A31 Need To Run Some Wires From The Engine Bay Into The Car

[Lum]

I need to run some wires for some gauges, and possibly an audio install in the future.

Only place I can find to run wires (left of the VIN plate) goes into the wheelarch which isn't helpful, however I've also noticed there's a metal plate just to the right of the brake booster that I could probably unscrew. Will that let me put some wires through?

Every other car I've worked on has at least one rubber grommet on the bulkhead that you can cut a hole into and poke wires through, where is it on the Ceffy?

[daisu]

I need to run some wires for some gauges, and possibly an audio install in the future.

Only place I can find to run wires (left of the VIN plate) goes into the wheelarch which isn't helpful, however I've also noticed there's a metal plate just to the right of the brake booster that I could probably unscrew. Will that let me put some wires through?

Every other car I've worked on has at least one rubber grommet on the bulkhead that you can cut a hole into and poke wires through, where is it on the Ceffy?

Metal plate to the right of the brake master would be for the clutch master. Not a problem if you intend on keeping it automatic.

That hole in the corner that runs into the wheel arch (same on both sides) is the factory location for the wiring loom to run into the cabin, should be able to feed them through there.

[Lum]

Metal plate to the right of the brake master would be for the clutch master. Not a problem if you intend on keeping it automatic.

That hole in the corner that runs into the wheel arch (same on both sides) is the factory location for the wiring loom to run into the cabin, should be able to feed them through there.

Urgh, does that mean I have to take the arch liner out (and also the wheel) and poke the wires through a second hole?

If I take that plate off (yes, it's staying Auto) will that one get me through to the cabin in a reasonable place? (I'd check myself but it's just started raining heavily) Presumably I'll need to line the hole with something to stop it cutting the wire afterwards.

[Lum]

Well, I took the liner out, found the massive rubber grommet and took that out, so far so good however the existing loom then goes through a hole that is exactly the same size as the bit of loom and is made of some sort of hard material, not sure exactly what. It then started pissing down so I had to put the car back together very quickly.

Guess I have to cut something to get the wires through then? How annoying.

[daisu]

Yeah, I used the plate for the clutch master when my car was auto, it comes out behind the dash above your left foot, line the hole with a rubber grommet, you can pick them up from pretty much anywhere. After I changed to auto I used the hole for the parkbrake cable (parkbrake cable removed and replaced with manual handbrake lever/cable).

[Lum]

Yeah, I used the plate for the clutch master when my car was auto, it comes out behind the dash above your left foot, line the hole with a rubber grommet, you can pick them up from pretty much anywhere. After I changed to auto I used the hole for the parkbrake cable (parkbrake cable removed and replaced with manual handbrake lever/cable).

There is just bare metal behind that plate? or is it just what the dash bolts to, and I can safely push the wires down (yes it's still raining, yay for Britain!)

[daisu]

If you pull the plate off there should be a hole already there. The hole is quite large though (large enough for hte clutch master). So I drilled a small hole in the plate (slightly larger than the cable I wanted to put through) and put the rubber grommet in the plate, then bolted it back onto the firewall.

[Lum]

If you pull the plate off there should be a hole already there. The hole is quite large though (large enough for hte clutch master). So I drilled a small hole in the plate (slightly larger than the cable I wanted to put through) and put the rubber grommet in the plate, then bolted it back onto the firewall.

That was exactly what I was planning to do. I wasn't happy about the idea of drilling through the bulkhead, but taking that plate indoors and drilling it with nothing expensive (or likely to catch fire) nearby is fine.

Just got to find somewhere that sells rubber grommets now. Shouldn't be too hard.

[Lum]

All sorted, only problem I had was losing one of the bloody nuts that hold the replacement on. Will have to get a replacement tomorrow.

Now I need to get a sandwich plate and oil temp/pressure sensors. R32 one I guess.