Gen 7 Power
From Wiki
Items Required For Install
- 20Amp Rated Cable for Head unit 4M max
- 8AWG/10AWG Cable for AMP 12V approx 5M max
- 8AWG/10AWG Cable for AMP Earth approx 1.5M max
- Remote turn on cable for AMP 6M Max
- Inline Fuse to mount near Battery to isolate AMP (Rating depends on AMP)
- Phono Cables to carry Audio Signal to AMP 6M Max
- Philips Screwdriver
- Drill/knife
- Silicon Sealant
- Socket Set
- Additional Components (Soldering Iron, Crimping Tool, Bullet crimps or equivalent)
- Optional Components (Quick Release AMP Kit)
Time Required 3-4 hours
Before starting any install in your Celica it is worth taking 5 minutes to make a check list and decide what you are hoping to achieve in the time you have.
The last thing you will want to do is to have to stop half way through installing, just to pop out for a part!
A useful piece of advice would be to ensure you have decided on what mechanisms you will need to connect your devices together. Most HU/AMPS offer different interconnects, whilst some allow attachment of bear wires.
If you need to install separate power to your HU, a requirement of some of the more powerful units, please follow:
This will show you how to remove the Console prior to getting access to any wiring!.
Removing the Glove Compartment
To give yourself more access to run wiring for power cables, it is a quick and easy job to remove the Glove box.
- Open the Glove Compartment and remove the 3 cross head screws at the top edged of the compartment nearest to the closing edge.
- Using the socket set, remove the two bolts that retain the bottom of the Glove box to the trim.
- Their positions are roughly marked in the picture on the right as red dots.
Finding Cable Run
- At the bottom left of the Glove Box area is a wiring Pod which mounts to the chassis.
Just above this pod is a circular hole which can be used to drop the AMP cable and HU Power cable.
- You can see the red 8AWG cable I used to power my AMP in image to the right.
(Note) You might find it necessary to move the Pod to help guide any cables.
Removing Wheel Guard
To give yourself access to be able to run wiring to the battery, the easyest way is to first unclip part of the mud guard.
- Follow the instructions to the right.
The clips have a centre pin which pops out before you can remove the entire clip.
(Note) you don't even need to remove the wheel first!!!
Wheel Grommet
Once the Clips are removed you can prise back the plastic arch to reveil the Grommet.
Grommet Cables
- The Grommet can be removed from the chassis to allow you do drill/cut a suitable hole.
- Feed the cables down from the inside of the car and out through the hole where the grommet was located.
- Feed the new cut grommet back onto the cable and slot back into the chassis.
- You need about 1-2M of slack in the cable at this point which you can feed up through a hole in the top of the guard, straight into the engine compartment
- To stop water from getting inside the compartment, I used some silicone sealant around the cables and the grommet.
- Once you have enough cable slack in the engine bay, replace the wheel arch.
Running Power Cables to Boot
There are several methods according to the threads I have read in the forum. Some have chosen to run the cable through and under the centre plastic trim from the console backwards. I however, chose to use the space under the Plastic Celica floor trims on the edge of the doors.
- The easiest way I found to remove these was to start prising up from the inside, nearest the carpet edge. It is a bit disconcerting as the clips are push fit, but come out with a bit of
effort.
- Next you can remove the fancy aluminum trimmed "Celica" plastic that covers the door lip. Likewise, this is quite difficult to get out but just don't over do it with brute force!!! If you break anything, don't come crying in my direction!!!
- I found that there are some white cable retainers above the carpet on the passenger side perfect to run the 2 power cables (AMP and Remote turn on)
- On the drivers side these white retainers held the water pipe for the rear wind screen washer. I chose this side to run the Phono cables down.(To prevent any induced power noise from running next to power cables)
- Now is the more tricky part! I could not find any easy way to move the plastic trim which covers the inside walls for the rear seat interior. With a bit of bending and pushing of cable I managed to run the cables under the first edge of plastic trim and then out under the rear seats into the boot.
Warning be careful not to get close to any hinges otherwise you could end up cutting into your cables!
Decisions Decisions!
The biggest decision in your ICE install is going to be how to use the AMP in the boot! I found that with my Alpine 60W HU I had ample volume/sound quality through the standard 7 Gen speakers. Obviously some of the more experienced installers here may beg to differ, but what are they doing reading this guide I wonder! [img]/public/style_emoticons/default/wink.png[/img] I therefore decided that my Boot install was going to be only for a Sub System. I already owned from my previous car a JBL Power Series AMP/Sub so it made sense to save some cash and install into my Celi! I also decided that as I need to use the boot of my car more regularly I wanted the install easily removable!
Removing the tray behind the seats
One thing that bugged the hell out of me when I bought the car was the design of the boot floor. My Celica 190 has a sort of Strut bar built into the chassis inline with the rear wheels. Mounted over this is a grey plastic tray which sits snuggly against the seats. To remove, I prised the two plastic clips out like the ones in the wheel arch, and remove the tray entirely. As a replacement, I fabricated an MDF panel which sits flush with the level of the carpet and allowed me to buy a prefabricated Sub box which can be pushed all the way back. I sprayed this MDF panel in grey and added some brackets and Velcro to hold the Sub box in place.
Quick Release Power!
Yes you heard me right... I have come up with an install that allows me to remove the Sub/AMP unit directly from the car without worrying about shorting cables to the chassis!!! After a lot of searching and various suggestions from the forum I found that the U.S. Company Stinger do a Quick Release AMP wiring connector.
My Local Car Audio dealer were able to source these at £26 per connector! Ouch that hurt my pocket! These connectors are 4AWG and will take up to 150AMPS. Slight overkill in my case!!! Here is a picture in my car.
Since installing my system NJay came across a distributor who sells what appears to by identical connectors at a fraction of the cost!!!
Breakout connectors for 8AWG Cable (PP50)
Breakout connectors for 4AWG Cable (PP175)
An alternative for thinner 10AWG is a:
Not quite as neat though!
Earthing the AMP
Fairly straight forward this one!!! Just look for a bolt mounted to the chassis and connect to it! I used one on the floor of the boot beneath a tray
Additional useful info from my install
- As I already owned a 12" JBL Sub I needed to make/buy a sub box that would fit into my Celica. In the end I came across a UK company
The model I chose was B150S12 which fits the height and width of the boot exactly!!!. Only £50 on offer, a bargain! My sub required 1.5 cubic feet of space for a sealed enclosure. The Box allowed me to mount the speaker and the AMP directly onto the unit. Spot the mistake in the fabrication of mine as they mounted the Speaker terminals on the wrong side!!!! ArSe! That meant I had to run the speaker cable over the top! All I have left to do is neaten up the rest of the wiring.
Oh yes and work out some way to stop the back of the car shaking itself apart 
Happy modding!!!
Hammy
