Amplifier and separates install difficulties
 

I was installing separates and amp this weekend and although i have done quite a few installs I ran into some problems-mainly to reluctance to break something in new car.
First-running new speaker wires to doors. I squeezed wire between big white plug and body(possible future problem of cut wire) and couldn't stuff it into that rubber sleeve. Any other solutions?there's no way to reach that place with drill....
Also-running power cable to amplifier. Seems that old and trusted way of using same hole as ECU harness doesn't work-Mazda did a good job of making it very tight. I have absolutely no desire to drive coat hanger so close to harness, please advice if there's easier solution. Steering column seal maybe?I don't want to run wires from outside.
So far I Dynomat'ed driver side door and mounted tweeter, with all those obstacles I didn't get to passenger door yet. Right now I enjoy 3 speaker system :)
thanks for any help
Alex

what gauge is your power wire?
i ran mine next to the harness, if you are unsure as to going next to the harness, go from the inside out...push the whole harness aside while going thru the firewall...good luck.

It's just 10 gauge. i read that guys been fitting 4 gauge in there...
I will try again tonight and see how it goes
Thanks
Alex

mine is 4gauge, 10 should go no problem...good luck!

So true! That's where I ran my 4 gauge power.

Obender - you might want to re-think re-wiring the doors. It's really not necessary, and is a HUGE hassle. I bought a Dremel with an angle drill adapter, and was able to drill through the white connector in the passenger door, but still had trouble threading the wire. I actually drilled it bad, and exposed some of the metal in the connector - because while fishing the wire with a coathanger, the metal hanger made a connection somewhere, and my door locks started actuating - bad news. I buttoned it all up, thanked my lucky stars that everything still worked 100%, and never messed with it again.

If you are trying to fish wire through because you have separates, meaning, you have the crossovers mounted in-car somewhere, consider putting the x-overs IN the doors. I did mine this way - there is plenty of room under certain parts of the plastic door panel to hide the crossover units inside. Here's a couple of pics to show you what I did:
http://www.wagonsport.com/pics/audio/crossover.JPG
That's the x-over in the driver's door. I just extended the stock speaker wires to the unit, and screwed it right into the metal door - no sweat. In the next pic, you can see the part of the door that covers it - there's a lot of room in there, as well as in the area near the tweeter:
http://www.wagonsport.com/pics/audio...embleddoor.JPG

I just ran the output wires from my amp up to the stock speaker wires behind the deck and spliced them together. It was the easiest place to catch them, and to identify which wire was which.

Re-wiring the doors is basically worthless, unless you plan on running like 400 watts per side. Thicker wire might make you "feel" better, but the sound quality increase will be minimal at best, and probably totally inaudible. I've got 90 watts per side right now, and the stock wiring does just fine.

Thanks for help guys!
I installed everything and it works. I put crossovers in doors.
I took a shortcut with passenger door-I just put wires over the edge-I'll see how it goes in the future-seems that it doesn't get spliced or anything right now. I didn't do overkill with wires-I just used whatever came with speakers. If they start to get damaged or let moisture in, I will rewire back to factory wiring.
I don't have any ground loop noise except when I adjust passenger side mirror DOWN only. Fuck it I can live with that, I don't touch it often.
Amplifier is under passenger seat tucked under that plastic went-totally invisible from outside.It's Soundstream older USA series.
Tweeters are in the mirror backcovers-I attenuated left tweeter by -3db, so imaging is very good without being scewed to the left.Soundstage is high enough, although I wish it was surrounding me more.
BTW, I was going to get RF, but I got a good deal on Alpine Type R separates and they sound good.
Only concern is some buzzing-I will take doors apart again and add some more dampening material-I didn't expect power window/mirror panel in driver's door to rattle for example.
Alex

Hehe - I love it loud, too - but I do like loud SQ, so kind of a mix of SPL and SQ.

So - how's about making a mold of your pod once it's done? Maybe out of plaster or something? If they come out looking good, I'd definitely consider buying your mold and glassing it myself - I have been looking for a way to add some more front stage for a few reasons: Obviously, the increase in SPL would kick ass. I'd love to put in some kind of angled pod to try and bring the staging higher up. And, if I were to parallel another 4 ohm speaker (comp set, coax, midbass, midrange - who knows right now) into each door, I could get my load to my amp down to 2 ohms per channel, and pump the full 180+ watts per side my amp is capable of --- wooohooo!

Keep us updated - I, for one, am definitely interested.

~HH