Starting the install on my C5 Z06. Today the amps (PDX 2.150 and 1.600) and Pioneer DEH-P9800BT came in.

I am going to wire up the amps and install the deck along with running the speaker wire for the components to the amps and run the RCAs from the deck to the amps.

I am going to get my ground from behind the seatbelt on the passenger side. I was seeing if somebody had a pic of the harness under the pass dash to tap off of for the power and acc for the deck. I was just going to ground the deck to one of the screws that holds the dash kit in if that is correct.

Running 4GA from the battery---into 100AMP fuse--than into a distribution block and running 8GA from that to the amps. Remote wire I will just run one to one amp, and than bridge a wire off that amp to the other. I can't think of anything I am leaving out.

The sub box/speakers plates wont be here until saturday so as far as the speakers go, all I can do is run the wires that will go from the crossovers under the dash back to the amplifier. I don't think I'm leaving anything out. Feel free to chime in if you have any tips or something that I do not have covered.

I will be cutting a piece of 3/4" MDF to lay behind the seats on the "Deck" or whatever you call it and put that under the carpet so that I have something to mount the amps to. I am not sure what to do about the wires thoug. I want to hide them as much as possible.

-Zach

 

Only tip I can give you is to wait until your half way done before you start drinking.

 

I started mine yesterday... There are 3 unused wires taped off under the passenger kick panel. The yellow one is the one I used for the accessory wire on the deck. For the power wire, one of the plugs that comes off of the bose deck will have an orange wire on the corner... I used that one. Make sure you have the antenna adapter. The RCA's easily routed under the center console. I taped them to the center console before reinstalling to ensure the wires were kept away from pinch points. The amp power wire was fairly easy to run, once I got the angle right... I was running 0/1 though so the 4 should be smoother.

I think everything else is stated very well in the main sticky. I was also able to fix my "dead" screen on my A/C unit while I was in there. I'm doing my doors tonight and my sub box won't be here for another week.

John

 

I recommend taking the interior completely out before you start. Start with the seats. Then take the center console and other plastic dash parts off. Finally slip the carpets out of the passenger and driver sides then the waterfall and back end.

The makes it really easy to route all the wiring, mount your amps, etc.

If you've got squeaks and rattles, now is a great time to wire tie existing harnesses, use adhesive backed felt or velvet where plastic parts meet, add sound insulation, etc.

As far as waiting until half way before drinking, no way. My install took days and believe me, I needed alcohol several times during the process.

Have fun. I did

 

I disagree with removing the entire interior. I see no reason to remove the carpet and the only time I ever remove seats is if an amp is going under or behind them.

I do stereos in C5s weekly

 

So what do you remove? Just the center pieces?

 

depends on what ur puttin in and wher its goin

pull center counsle/radio trim
deff remove climate controls
pull up the sill panels/kick panels on both sides of the car to run ur wires
pull the piece that covers the underside of passenger dash to help run ur power wire in

 

PM sent

 

Exactly what I did! So today I completed the install the Pioneer DEH-P9800. Tapped off that nice convenient harness under the pass kickwell, but guess what. Got all the wires hooked up (power/acc) grounded to the bolt that mounts the deck in. Go to test fire up the deck before moving onto wiring other things, NO POWER. Got out a tester and for some reason, the orange wire had no power going to it, but the acc yellow did. I ended up grabbing a +12V off a wire in the stock deck harness.

I got the RCAs, speaker cables for the components, IPOD ipbus box hooked up, power wire, and got the microphone in.

Tomorrow I am going to cut a piece of MDF out the area behind the seats, mount that under the carpet, and screw the decks in and finish all my connections.

The speaker plates for the 6.5s and the sub box do not come until saturday

 

I got my constant power from the orange wire that goes to the bose deck.

 

Since it wasn't that much of a stretch, I added a backup camera.

Did have to remove the rear taillights to be able to work in that area, but mounted the GPS antenna (duck soup) while I was at it.

Since I had it all apart, I added the power antenna also.

Biggest PITA was drilling out the antenna grommet to get the wires through.

 

ZNewton,
going to be installing soon.
couple of questions.
were you able to run both RCAs down the center console without pinching/binding?
I'll also be mounting my AMPs behind the waterfall in my Vert. how did you run power to your distro block? down the door sill?

I have yet to take anything apart, so any insights into the best routes for things would be useful.

Thanks,
Jim

 

run em down either side of the trans tunnel, with center counsle out u can slide em down the side of the carpet

power down passenger sill