4kcsq audio installation (VERY long)

["Mark L. Chang" <mchang@ece.nwu.edu>]

I've been hearing murmurs about radios and such on the list, so I thought
I'd contribute something.

Having just spent a chunk of change on repairs, and it being nearly
Spring, my mind turns to upgrades.  For the mechanically challenged, like
myself, audio upgrades sound like the way to go, as they require the
fewest amount of "real manly" tools and such.

As far as Mr. Payne's issue with the original intent of an audio system in
a quattro, I have to agree -- too loud == bad driver.  But, modern day (at
least for me) demands that music enjoyment time is limited at home, and
since I can end up spending lots of time on the road (and in traffic),
something ear-soothing in my car is in order.  And besides, what came with
the car, besides being only half-functional and nearly twelve years old,
well, was just not up to snuff.

So, off I went -- charge card in hand, and replaced everything in my '87
4kcsq.

Head Unit:
Alpine in-dash CD player.  Alpine makes very nice products.  A tad
overpriced, but still, worth the money, IMHO.  You can get a good deck for
around $250.  I chose Alpine because it didn't have a million little
hard-to-find buttons.  Rather, it has one large rotary knob that does just
about everything with a combination of twists and pushes.  Sure, it
doesn't glow Audi-red/orange, but hey, that's okay.

Front speakers:
MB Quart 2-way component set.  6.5" mid/woofer, .625" titanium dome
tweeter.  Originally had bought a set of Boston Acoustics Rally RC41 (4"
mids, 1" tweeter), but I found the 4" mids too small and the MB Quarts a
better value (if you can believe that).

Rear speakers:
Boston Acoustics Rally 5.25" coaxials.  Good rear fill and a good deal.  I
know they don't match, sonically, with the Quarts, but hey, I got them
with the original Bostons and still like them.

Subwoofer:
JL Audio 12W1-4 -- 12" subwoofer w/125Wrms handling capacity.  Good driver
with a nice tight response (given a good enclosure).  Cheap too.

Amplifier:
Nice SoundStream 5 channel, 240W amp.  35wX4 @ 4ohms + 100WX1 @ 4 ohms.
Bought it used ... cheap too :).

-------------
Installation:

This will be a detailed description of my own install.  I am not
limiting it to 4kcsq-specifics .. it is a full description.  Sure,
it's long, but hopefully, it'll help someone out there.

This installation information is for people using an amplifier.  It is
different for those not using an amplifier--ie. you can probably use
the stock wiring for the rear speakers, and don't have to tear your
car apart to run the additional wiring for the amplifier.  The only
catch is that if you use a component set up front, you need to splice
the existing front speaker wire into the crossover that came with your
speakers.

Head Unit:
I had the store I bought it from install the head unit because I trust
them and they were having a good special on installs.  In retrospect
(read: after I tore it out) I could have done the install myself in like
20 minutes.  Just yank out your old Blau system, mark the wires, and hook
up your own head unit.  The old Blau unit should come out by inserting
three small screwdrivers (I used a jewel set), and pressing out on all
four corners and pulling.  It might help to see someone else's unit that
has already been removed.

Front speakers:
Here is where things got more interesting.  I wanted the tweeters mounted
pointing up at the windshield in the factory speaker mounting position.
There are several posts in the archives about removing these silly dash
speakers, but I'll say it again.  Easiest thing (by far) is to remove the
underdash panels from both sides of the car.  On the driver's side, there
are three screws near the front of the dash, under the "lip".  There is
also an additional anchoring screw in the back of the "cubby hole" by the
driver's left knee.  The underdash should just "plop" come out -- but
watch that you don't break any of the tabs on the right hand side ...
these tabs are plastic and stick into receiving holes in the center
console.  They are important -- do not break.  Pull down the left side
(door side) first, after you are sure everything is unscrewed, and slowly
work the tabs out.

At this point, you should be able to peer up under the dash and at the
speaker.  You will see two screws holding the speaker and it's mounting
bracket into the dashboard.  Unhook the speaker terminals, and unscrew it
from the dash.  Now, push up from the bottom and lift the entire assembly
out.

Now you'll have the silly speaker/basket/grille combo in hand.  Prise out
the grille and carefully remove the speaker from it's rubber surround
(read the archives for more info).  Save everything you can.

