cabin to engine bay fire wall access point

[Zq-8_dawg]

I am looking to run an amplifier wire and a radar detector this weekend and I can't find where to tap through the fire wall and I really don't want to drill if I can avoid it. So if anyone can tell me where to run my wires through I would really appriciate it.

BTW: my car is a 98 318ti

thank
Phil

[Kevin325i]

Shouldn't you just be running the wire from the battery in the trunk?

[bitcore]

Yah, the battery should be in the trunk, passenger side, under some plastic stuff, thats where you want to put the amp, the stock amplifier for your car is on the driver side, underneith some really stiff-ass carpeting.

If you really need to run to the engine bay anyways, if you remove the panel that covers the wires underneith the steering colum, (3 screws, 2 are in plain view in a driving position, the other is underneith) and remove the dead pedal (unscrew the hood latch, and turn a plastic piece with a quarter) there will be a bundle of wires that's wraped with a fabric strap. If the wire isn't huge, you can just cram it through the hole where those wires go, the wire you pushed through will end up in the fusebox. Remove the fusebox cover and unscrew the 4 long screws, carefully pull up the fuse panel and you should see a big mess of wires, and your lone wire stuffed up in there.

You can drill a hole in the fusebox or just run the wire out of a drainage hole or some shit (whatever that is) like I did.


If you need a high amperage positive terminal to tap off of, you can use the one on the right side of the engine bay.

[El Presidente]

Euro models have the bat mounted up front. To acces those, take off the blove compartment and kickpanel and you will see the redline going to the positive terminal in the engine bay.

But if you are hardwiring the RD, why not tap and fuse an accessory line? Much less work. As for the amp wire, theres a DIY in my sig that should help you out some. Use the Ai-Net cable stuff as though it were amp wire.

[Zq-8_dawg]

My radar detector has 2 sensors that mount behind the bumper cover then it comes to a switch inside of the car were it all hooks together, so that is why I need to get through the fire wall.

Also my battery is under the hood not in the trunk, but I have some ideas now.

[El Presidente]

Ahhh, you have a REAL dectector.

Anyway, if you remove the kickpanel on the passenger side along with the glove area, you should see a loom you can work some extra wires into. You may need to pull back the carpet too, I don't remember exactly where it was.

[bitcore]

What kind of detector is it? (brand, etc) and how much did it cost you? I'm interested in one of those...

[El Presidente]

My fathers boss just bought a db7, and he had a very illegal $4000 laser/radar jammer system put in it.

[Zq-8_dawg]

The detector that I have is a k40 700swl BMW dealer sold them for $700 + install
Install is around $300....... that is why I am installing it myself. I picked up the detector for $200 from the dealer cause I know a few guys who work there.

[Zq-8_dawg]

Ok well I got my wires through the firewall. What I did was removed the battery box, took out the glove box and lower dash pannel. from under the hood I took a coat hanger and poked through next to another wire till I was able to tie and tape my wires on to be pulled through. I will probably finish tomorrow or tonight, but the rest of the install should be easy. Thanks ElPresidente for all the help

[skawful]

i thought jammers were legal if you had an FCC liscence...?

[El Presidente]

That may be true, but it is illegal to jam any law enforcement/military device.