Thread: 2005 Volkswagen GTI

Originally Posted by Viscouse

I saw your post about running VGA/USB cables, but was wondering what you had decided on for this? I'm thinking about running off my Opus 120W. It would be so much easier to run it off the car, but I don't think it's worth the risk.

I didn't mention power because I haven't done it yet. I'm going to power it from the M1-ATX. I plan to buy some Molex ATX power connectors to mate to the power supply, run the power (+ and -) up the passenger side using a similar path as I did for the VGA and USB cables (EDIT: which I ran up the driver's side). When I bought the Lilliput, I ordered an extra DC power pigtail, and I did my first solder ever connecting some 12ga wire to this pigtail. Man, it's ugly.

Originally Posted by Viscouse

Sorry about your car dude. I wish for you a hassle-free, good-looking repair! (I got rearended a couple years ago...I kinda feel your pain.)

Thanks. I got the estimate, they'll call me when parts are in. The car is driveable and I have it, so maybe I'll do some the wiring run above this weekend.

Just a quick note on something I found out...probably a good idea not to run power and signal cables next to each other. I know, it's not terribly high amperage, and you said "similar" not "same" path, but just thought I'd mention it. Otherwise you open yourself up to noise in the monitor, and dirty signals.

Originally Posted by Viscouse

Just a quick note on something I found out...probably a good idea not to run power and signal cables next to each other. I know, it's not terribly high amperage, and you said "similar" not "same" path, but just thought I'd mention it. Otherwise you open yourself up to noise in the monitor, and dirty signals.

It's funny. I wrote that last post and I thought: "someone is going to tell me not to run the signal cables along the power cables". Hidden somewhere in the several posts, I say that I ran my signal on the driver's side and I'm going to run the power on the passenger side. Thanks for the advice, though. I'd rather have more people trying to help and not need it (this time) then to be stuck with no one to ask.

I'll edit the post.

Originally Posted by BoyNextDoor

i understand that you make good progress with your crpc, and have an extensive thread on it, but WHERE ARE THE PICTURES???

I realize you've chosen your position for your carpc - just thought i'd offer another solution - at least in my case. I have an 01 GTI w/the monsoon system - in the boot where the amp is, there is a CDChanger bracket just above it - when I do my install, i plan on installing my carpc here (where the intended cdchanger should go) - as my car was sold with the tape deck and no cd changer.

Originally Posted by stutter

in the boot where the amp is, there is a CDChanger bracket just above it - when I do my install, i plan on installing my carpc here (where the intended cdchanger should go)

Mine too (no cd-changer). This was my first choice. But I had already bought the M10000 mobo and I couldn't see a way to make it fit easily. It fits perfectly inside the rim of the spare tire.

For all of you who want pictures, they are coming. I took a bunch to match my descriptions, I'll edit those posts about my wire runs to add the pics.

I made good progress this weekend. I've got everything for a v1.0 install except the audio to the monson amp and nice looking mounting for the LCD. I'll post pics later.

Here's a description with pics of my LCD power and remote-turn on wire run. I ran two 12ga (powering the LCD) and a single 14ga (remote turn-on to M1-ATX) from hatch to dash, along the passenger side. The LCD power wires stay at the radio cage, while the remote turn-on wire continues over to the fuse panel. When I say "rear seat bottom" or "door sill", I mean the passenger side. However, I've done a run up each side now and they are identical until you get to the dash. Also see the [link]http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=967146]vwvortex.com forums post[/link] for proper information on tearing apart your car, this is an approximation, I take no responsiibility if you break something.

The order presented is not the order I did everything, it just makes for a bit easier to understand in a post. Also, I took pictures after the fact. So, it'll look different than when you're actually pulling the wire.

- Take a minute and disconnect your battery. You don't HAVE to, but I felt safer knowing it was dead. (Yes, I actually disconnected it and didn't leave it where it is in the pic)



- Starting in the hatch, remove the spare tire cover. Pull the styrfoam tools insert. I put all the tools in a gallon ziplock bag and stuck them in the bottom-left crevice of the spare tire well. I wrapped the jack in the towel and stuck in the glove box.



- The wire runs go underneath the carpet near the rear seats. This takes a bit of doing. move the rear seat bottom up. You'll see a black button about 1.5" diameter. Unscrew it.



- Unlatch and pull the rear seatback forward. You will see another button next to the seatbelt. Unscrew it.