Now, do the passenger side.  Same deal.  A couple screws under the lip,
and a few more inside the glove box.  You do not need to remove the
glovebox door to do this, I don't think, but I did anyways -- no big deal.
Careful when you rip this underdash panel out, cause the ECU is sitting
right there on the right side of the glove box, and is *connected* via
stiff wiring.  Just pull gently, don't break any more tabs, and let it
rest somewhere, making sure there isn't tension on any of the wiring.  You
do *not* want to break anything here.

Remove speaker/basket/grille combo in the same fashion.

Okay, now you're thinking, what do I do?  I have these 1" tweeters (or
smaller), and these 3.5" holes!  Find some steel brackets, preferrably
something with lots of holes for fitment purposes, and mount the tweeters
there.  Screw those down *with* the basket and voila -- tweeter mounts.
Getting something just right may be hard -- but keep on looking!  I took
steel bracketing and bent it into a inverted "U" shape so that the tweeter
would be up near the grille instead of down in the hole.

Hook up the wiring to the tweeter before you mount it!  Stick the grille
back on (black RTV if you really want to seal it down -- I just leave mine
as is), and you are finished there.

Door speakers:
Here we have to get creative as well.  You have to remove the inner door
trimmings first.  Locate all the screws and de-screw.  There are several
small ones along the bottom of the side shelf.  There is one in the center
of the side shelf as well -- feel for it under the carpet -- there is an
access hole there to get at it.  The side shelf should then fall off.  Now
is a good time to tell you to keep all your parts in plastic bags so you
don't loose 'em.  Take off the plastic corner trim from near the A-pillar.
Take out that screw underneath it.  Remove the door lock knob.  Unscrew
the arm-rest -- there are two LARGE screws in the bottom.  If you have
power mirrors, pull out the cup, disconnect the wiring.  Now, the arm is
probably dangling there and you're wondering how to get it off.  Take
the arm and not pulling, turn clockwise 90 degrees.  You should be able to
slide it out now.  If not, rotate a little each direction until it comes
out.  There is a notched insert there that is holding things in.  Remove
the screw in the center of the cup behind the inner door handle.

With all the screws out, run your fingers along the edges of the panel and
prise it out of place.  There are several little plastic clips holding
things down.  Make sure to pop them all out.  There is a metal bracket in
the corner by the door lock plunger.  Slide the door panel (once it is
reasonably loose) forward, toward the hinge of the door, and up, and it
should pop out.

Same for the passenger side.

I am not sure what holes there are in the door skins to begin with,
because mine were already cut out nicely from a previous owner's
installation of some serious car audio.  What was done was a nice big cut
along the front of the door.  Be *very* careful to figure out where
everything is behind the door skin before you go slicing away.  There are
plenty of wires and vacuum tubes and window mechanisms, not to mention the
window itself, back there to mess you up.  Search the archives or ask
someone else on the list to help you out with this part. All I do
know is that there is room enough *barely* to fit a 6.5" woofer/mid with a
published mounting depth of 2.36".  Buy the speakers and make sure you can
return them if they don't fit.  Take a piece of coat hanger and run it
from the hole in the side of the car, through the rubber boot, and into
the door.  Tape your wiring to that, and yank it on through.  Wire up
the woofer/mid and mount the speaker as per you instructions -- using
sheetmetal screws.

You may want to build a small plastic baffle to surround the speaker in
the door to protect it from the elements and corrosion.  I didn't have the
materials or the space to do this, but it might be a good idea, since
many newer cars that come with door speakers have something along these
lines already in there.  As far as I can tell, the 4k series was never
meant to have door speakers.

Secure all extra wires to clear spaces on the underdash with draw-ties.

Rear Speakers:
Easy.  Just pop them out from the trunk and into the cabin area.  Should
come out easily -- if not, give a twist and work it out.  Disconnect
from the stock wiring.  Remember, I'm going to amplify this system, so
I want to run my own wiring (more on that later).  Bring wire up from
the holes into the trunk area and connect to new speakers.  Drop in
and screw down.  Don't screw too tight -- it's cheapie board back
there!

Amplifier Wiring:
For an amplifier, you'll need power, ground, remote turn-on from the head
unit, RCA cables to carry the signal from the head unit, and speaker wire
going to all the speakers.  Obviously, this is a lot of new wiring to put
into place, since you probably aren't going to want to use the stock
wiring.

