Miasma

Well, i finally decided to register here!

Anyway, i am installing a competition sound quality system in my car. I looked under the hood and have a few questions:

1. What is that red box on the positive battery terminal? Is it ok if i cut the wires out of that and use an aftermarket battery terminal\distribution block?

2. How difficult is it to install a new alterantor? I think the stock alternator is 125A in the 1995 SE. Can anyone verify this? I am not sure if a new alt will be required anyway, but i will be powering 1500W RMS and may add another sub down the road to bump it to about 2600W RMS, if i do that, i will NEED a new alt.

3. Where is a good place to run a 0/1 AWG cable through the firewall?

Thanks guys!

PhantomMenace

1. You can cut the red box off, there's nothing special about it, it basically is a distribution block.

2. Instead of an altenator, how about a really good cap?

3. The firewall is pretty tight, no spots there for 0/1 gauge... you'll have to drill... I went thru right next to the grommet on the drivers side, easy enough to do, just make sure and wrap something around the wire, so you don't ground it out on the sharp edges.

Hope this helps,

-Phantom

Miasma

thanks for the reply

i had a feeling i could cut off that red box

even a REALLY good cap fully discharges in about .1 seconds, that is hardly enough for my needs. there is, however, a thing called a batcap that can pump out over 100A for over 5 seconds, i will probably get one of those too, but, i am going to be fusing at around 300A if i get the second sub, and that requires some serious power

can you explain to me a little more about where you got the cable through the firewall? is that the grommet right up by the wheel well that the cables already go through? where would the wire come out on the inside of the cabin? how would i get to it from the inside?

PhantomMenace

You could even run a 2nd battery to the trunk, that may help you... also alot auto shops can rebuild your existing altenator to a heavy-duty altenator, so that's an option too, maybe if you combine those options that might be the best and safest for you.

Also, The grommet up by the wheel well on the driver's side has a whole bunch a cables coming thru it. I couldn't fit my 4 gauge thru it too, so you definetly won't get a 1ga thru it. I drilled from inside thru the firewall, right next to that... and you'll see it pop out in the engine compartment... Its not that thick, so you should have a problem drilling thru. SO if you drill next to that grommet, the cables will go thru and come out just as they do for the cables do in the grommet. hope this helps,

-Phantom

Miasma

i have not taken my dash apart on the drivers side, how do you get to the firewall that high up from inside the cabin?

PhantomMenace

No need to take the dash apart, just the bottom piece... there's two screws at the bottom corners, and it will pop out. that's it.

thats all you should need to take apart, other carpet to run it to the back.

Miasma

lol, ok, i will look for the screws, where exactly are they?

PhantomMenace

under the steering wheel, there's the fuse panel cover...
take that off... then the larger panel has 2 screws on either side on the bottom... you'll see them, can't miss it.

Miasma

great! thanks so much! i will do that

PhantomMenace

no problem...
good luck.

-Phantom

Miasma

ok, well, i have looked, taken out the screws, but the panel will not come off. is it different for a 5 spd than a manual since the clutch is there?

jmax

1) I am pretty sure that if my car had a red box on the positive terminal that it didn't do anything important. It's been gone for nearly 60,000 miles.

2) Replacing the alt is time consumeing and expensive. Besides that it is unnecessary. A good cap will work fine. I have the alumapro 15 farad and it has worked like a charm for about 25, 26 months. A cap only needs to supply voltage for brief moments. By the time it is drained, the alternator is kicked on and recharging the cap as well as providing 14.4 volts for the stereo. A second battery is a strain on the alternator, not a benefit. If you get a second battery I would only connect it for competition when the engine will normally be off. I saw an advertisement for the batcap you mentioned. If it works as adveritsed it's a good device.

3) Yep, drill the hole. In the long run it will be better than using any of the factory holes. You can get a large PG grommet from parts express. Or a local car audio shop.

Miasma

I know i need to drill a new hole, but i do not know where.

I have tried looking under the steering column, but can not get the interior panels off. Also, even if i would find the place for it to go into the engine compartment, i dont know how i would fish it out to the battery. I may just have a shop run the power cable, but if you guys can help, it would be very much appreciated.

jmax

I would pull the carpet up. Drill the hole over, under or left of the factory foot rest. Or don't drill a hole. Run the wire through the chassis, the roughly 3 inch square pipeing to the rear of the car. Then pop it into the trunk area through one of the grommets in the trunk. Like the one under the spare tire. Or you can drill your own hole in the trunk near the amp mounting location.