I would very much appreciate it if someone could share their experience with putting wires and/or a boost tube through the firewall. I have searched everywhere and while many have said that it is difficult no one has said how and where they did it.

I've removed two plugs which were dead ends. Nothing seems to want to go through the bundle with the batt cable to the left of the clutch.

I would prefer to go through the drivers side.

Thanks in advance.

 

I'd like to know too! :smile:

Thanks in advance!

 

i took a 1/16 aluminum welding rod, 36" long and fished it through the grommet surrounding the wiring harness just above where the steering column passes through the firewall. you may have to poke a hole in the grommet. uset he rod to pull your wires through. (i cleverly left a dummy wire in place so I could pull other things through later)

this tip courtesy of Promini.

 

Thanks John -

I knew you knew! (:

I even checked BMP/Promini site for instructions on the instrument pod to no avail.

I'll try your method tomorrow. I always run a tracer.

Now that I have a boost sensor I guess I need a gauge.

John

 

This is where I have run wires through: (behind brake booster)



_________________

 

What boost gauge are you guys using? And does it come with the sender? And where do you mount the sender?

 

Tim - Search under "boost gauge". There is a very informative thread in which jlm describes the installation of his "home grown" Promini gauge cluster. I like those but there are lots of others coming.

To measure boost you have to drill/tap the manifold on the cool side of the intercooler. I think someone T'd off of an existing hose but given the tight space down there the tap may be the way to go. That's how the Promini kit does it.

 

In my MCS, I installed a Tee in the line between the intake manifold and the fuel pressure regulator. It is on the left side of the manifold. I did the same thing in my GTI 1.8T and it worked great.

BTW, with some mechanical gauges, you will get buzzing due to the pulsing of the supercharger. This buzzing can be reduced or eliminated by plumbing in a small fuel filter in the hose between the pressure tap and the gauge.

 

Thanks guys, it's so easy when someone tells you how. John, couldn't find an aluminium welding rod for love nor money. A steel garden stake did the trick though ( the rod would have been easier). Racr, went right through there like butter. Andy, thanks for the tip....going to buy the gauge tomorrow. Wonder if I can use the half melted filter I have in my pocket.

 

Above the steering, like shown above is where I went also for an external GPS antenna. Cheap NAV system using Garmin GPS V and a 9' external. Looks and works great. AND was about 1200 less.

 

Do you need to remove the dash to find the tube that you feeding inside the car?

 

no it:s pretty easy to see it coming into
interior. just pull it through

 

Are you guys using the analog boost gauge or the digital one? I say an instrument panel installed in the cubby in front of the shifter that had a digital Boost gauge and a digital air/fuel mixture gauge.

Would the installation be the same for these?

 

I also spliced that rubber grommet behind the brake booster with an exacto knife. I then securely taped wires to a metal coat hanger, and with a little oil or lubricant of some type, I fed the wires through. From the inside, with the driver's seat slid back, on your back with flashlight or headlamp, look upward, and you should see the coat hanger with wires...

I have done this several times now: PROMINI gauge cluster, UNIChip, SW shift light, PIAA driving lights, and for a Hornet XP3...

 

Well if the rubber grommet gets out of place... does anyone know how to get it back in there?

 

I'm not sure how much fun you'll have getting that boot back in there. Try pushing it back to the firewall from the inside. I think there might be more room on the inside to get to it.

Here's where I ran mine for others looking at installing a boost gauge. This is on a 05.

 

hummm... that didn't happen to me when I fed a couple of wires through
that same grommet using my special tool (coat hanger). it you can't
get it back on, might want to use some wide e-tape and tape around it.