Official CarAudio.com Big 3 Thread

[04murdalanche]

can someone explain where exactly to connect wires to a 2001 malibu to do the big 3?

throughout all 61 pages of this thread.. im sure thats covered about 186,756,987 times.

 

[bcdinh]

Anyone knows a good website that sells wire by the foot to do this BIG3 job? Thank you in advance!

 

[miker 5,000+ posts]

Anyone knows a good website that sells wire by the foot to do this BIG3 job? Thank you in advance!

AUTOZONE.. Just went in the other day to buy wire lug terminals and found that have various sizes of 4g wire with lugs on both ends for a fair price. I believe its is 20" 36" 40" 60".

I bought 40" (for alternator power wire) with lugs on it for 7$ or $8. Really heavy duty wire insulation too, good for in the engine compartment.

I'm sure 4g won't cut it for everyone one, however it is still a huge improvement from your cars 10g or 8g wire.

Now I have a question. I have no knowledge of engines. What exactly is the engine block and where is it safe to ground on it?

 

[dirtyunclerandy 10+ year member]

AUTOZONE.. Just went in the other day to buy wire lug terminals and found that have various sizes of 4g wire with lugs on both ends for a fair price. I believe its is 20" 36" 40" 60".
I bought 40" (for alternator power wire) with lugs on it for 7$ or $8. Really heavy duty wire insulation too, good for in the engine compartment.

I'm sure 4g won't cut it for everyone one, however it is still a huge improvement from your cars 10g or 8g wire.

Now I have a question. I have no knowledge of engines. What exactly is the engine block and where is it safe to ground on it?

check out the big three upgrade videos on youtube.

 

[_dontaskwhy 10+ year member]

my wires from the battery to amp are 4awg db link i think its cca. i have a piece of rockford fosgate 4awg but i think its ofc. would it be safe to use that from the alt to the battery? with 100A fuse

 

[CHEMMINS 10+ year member]

Yes. OFC is better than CCA.

 

[ace_800 5,000+ posts]

Ok, here's a quick question on this. My battery is located behind my passenger seat, alt is obviously in the engine bay. I have a jumper terminal in the engine bay that is constantly hooked to the battery via 4ga wiring, so if needed I can get a jumpstart. I was originally going to just run a 0ga from the alt to the positive jumper and then the other grounds as normal. However thinking about it, that 0ga is only going to the jumper terminal and then 4ga to the actual battery. So is it even going to help? I know it would be better just to go straight from the alt to battery, but getting into the cabin is a PITA.

 

[_dontaskwhy 10+ year member]

thanks

 

[ace_800 5,000+ posts]

Ok, here's a quick question on this. My battery is located behind my passenger seat, alt is obviously in the engine bay. I have a jumper terminal in the engine bay that is constantly hooked to the battery via 4ga wiring, so if needed I can get a jumpstart. I was originally going to just run a 0ga from the alt to the positive jumper and then the other grounds as normal. However thinking about it, that 0ga is only going to the jumper terminal and then 4ga to the actual battery. So is it even going to help? I know it would be better just to go straight from the alt to battery, but getting into the cabin is a PITA.

Anyone gone an opinion on this?

 

[ace_800 5,000+ posts]

bump

 

[husker77 10+ year member]

Ok, here's a quick question on this. My battery is located behind my passenger seat, alt is obviously in the engine bay. I have a jumper terminal in the engine bay that is constantly hooked to the battery via 4ga wiring, so if needed I can get a jumpstart. I was originally going to just run a 0ga from the alt to the positive jumper and then the other grounds as normal. However thinking about it, that 0ga is only going to the jumper terminal and then 4ga to the actual battery. So is it even going to help? I know it would be better just to go straight from the alt to battery, but getting into the cabin is a PITA.

I'm not sure how your vehicle is set up exactly, but my wife's olds aurora was the same way. But no it isn't going to do a lot of good if you don't run the 0awg to the battery also. It might help just because I am guessing the jumper terminal is on the fuse/relay box, and most of your wiring is attached to that for the vehicle, so you may gain a little by just running to the jumper. But if you have a fairly serious system you may tax that 4awg from your battery to the jumper, it will be your weak link.

Now a little disclaimer, I do not know exactly how your vehicle is wired or what you have already done, but this would be my opinion based on the little info I have.

 

[ace_800 5,000+ posts]

I'm not sure how your vehicle is set up exactly, but my wife's olds aurora was the same way. But no it isn't going to do a lot of good if you don't run the 0awg to the battery also. It might help just because I am guessing the jumper terminal is on the fuse/relay box, and most of your wiring is attached to that for the vehicle, so you may gain a little by just running to the jumper. But if you have a fairly serious system you may tax that 4awg from your battery to the jumper, it will be your weak link.
Now a little disclaimer, I do not know exactly how your vehicle is wired or what you have already done, but this would be my opinion based on the little info I have.

My jumper terminals aren't connected to the fuse/relay box, its separate from everything. I'm running about 2krms right now, I could bump up to 3k with the same amps, but not really any plans to do so anytime soon. I don't have any dimming, but I do notice my voltage dip to about 13.5 once in a while, hence why I was wanting to do it.

 

[husker77 10+ year member]

My jumper terminals aren't connected to the fuse/relay box, its separate from everything.

If it is separate from everything then it wont really do any good at all.

 

[husker77 10+ year member]

My jumper terminals aren't connected to the fuse/relay box, its separate from everything.

If it is separate from everything then it wont really do any good at all. Like I said on my wife's aurora the jumper was part of the fuse/relay box and the car wiring was attached to it.

 

[gb22 10+ year member]

delete