- I don't have a good description for this, but if you move the rear seat back up a bit and push the wire under the carpet from the hatch, you can feed it under the rear seatback and towards the bottom seatbelt anchor. It takes lots of wiggling. Having unscrewed those "buttons", you can wiggle the trim piece that runs up the side of the rear seat back, which helps. When done it looked like this:



- From here, you're going towards the door sill, running behind the trim piece that holds the rear woofer. Again, it's a bunch of wiggling, but eventually you can tuck it under.





- Screw on the "buttons", put your rear seat back and bottom into place.


- Pry up the door sill by using gentle pressure on the outside of the sill. There are several clips along it's length. The wire fits towards the outside of the sill, underneath the padding and insulation.





- Gently pry up the corner piece where the sill meets the glovebox trim. This never came very loose for me, but it was enough.



- Remove the glovebox side trim (sorry no picture), you can pry it loose with a screwdriver. There are 3 or 4 clips and a slot. BE CAREFUL. I broke one clip because I pulled too hard. It seems to go back on alright though.


- Pull your radio. See vwvortex.com for instruction. There is a hollow area above the glovebox from the from the right side (where you pulled that trim piece) to the radio cage. Use whatever trickery you want to get the wire through. My wire was stiff enough that I was able to directly feed it from one side and grab it from the radio cage side.



- Re-fasten the door sill and sill-to-glovebox trim piece. Make sure you get the clips in the holes. Re-attach the glovebox side trim pice. BE CAREFUL! It's easy to bend/break a clip.

You now have wire to power your LCD at your dash cage. I'll come back to getting actual power on these wires later.

Next post, remote wire from dash to fuse panel...

...continuing the previous post

Now, I'm running the single remote turn-on wire to the fuse panel.

- Take off the fuse panel trim and the two driver's side trim pieces that go under the steering wheel. See the vwvortex.com forums post on tearing apart your interior. Feed the remote wire across the top of the radio cage from right to left.



- I used the steering wheel as a midway point, pulling the wire out under the steering wheel, taking up all the slack then feeding it left to the fuse panel. In the picture, you can see the yellow wire in the radio cage (far right), under the steering wheel, then out near the fuse panel.



- I connected the remote turn-on using a fuse tap from radioshack. It's a simple little piece that wraps around the fuse and provides a male quick-connect on top.





- Identify the fuse you want to use. You're looking for something that is off when the key is out and on when the key is switched on. I searched vwvortex for help and confirmed with a multimeter that 31 was it. I'm sure There are others. Keep in mind the remote turn-on for the M1-ATX draws almost no power.



- Pull the fuse, fit the fuse tap, replace the fuse. Mine was a really tight fit and the fuse tap kept wanting to come off.



- Attach remote turn-on lead (oh yea, I crimped on a female quick-connect):



- Replace fuse panel trim. As you attach it, you'll see some felt pieces. I made sure the remote lead was seated next to one of them. It had more give.





- Finish this off by crimping on a female quick connect to this lead in the hatch. When you're ready to connect to the M1-ATX, this lead goes on the "sw" male quick-connect location. There are a bunch of warnings and such in the FAQ about the M1-ATX, read them.

Next post, power connections in the hatch...

Now, back to the LCD power leads.

- I bought an extra DC plug with raw leads from the mp3car.com store. I soldered (it was an awful job) to the 12ga wire and ran this end to the dash. That's my connection at the LCD end (no pictures). For the hatch end I took a PC power extension (with molex connectors) cut off one end and crimped on male quick-connects. The yellow wire is 12V, the red is 5V. I crimped some female quick-connects to the LCD wire that runs to the dash.

Here's a closeup of the quick-connects. The LCD power is on the right, the M1-ATX power and remote leads on the left.




Finally, the power for the M1-ATX (and for the whole car PC)
- Against advice given here, I used the cigarette lighter port in the hatch for my 12V constant source. VW says it's rated for 120W, I figure the M1-ATX at full load won't draw that much. Before trying this, I tested the voltage with a multimeter to make sure the drop wasn't too bad. I may still burn my car to the ground. To cover my ***: DON'T DO THIS, IT WILL KILL YOU AND ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS.
The cigarette lighter port gets it's power from a plug, this plug has female quick-connects. I crimped on some male quick-connects to some wire and ran it under the carpet and up to the power port:



- I plugged the two wires into the car's harness for the power port and taped the whole thing up, just to be sure:



I'm almost done! I have to whip up the monsoon audio hack (that's why I need 5V from the M1-ATX), and mount my LCD. I tested all the wiring though and it works!