I've got a 98 XK8 that had the lower grade stereo system, but I noticed the wiring harness located in the dash speaker area and also a plug in the doors where the tweeters could connect to if it was the 'top' stereo system. Since it's wired for both stereo options, where is the wiring harness in the trunk for the upgraded amp? Instead of running wires for door tweeters and dash speakers, I'd like to use the existing harness for the 'top' system. I've got a pic of the trunk, where I'm installing two amps for the new system, is the cab audio connections on the large white connector just below the large yellow connector? If not, where would it be located? Thank you.

 

Here's a snip for the premium system:



On the base system, the fascia and 'sail' speakers are omitted, and the wiring terminates at connector IC1, which is a 20-way yellow multilock under the centre console:


You're missing the link between trunk and this connector as all the speakers are driven from the head unit.

 

awesome! Thanks for the info, I appreciate it. Since I need to run wire to the trunk, I'll end up changing out the wiring to higher gauge wire. Have you ever run wire to the dash speakers? If so, is it difficult to get the wire up there?

 

AFAIK the wiring for squawker/tweeter is already there in the wiring loom (it is on early cars):- it just doesn't connect to anything at either end on the base ICE. Have you checked under the covers on the dash and in the door?

Perhaps I've misunderstood?

 

I've checked in the dash, no speaker, just a cable and connector. In the door, no tweeter, but inside the door, a cable and connector for the tweeter. I've decided to rewire it all as these are very small gauge wires and I'm putting in a hefty system. I was wondering if you've snaked new wires into the dash area, dunno how difficult that will be until I try it.

 

Getting up to the dash might be straightforward, but feeding through the door connector and thereon inside the door up to the sail sounds like a task. IMO it's not really necessary, but you could always jury rig a temp. feed to compare if it's a concern.

Premium ICE feeds the squawker/tweeter combination on a separate channel. Does the amp you're proposing also do this?

Also, IIRC there's a 'premium or standard' switch on the head unit. You may need to flip that, depending on the new amp's drive requirements.

 

I've completely replaced the head unit and removed the CD changer from the trunk. This is a completely new build. If the door is an issue, even with an electrical wire fish tape, I'll splice into the wire before the door. Where the amps are located, there are also 3 way crossovers. The tweeter output goes to the new tweeter I installed in the door and also in the new speaker plate I made for the rear subwoofer/tweeter. [A tweeter is all you need to throw sound to the rear seat, plus I don't like the look of the old subwoofer speaker grille]. the midrange output goes in the new midrange speaker in the dash [the separation sounds great - like a center speaker on a theater system, most of the vocals come from the front] and the midbass/woofer goes to the new woofer in the door. I'll post pics when done. I'd prefer to run new fresh heavier wire to all components if possible.

 

In the trunk, there's a cable pass through for the wires and top hydraulic lines to the cab. This is a small pass-through as I've only added one cable and already the hole is too tight to fit any more wires. Is there another way to run wires from the trunk into the cab? Thank you.

 

Replacing my amp and looking for a harness connector to wire and visa versa for the line out. I have tried a few places, and they used to have them but not anymore,

 

I replaced my entire system like you with two amps; one for the front and back speakers and one for the subs. Since the door speakers and dash speakers are a tight squeeze, I opted to use the wires already run there. I simply tapped into the existing harness at the center console. I ran all wires from the crossovers/amps from the trunk through the access area for the top hydraulics with a wire snake. (I've got a convertible) Since I also installed a new head unit, I also used the power connections (Battery and keyed accessory power), the only thing I used the existing wiring harness for was speakers and power to the head unit; the rest I left unused. For the speakers, in the front, I spaced them out and it made an incredible difference. In the doors, the 6.5 speakers = woofers, in the door near the top = flush mount tweeters, in the dash = 2.5" midranges. Since vocals are in the midrange, with the dash speakers as midrange speakers, it seems more like live music similar to a theater system with the 'center' speaker for the dialog in movies, so it throws the voices up front like a live performance. It made the sound more accurate as well as spacious.

 

the crossovers, what speakers did you use them for and what is the manufacturer? The coupe is a little different where the dash and door tweeter share the same cable. I noticed in the dash there was a capacitor on it. My issues is that I am putting a 4 channel in but have 6 speakers. I am not sure where to put the other two wires. I assume combine them with the front door speakers?

