installing amp in echo

[andreaecho]

Hi everyone,

I am new to this forum. I have done a lot of searching on the internet and in this forum on how to install an amp. I found a lot of good advice and feel relatively secure in attempting this job. I have the 8 gauge power wire from the back to the front but I have not connected the fuse yet. I am scared to connect it incorrectly. Do I just simply cut the wire and connect the fuse to either side or is there a specific side. I also have the amp connected to the subs. I have the rca's connected to the amp and wired through to the front of the car but I am having a hard time getting them behind the dash, where do I put then through? I also have a ground wire connected, but I don't think it is 4 gauge. Is that ok? Also I am not sure about the remote wire, what it looks like and where to connect it. Also, if anyone has other tips let me know.

Thanks to all who reply

Me- I am Andrea from Gainesville Florida
Mines- I just recently purchased a 2002 Echo coupe, but I just sold a 93 Honda prelude si
Mods- I have a pioneer deck, 2 12 kicker comps, and an eclipse amp

[Phi]

yeah, just cut the pwr wire and put the fuse in between. The shorter the distance from the battery to the fuse the better. Like this;
pwr wire: [battery]------[fuse]----------------------[amp]

As for the RCA's, I'm not familiar with the interior of Echos and don't know how much room you've got to play with. Generally speaking the RCA wires can be tucked behind the carpet near the passenger foot area. From there, run it underneath the door sill (they just pop off) to the trunk where the amp is.

With respect to the ground wire, 4 ga is better, but 8 should suffice.

If it's not too late, get 4 ga for pwr aswell. It'll save your from having to upgrade later. No biggie if you don't plan on going nuts with the stereo.

Sorry the brief answers - I'm at work. If you run into any probs, I'm sure others will jump into help...they better!

[andreaecho]

I do have the RCA's connected to the amp I was wondering how to get them behind the dash to connect them to the H/U. As far as the ground wire it looks more like a speaker wire. I am still not sure about the remote wire

Thanks for your help.

[onephatcracka]

remote wire goes to the ign. wire behind the head unit... it just needs a 12 volt switched power.

the ground should be just as thick as the 12 volt power to be on the safe side.

the only way to get them behind the headunit is to take out the head unit and hook them up. you can run all wires under carpets or along the floor tracking around the doors.

[Phi]

It's much easier to run the RCA starting from the HU back to the amp. Follow the path I mentioned earlier.

The ground wire snds stoopid small. Considering you drive an echo, you should have a few feet of extra 8 gauge wire left over from the pwr wire. If not, go to your local audio shop and buy a shot piece of 8 (preferably 4) gauge wire. It shouldn't cost more than a few bucks

[spydrvnm]

you'll have to pull out the head unit to plug the RCA's into it, then you can fish them through the dash and pull up the carpet. it was really easy on my camry, shouldn't be much harder on the echo.

the remote wire connects to the head unit as well, it just depends on your head what wire it connects to, it'll be called something like remote, power antennea, antennea...something like that.

the direction of the fuse shouldn't matter, i unplug/plug mine all the time so i can work on my system and i never check to see if its plugged in the same way, it hasn't blown yet

[andreaecho]

Hey thanks everyone for all the great advice. I got everythink hooked up and I love my new system. I was wondering if any one knows the answer to this question? I have factory speaakers inside my car so I turned down the bass on my h/u but when I did that you can hardly hear my subs. I am scared that if I play the h/u with the bass up it will blow my interior speakers. Any solutions?