
3. RCA's - Your RCA's should run from behind your HU under the dash on the passenger side or along the front passenger floorboard and along the passenger side door sill / carpeted area, up and into the spare tire area and directly into the amps. Any excess RCA cable should be tie-wraped or wire-tied away from the power and the body of the amps. (if you bought cheap crappy RCA's return them and get better ones its well worht it. Something that has twisted pairs is best the speaker wire looking ones with RCA ends are no good)
While running the RCA's to the back of the car from your headunit, this would be a good time to also run and route the remote turn lead. This lead must be connected for the amp to turn on. This lead will get connected to the headunits harness and to the remote turn-on location on the Amp. This usually is inbetween the power and the ground (on most amps anyway)
4. Speaker wire - If your replacing the speaker wire... (and if your installing an Amp this should be a given)
Starting with the drivers side: From the Drivers door run the wire under the dash away from as much electrical as possible. This is tricky and you will have to deal with some electrical so when you do you should try to run the speaker line perpindicular to the electrical. Run it behind the HU then follow the RCA's into the trunk area. Run the passenger door wire into the trunk the same way... follow the RCA's. There's plenty of space on that side of the car with very very little electrical to worry about. If your installing rear speakers or S-pod's run the drivers side wire though and behind the center console/secert compartment and follow the RCA's and have the Passenger side follow the RCA's and other speakers wires into the trunk. Any extra speaker wire you can cut to fit or you can leave (A LITTLE) tie-wraped to the extra RCA's, but you really should cut these to fit.
To run the new speaker wire into the doors you'll need a snake to help snake it through the grommet into the door from the cabin. I use #12 stranded wire and a little wire lube. You'll need to make a small hole in the tape from inside the car into the rubber boot. Once you did that you used the piece of #12 gauge stranded THHN to push through the hole and into the boot itself. Once its inside add a little spray lube(do not use anything corrosive, just something slick, mild soap works good) then push that sucker through to the otherside into the door. Once it it stops pushing you have most likely hit the tape on the inside of the doors. Just reach into the door feel around on the harness, locate where the wire is trying to push through and push the 'all or automotive pick' right into the wire(or just scratch at it with your fingernail and push) and it will pop right out. Once you push the snake through the grommet into the door attach the speaker wire onto the snake/pull wire from inside the cabin of the car and just pull it through. Its best not to make the hole to big when snaking the wire through the door, if you don't make the hole to big it should pretty much seal itself back up once you pull the wire into the door.
Please be careful when reaching into the door, as the tract for the window is VERY sharp and it will cut you if you just reach into the door to fast.
I know that sounds hard buts its actually much easier than it sounds.
With regards to mounting new speakers you'll need to either cut the back off the stock speaker basket or make a ring out of MDF. Just trace the stock basket onto the MDF cut out the shape. Coat it with whatever paint you have around to protect it and seal it, otherwise if it gets wet it can break down the MDF.
Do not use a sealed baffle to 'protect' the speaker. Using these can actually damage your speakers. If you want to proect from the rain that may enter the door via the window cut the bottom half off the baffle before you install it. Most aftermarket automotive speakers (other than subwoofers) are not designed to operate within a seal enclosure.
You should never run speaker lines or RCA's down the drivers side of the car. There is way to much power on the drivers side of the car to introduce noise into the lines. This will not happen every time and if you have done this I would guess your using very good quality product's.
This is how I've done it for years on this car and many others.
If your going to spend the time and money on upgrading your ICE you might as well do it right the first time.
I'll continue to add to this so that someone can look at it having never done this and have a useful idea of what's involved.
I'm going to dig up some pictures of the speaker baskets that I used/made, exactly how to run new wiring into the doors themselves. I hope this will help folks that wonder whats involved in a sound system upgrade to have a decent understanding of the process, and if they feel comfortable doing it themselves or if they now feel they should hire someone.
11-11-2004, 02:19 PM
Wiring your S2000's new ICE setup
...i guess there's always next time.
