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Best place to run wires through firewall

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Old Feb 28, 2015 | 04:08 PM
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Default Best place to run wires through firewall

I am going to be installing an EDFC for my Tein CS coilovers next weekend and, if finding a spot to go through the firewall is like everything else on this car.......its going to be difficult.

I havent pulled anything apart and had a look yet, but I want to have a good idea of what im doing before I start the job.

Thanks.
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Old Feb 28, 2015 | 04:24 PM
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I ran mine through the rubber grommet on driver side. It is difficult to reach and feed the wire through. It also has 2 layers when you puncture the rubber grommet. Take out the lower panel with i believe 2 or 3 screws with a 8 or 10mm socket. You will see where all the wires run in from the outside. Goodluck. I believe passenger side also has a rubber grommet you can punture and run through, but it depends where you will be leaving the controller. Passenger side is easier to do if you leave it in glove box.
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Old Feb 28, 2015 | 05:07 PM
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I ran my wires through the passenger side grommet near the battery. I used a coat hanger and taped the wires to it and pulled it back through.
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Old Feb 28, 2015 | 05:49 PM
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It may prove a little difficult to run these specific wires as the ends have connectors on them. I really dont want to go cutting and re-soldering the wires if I can avoid it too.
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Old Feb 28, 2015 | 08:14 PM
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The grommet on the passengers side is easier to access. Its going to be difficult no matter where you try to go due to you not wanting to take off the connector. What type of connector is it? You could pull the pins and pull the wire through and then put the pins back into the plug.
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Old Feb 28, 2015 | 08:34 PM
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Consider the grommet where the hood latch cable runs through firewall just above steering column. Don't know size of your connectors though ...
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Old Feb 28, 2015 | 09:02 PM
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Originally Posted by bfg23
It may prove a little difficult to run these specific wires as the ends have connectors on them. I really dont want to go cutting and re-soldering the wires if I can avoid it too.
I punctured the grommet first, then I had an extra long screwdriver I taped the connector to the end of and pushed it through. No need to cut or resolder the connector.
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Old Feb 28, 2015 | 09:38 PM
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I just pulled 2 4-gauge lines from the passenger side/battery back to the trunk. I took a razor and cut out a rectangle from 3-5 o'clock on the grommet (just away from the main wire bundle), sealed perfectly. Attached each 4 gauge wire to a straightened clothes hanger and it dropped right behind the glovebox. Only had to pull back the lower right kick panel. Super easy.

I can take pictures if you'd like.
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Old Mar 21, 2016 | 01:12 PM
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There are pictures at https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-...ll-wiring.html that show the easiest way to run cables through the firewall:

1) Remove interior passenger-side kickpanel. Underneath the hood to the left of the battery, remove the alarm/horn assembly using a 10mm socket, unclip the harness and place the assembly and bolt aside.
2) Get a sharp box cutter AND a sharp, skinny stabbing tool
3) At the external passenger-side grommet, using your box cutter, cut a small chunk out at the 10 o'clock position (see yellow square of attached picture) without going too deep to avoid cutting into existing cables.
4) Using pliers, work into the rubber and while avoiding existing wires, pull up and tear off small chunks rubber to expand the hole (less risk of damaging wiring than just stabbing all the way in with a box cutter)
5) Use a sharp pointed object ie. a philips screwdriver with a relatively pointy tip, or any long, thin, sharp pointed tool to stab through the hole you pre-cut
6) Continue stabbing through while avoiding existing wires (wiggle around to ensure clear path, and you will then punch through a second layer (the rubber skin on the interior side of the grommet). Leave the tool in place and crawl underneath the inside passenger side and verify you can see the tool and that it isn't caught in between a wire cluster.
7) Remove the tool, tape your new cable to a metal chopstick (or long screwdriver of adequate stiffness) and carefully push through the same 2 holes, making sure your cable+chopstick doesn't get caught on any wires on the way in. Check from the inside underneath as you gradually push in the taped cable to ensure a clear path. If your chopstick/guide rod is strong and skinny enough, you can just pull the entire thing through.
8) To protect against water infiltration, caulk the exterior grommet after your cable run is done and set in place. Reinstall the alarm/horn assembly.
Attached Thumbnails Best place to run wires through firewall-passenger-side-firewall-grommet.jpg  
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Old Mar 27, 2016 | 04:15 PM
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I drilled a hole through the firewall above and to the left of the grommet that sits by the battery and ran 4 guage power cable though it. If you are going to attempt this, take your time drilling the hole because you want to drill through any wiring. My LS430 is a 2003 so different years might have electronics and wiring in different places.
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