 

You have a 4 channel amp? I used a 2 channel, since it's a convert, the front to rear is barely noticeable. I put a pair of tweeters in the rear and that's all that was needed to carry sound from the rear area. What I did is run the three separate speakers on right and left, that's 6 total in front, but I used 2 tweeters in the rear near the subs. I built a plate for the subs and tweeters. For the tweeters I used polk audio and hooked them up in series. From the wiring harness in the center console, I just tapped into the 'tweeter' wires and ran wires to the rear plates. They're super clean. I used skar subs. I completely rebuilt the sub enclosures out of fiberglass to maximize the size. In a convert, it's really a tight space.
I used these for the doors, since I used a crossover, the tweeters in them really aren't being used. For the mids in the dash, I found some 2" wide range on partsexpress.com that would have enough power handling (around 15 watts?) and fit the small area, again, since it had a crossover, it would only play the midrange frequencies and it can handle more power. I don't remember which one I ordered but I did modify the mounting area to fit. For the dash, I remember now that I did have to run wires up to it, but used the door wiring as it's really tough to snake them in that area.

 

Got all my speakers wired. Not sure why the polarity was wrong across the board, but I got all that fixed, and it is working pretty well. Tomorrow going to put the two amps in and start cutting on the wiring in the trunk. My crossovers are not coming in till Sunday, but I will get everything installed minus that. Still trying to figure out the best way to put in the amps. I like your installation, but I play a lot of golf, and they barely fit in the trunk as is, so I will have to utilize the space where the old amp and disc changer was.

 

I installed a 5 channel amp in same location as CD changer in my 2000 coupe. Head unit was set to basic, all the premium wiring was in there but l did not use it. I chose to use speaker level to low level adapters for amp input.
l have since replaced the head unit and deleted the changer.
I believe the 1998 and 2000 systems/layouts are slightly different though.

 

sounds like you are on your way! on my panel, I used MDF and super strong magnets to keep the board attached. I didn't really have much to secure it to since the gas tank is right behind it. The changer is definitely junk and who uses CD's today? The head unit I have reads USB flash drives, thousands of songs on 1 tiny drive. My thought was get rid of it all, the electronics today are so much better and cleaner. You might want to secure the amps and crossovers to a MDF board made to fit the area (I use cardboard to make templates) to keep all the wiring neat, secure and out of the way, clubs tend to catch on everything. I covered it in black vinyl with contact cement.

 

OK got everything installed. Installed all new speakers, including the sub. New head unit and an amp for the sub and one for the rest of the speakers. It sounds good, but I would like to take the capacitors out of the squawker and tweeters. I know that one wire is shared between the two, and I would like to put in crossovers for those two speakers on each side. However, I am unsure how the wire is brought from the amp in the back to the squawker and then to the tweeter. I would then have two run 4 separate wires to replace the two on each side to put the crossover in the back. how does the wire go to the squawker and to the tweeter?

 

Do you have the crossovers in now? Are they feeding signal to all three: the woofer, the midrange and the tweeter? What speaker do you have for the door woofer at the bottom of the door?

 

Not yet, but I do have them. The issue is trying to figure out where the wires come in under that dash to the midrange on the dash and then figure out how to get it over to the tweeter in the door

 

The dash is much easier to run wires to than the door. I'd run fresh wires to the midranges in the dash and then just use the existing wires in the doors. If you are using crossovers, then eliminate the capacitors on the midranges and tweeters. No sense in double crossovers, it will mess up the crossover frequencies with those caps on there. I don't know your dash config, but you might want to try pushing the wire down from the top of the dash and point it towards the direction you want it to go. If the wires are too flimsy to push, you might want to pick up a spool of bigger gauge wire, I think I went with 18 gauge. If you are using 3-way crossovers, it's also important to put the woofer in the door on the bass (low) channel. You only want the bass to go to the woofer otherwise it will sound tinny and weak. Use the subs crossed over anywhere from 100-200hz. The woofer crossover will usually cross around 800-1000hz. Midrange will take it from around 1000hz up to 4000-5000hz. and the tweeter 4000-5000hz. and above.

 

I installed everything as you have listed, and I have a 3-way crossover. However, I did not find the crossover for the tweeter. I assume it is in the door somewhere?