00-05 how to install subs and an amp to your factory head unit
 

hey eveyone. i recently installed 2 12" diamond audio D3's and a 2000 watt powerbass monoblock amp. http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e330/robh68/003.jpg

quite a few of you guys were wondering how i did this with having my factory headunit so i thought i would post a thread about it. this could save you lots of money by doing it yourself.
this is just to help you along. do it at your own risk!

here we go
What you will need:
a few hours
Amp wiring kit
screwdriver
a wrench to take off your positive battery wire(i think mine was 6 or 8mm)
a razor blade
lighter(optional)
speaker wire if your amp kit didnt come with it
electrical tape.
some type of audio converter to change speaker wire to rca wires. i used an SNI-35 by a brand called pac
drill

1. mount the speakers in your box and make sure to connect the right polarity. depending on how many ohms your speakers and amp are is which way you hook them up. it should say in your speaker or amp instuction book.

2 dont put the box in the trunk yet you are going to need all the room you can get. run the power wire from the battery to the trunk avoiding anything that could crush or pinch the wire. make sure to not have the fuse in the wire yet. also make sure you put the fuse end under the hood
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e330/robh68/026-1.jpg
i ran it through on the passenger side all the way back.remove the moulding that runs along the carpet and the passenger kick pannel. pull the carpet back to give yourself some room. drill a hole big enough for your wire to go through but not too big. you can use a gromit to seal the hole if you want. i didnt and i havnt had any leaking yet. run the wire through and along the side
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e330/robh68/031.jpg
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e330/robh68/032.jpg
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e330/robh68/033.jpg
remove the back quarter plastic and the bottom of the back seat(it just pulls up in the front and then comes out) to run the wire hidden all the way back. run it under the carpet and behind the back seat into the trunk.
if you would like the wires hidden like mine are run them under the trunk carpet and make a small slice with a razor blade in the carpet to thet the wires through where you will be placing the amp.
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e330/robh68/025.jpg
at this point you could also run the remote wire(the one that switches the amp on and off) back with the power wire. i ran mine on the drivers side, but it would be easier just to run both of them together on the same side so you dont have to tear even more interior parts out. i hooked the remote wire to the pink wire on the ignition switch. this will turn they amp on when the key is on the ON position. i did it this way so my amp would not run the battery dead if i just had the radio on while washing waxing ect. you could find an accesory switched fuse in one of the fuse boxes if you would like it to come on when they key is on accesory.(it will also turn on in the on position hooked up this way)
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e330/robh68/040.jpg
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e330/robh68/041.jpg

3.next run the wires for you converter. i used a SNI-35. it was very simple.
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e330/robh68/035.jpg
to wire this up, or most i have messed with, simply read which wires are which and hook to the back speakers accordingly. i used a lighter to melt the insulation off of the speaker wires to hook the sni up. you will need to run leads from your speakets to your sni because the wires that come on it are about 3 inches long.
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e330/robh68/036.jpg
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e330/robh68/037.jpg
in most cases on your factory speakers, the lighter wire is the positive and darker the negative. if you do not hook this up right the system will not work. make sure you hook these wires up correctly.
there are also adjustments for right and left on the sni. turn them both up about half way.
again i ran the wires behind the trunk carpet to hide them.

4. hook up your rca wires to your sni. i ran mine through the same hole i cut in the trunk carpet so they would be hidden and come out right at the amp. you should only need a 3 foot rca cable.

5. run your ground wire. i hooked mine to the strut mount nut in the trunk
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e330/robh68/039.jpg
make sure you get a good clean surface. you may want to sand the paint off under the nut so your ground will make good contact. i also ran this wire behind the trunk carpet and out the same hole.

6. place your box in your trunk.

7. run wires from the box to where you will be placing the amp. make sure to keep your polarities right. depending on where your outputs on your box are you may have to run your wires different then mine.
i made a small slice in each side and ran the wire like this
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e330/robh68/024.jpg
again behind the carpet and hidden. the other wire you see going twards the front of the car goes around to the other side of the box. my amp is monoblock and the speakers have to be bridged. again look in your speaker installation guide to see how to do yours.
then run the speaker wire out of the same hole where the amp will be place with the rest of your wires.

8. install the amp. set the amp where you have ran all of your wires and hook them up accordingly. the power wire to the amp input that says 12v or bat. ground to ground, the remote wire to the remote or switched terminal, your rca's to the amp input for rca's(make sure not to hook them to other rca terminals. some have output or other rca terminals.) and the speaker wires going to the subs to the speaker output terminals. make sure to keep polarity as you have been through the whole install.

9. put the fuse in the power wire under the hood.

now you are ready to test it out. turn your key on and look at the amp. there should be a led indicator to tell you it turned on. turn you volume up to see if you are getting anything out of the speakers. if not, adjust the sni-35 up a little more and check the levels on the amp adjustments. it may take a little bit for you to get it sounding how you want but when you do, it should sound great.

if i forgot anything someone let me know!

Amazing write up dude, everything there Im completely for (did it in a friends pontiac grand am) Can I add a bit of advice for those scared to drill a hole?

thank you! and sure go ahead. anyone can add what they want. i dont mind! i was going to run it through the boot on the drivers side but it would have taken a lot more wire and mine wasnt long enough since the bat is on the passenger side.

nice write up this will help tons of people to put in a system generally.

factory amp???
 

will you lose function of your factory amp or be able to integrate it with aftermarket products?

my factory amp is still powering my factory speakers. the new amp is just running the subs. everythin gelse is the same as it was before the install. im thinking about upgrading my factory speakers and replacing my factory amp with an aftermarket one. if i do i will be sure to post a DIY about it!

aftermarket speakers
 

awsome thanks. and dnt let the guys at the stores fool you. they will tell you you need your car rewired to put aftermarket speakers and tell you you need high end $$$$ speakers. they told me my factory speakers run on 2 ohms so i would need to find aftermarket 2 ohm speakers... Infinity carries them thats what i have all around in my car now. I had to hard wire the rear deck speakers but not hard at all, and i lost the use of the tweeters in the door speakers but it doesnt matter too much because I upgraded to a better quality after market speaker. BUT ANYWAY when i removed my factory speakers all of them were stamped 4 ohms. so i think it was just a sales ploy. but my Infinites hit hard. Ive had people ask me if i had subs. so i know once i install the subs for real it will bang for sure...

thanks for the how to...looking to put together a system as soon as my adapter and amp come in this will really come in handy!

This is one hell of a write up but unfortunately, I am going through a problem with the "remote wire". I did exactly what the write up and other instruction as well suggested, but the amp stays on constantly with the ignition wire and remote wire hookup. Now, I could be looking at the wrong ignition wire, but I made sure it was "pink" and that the amp turns on with I touches the Remote Wire to the Pink Wire. Don't you know how when the radio stays on (after you cut the car off) and it goes off when you open the door! Well, I did that with the ignition wire and the amp was still on when I opened the door with the keys out of the ignition. I started scratching my head in confusion. Please help, is there any other way for the amp to turn on and off when the car does so I won't drain my battery and end up needing a jump to start my car (Like today)?

not sure exactly how your electrical works but when i unlock the doors in my car with the remote keyless entry the amp is on...and remains on for a few minutes if you leave it....same as when you lock it....but my remote wire is hooked up from the add an amp adapter that i bought that has that built in....if its staying on all the time and drains your battery then you need to find a different source...try google and search for wiring diagrams to help you locate an appropriate place to tap