If you're planning on relocating the battery, do yourself a favor, and just buy a quality battery relocation kit. You'll save yourself quite a bit of headache and spend just as much money either way.

I bought all the crap myself, but napa in my area only had 10 feet of red cable... So after drilling three hole through my firewall only to be COMPLETELY unable to locate them on the engine bay side, I gave up. So tomorrow I have to go drive all over hell and high water trying to find someone that actually has, oh I dunno, 14 feet of cable in stock.

My question: if I want to route the positive cable down the drivers side door panels, where can I get through the firewall (ideally directly from cab to engine bay, rather that through the fender or under the car.)

Ps- im starting to hate my car. Every....single....project....manages to somehow become a major PITA.

 

Whats wrong with running it through the fender? Thats how I have mine ran for my battery. It goes into the fender and I ran it through the existing door harness grommet so it came in the cab right above the drivers side kick panel then I ran it along the carpet under the door trim and to the trunk that way. Its completely sealed once it enters the fender and I have had it that way for 4 years with no issues.

 

I ran a 0 Gauge Positive wire on the passenger side. There is a whole behind the glove box, up in the corner, right on the firewall. The whole was perfect. I bought a high-end Amp Kit for my relocation. Kit was 200 bux, but was well worth it. I didnt want to go cheap on running a positive cable running in my cab. The cable is run along the passenger side trim. I can take picture if you want.

 

Is it absolutely necessary to use 0 or 2 gauge? I got 4g. :-/ I kinda figured since I wasn't running any major aftermarket electronics that it wouldn't be a problem.

Auto parts store didn't have any 2g wire anyways.

 

Heh, hating these hang ups huh? Get use to it. I actually had an audio shop do mine. I didn't want to deal with it but I guess I paid for it years later when I found out they used the wrong gauge fuse.

But take your time man, get a plan of attack each time, if things don't go smoothly don't force it, reevaluate and try again. Then ask us the rest.

 

Finally got it. Took 16 feet of wire and I finally just gave up on the drivers side and went through the passengers side.

I'm going to get this build done. I'll drag myself through, kicking and screaming the whole way, but I'll get it done.

 

Also have about half a dozen nasty boot/firewall holes to patch. :-(

 

Thanks :-)

Honestly the hardest part of the build so far for me, besides being a complete dunce mechanically, has been resisting the temptation to spend money on stupid aesthetic stuff like bumper covers, lips, and vortex generators.

So far so good. I've vowed not to buy any of that crap until the turbo is done. I DO NOT want a car that looks fast but isn't. Lol

 

you did it wrong...

4 gauge cable is beyond enough... pepboys sells rolls of 20ft for 30 bucks... more then enough...

a 99 chevy camaro has a junction box on the fender for power distro... it works amazingly well for evo's and lancers alike... in all i spent 44 dollars...

then i went crazy bought a cnc case for my optima and and rose gold cable ends... it was over 200... but its pretty...

also under the car there is a rail for the fuel lines and brake lines... it holds a 4 gauge cable perfect... no drilling... i passed it out of the trunk thru the vents and then under the car the entire way... my junction was in factory bat location but has recently ben riveted to my fire wall during a wire tuck...

 

I wouldnt say I did it WRONG, persay. Lol.

Im returning a few of the things I bought. I also spent too much money on the gold plated battery lugs/terminal crimps.

Overall I spent a little more than necessary, but not enough to make me care. And I'm really happy with the way it turned out.

Additionally, I saw the rolls at pep boys, but it was closer to $40. Plus the dude at the counter was a jerk there lol

 

Do you guys do anything to vent the gases from the battery out of the trunk?

 

If you pull back the truck liner on the sides there is a vent with a flap on it already.

 

Excellent, thank you! :-)