I ran out to Best Buy and purchased a Phoenix Gold rear installation
kit.  This had just about everything I needed, except an extra set of
RCA cables.

Rule of thumb is to run power down one side of the car, and signal
down the other side.  I had my amplifier mounted in the trunk, so this
is a lot of long wiring.

To do this right:
1) remove enough screws from the center console to raise up the shift
boot area.
2) Remove the carpet sills on the floor on both sides of the car (the
metal rails that run the length of the cabin) to free the edges of the
carpet.
3) Remove the back seat back (both the back and bottom parts).  The
bottom comes out by lifting on the center part.  The back is more
complicated and hard to describe... just start to fiddle with it or
ask another qlister.

Power:
Run the 8 guage cable from the engine compartment, through any
existing hole you can find through the firewall, through the center
console and under the carpet.  I found a nice hole behind the
under-dash fuse panel and ran power down the driver's side.  I came
through the center tunnel, passed under the driver's seat, and down
the driver's side to the back seat.  Crossed over the back seat and
fed through the passenger-side hole over the wheel well arch (where
lots of other cables go).

Ground:
In the trunk -- unscrew the side tray on the passenger side and remove
the upper part of plastic foamy padding.  Pulling on the remaining
padding below and behind the tray, you should see plenty of screw
holes.  Find one that you like, file off the paint, and voila -- nice
ground.  You can even use the one that either the tailights use, or
the power-door-lock vacuum pump.

RCA and remote turn-on:
Either one or two sets of RCAs plus the remote turn-on lead need to go
down the *other* side of the car.  It is nice to run these together
since they both come from the head unit.  I did the same thing as the
power cable except ran it down the right side of the shift tunnel,
under the passenger seat, and down the passenger side of the car.

Speaker cable:
For the rear speakers, you should already have some wires dangling
down through the holes in the decklid.  I ran them behind the foam
backing of the trunk and to the right side where all the other wires
were.

For the front speaker cable, I ran wire again on the right side of the
car, all the way up and through the center console again.  Then, split
left and right, and solder and shrink-wrapped to the crossover
leads.

Amplifier mounting:
I suggested the right (passenger) side of the car to run the wiring
into the trunk on because there is no spare tire on that side (at
least in my 4kq).  Thus, a good place to mount the amp (so long as it
isn't too big), is where that foamy trim used to be that you just
pulled out above.  The extra piece that is above the plastic tray.
You can take a just large enough piece of wood and mount your
amplifier to that with short bolts.  Then, take the stickiest
substance you know, and just glue it to the inside of the rear
fender.  This keeps it really out of the way of your trunk, and the
wiring is really neat.

If you can't do that (amplifier too huge or heavy or don't like glue),
then you're on your own.

Under the hood (or bonnet), disconnect the ground post from the
battery.  Connect the power cable to the positive post, making sure
your wiring kit came with an in line fuse no more than 1.5-2ft from
the positive post.  Do not hook up the fuse yet (ie. don't let the
juice flow).

Hook up the amplifier to the speakers, remote turn-on, ground and power.

Then, up front, under the hood, install the fuse that should have come
with your wiring kit, and connect the negative lead back to the
negative post of your battery.

Everything should be ready to go now.  Test it out -- turn on the head
unit and see if it'll play music.

Put your car back together.

Subwoofer (optional):

There are several options here.  Huw Powell suggested that one could
mount a sub to the rear decklid.  But, that suggestion requires the
transformation of the rear decklid from its current flimsy cardboard
material into something more substantial (particle board or something)
to hold a heavy subwoofer.

Others suggested getting some sort of bass-tube or bass-cannon system
that takes up very little room and is already completely
pre-fabricated.  This solution, I thought, wouldn't let me be creative
and tune it the way I wanted it.

Instead, I decided to build a sealed subwoofer enclosure to fit on the
floor of the 4kcsq trunk.  If you want the design, email me.  I took
my amplifier, since it was too large to mount against the fender, and
mounted it to the box.

Concluding remarks:

Okay, this was a tad on the long side -- hopefully it'll help someone
out though.  Please feel free to email me if you have any questions.

Mark
87 4kcsq -- sounding nice


                    [PGP] finger mchang@ece.nwu.edu