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Hello, I want to run 4 AWG to my trunk for subwoofers for my 05 civic EX sedan. However, I am currently stuck on how to get from the battery past the firewall and into the cabin. Currently, I think there are four options, but I don't know how to proceed with any of them.

First, there is the plug that is I have heard about that is just above the gas pedal and a bit to the right. I found this hole, but there is a blue cable of some sort running through it. It is not an electrical wire but rather an actual moving cable connection (like the throttle), but I don't know what it goes to. It connects on one end to something under the dash by the steering wheel (in that general vicinity), and then goes through the firewall (on the drivers side) and connects to something that looks like a valve on a tube near the passenger side. This tube is black, about an inch in diameter, and goes to something in the rear of the engine compartment. Closer to the valve that the blue cable connects to, it goes with another very similar tube back through the firewall on the passenger side.

I have no idea what this is, and am wondering, could I move this aside and run my power through this hole?

Second, is the hole mentioned about at http://www.8thcivic.com/forums/audio...ire-trunk.html
I believe I found this and it has my hood release latch cable running through it. I though this might be an option but I can't seem to even fit a coat hanger through the remaining space, much less 4 AWG. Can I do anything with this.

Third, on the drivers side a bit to the left of the steering column, there is a football shaped cutout in the insulation, and 3 circular shaped indents in the steel behind it (two small and one large). Could I drill through one of these to get to the engine compartment?

Finally, and maybe best, is the passenger side. I have heard that there is a grommet somewhere on the passenger side bear the battery that comes out by the glove box, but I can't find anything. Can anyone give me more specifics on how to find it?

Thanks a lot for any help.

 
Rep Power: 198

well I have a 2000 civic, luckily there was a grommet right infront of the steering wheel area in the firewall. But for the unlucky ones, like yourself with tons of holes but random crap running through, the best option I have done is drill a new hole near one that runs into the cabin. Actually drill through the firewall I mean, then get a rubber grommet and put it in there. I did this on 2 of my previous cars. Works perfectly, just make sure you dont drill into something lol. Make sure whats on the other side is just open space and not something useful . Dunno if this helps, but its definately an option

 
Rep Power: 353

there is a firewall grommet on the passenger side. u can use that. thats what i did.

 
Rep Power: 512

I'm running 0AWG wire (double jacketed, so the OD is about .5") through the grommet on the passenger side. From there, I have it running under the passenger side doorsill, and through the back plastic panels on the rear passenger side. Then again, I have a coupe, but I can imagine the route being very similar.

Looking into the engine bay, standing just in front of my battery. The grey shiny-ness at the top of the pic is my intake pipe


Just to let you know how thick the wire is, 13.61mm (.53")


and a view from the cabin, where the wire goes, it's underneath the passenger side carpet

 
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Is this the same grommet that riceboy posted about?

Also, what is the best way to get a cable through this grommet with other wires already there?

 
Rep Power: 512

I think he's talking about the same grommet. It's a popular grommet of choice to route amp power cables in our cars.

I used a fishtape to get the thing through. Not gonna lie, the day I installed that, I hella busted my knuckles and bled a bit..

 
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OK cool. I know I sound like a noob (mostly because I am), but how exactly should I go about getting thick wire through that grommet without damaging the wires that are already there.

 
Rep Power: 512

I shoved the fishtape through (from cabin to engine bay), gave my self plenty of length to work with, taped the wire to the end of the fishtape, and yanked away.. That's how I did it, at least

 
Rep Power: 353

yes it is

 
Rep Power: 512

in case you don't know what fish tape is, this is the same thing I have


bought it at home depot.. or lowes.. or similar.. I think it was lowes.

The busted knuckles came from the spring effect the little lever thingy was under, and it hella hit me in the knuckles.. and it was <50F out..

 
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would a wire coat hanger and a pair of pliers function as a cheap alternative?

 
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OK, so I tried shoving a coat hanger by the wires through the grommet, but I can't make it more than an inch or so. Am I not pushing hard enough? I don't want to break the wires that are already there.

 
Rep Power: 285

It shouldn't be that hard to push wires through, you can cut the grommet a bit to open it up and give more room for the new wires if absolutely necessary.

 
Rep Power: 512

I stabbed it with a screwdriver before trying to fit the 0AWG wire through

 
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I ran my wire through the grommet in the fender well behind the splash shield. like where the foglight wiring goes through there are 2 grommets there it is a very tight fit so i just used a little water to wet the cable so it would slide and a fish tape to get it started. and then zip tied it the wires that are already run there. It comes out just under the main fuse box in the engine bay.

 
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Alright, after working for a whole day, I have managed to get everything hooked up and working (I used the grommet on the passenger side). I started stuff up and all of the wiring seems to be good.

However, my car does not like to start consistently. Sometimes, I will unlock the doors and the dome lights come on and everything like they should, but when I turn the key, I hear a clicking sound, and then the entire electrical system shuts down. I think that it might be a bad connection, because when I moved the connector on the positive terminal of the battery around, I could get things working again.

I cleaned out the terminal and the connector with some coke and steel wool, and that helped some. I thought it was gone until I went to start it later, and the same problem happened. I opened the hood and smacked the connector on the positive side a couple of times and then it started, but I am worried about its reliability.

Does anyone else know what's wrong or what I can do to fix things?