Ok this is for a 1996 honda civic dx, I already know where to find the wire and what color it is. Its under my hood and its the blue/white wire.

My question though is what is the ideal way to tap into the wire....the easiest that is....?

Is it okay to cut the vss wire? (then do the stripping of the ends and then tap into it....and solder)

or...

Take a knife (exacto....switch blade...w/e) and NOT cut the wire, BUT slice around the plastic covering (or jacket...is that what its called?) in two spots...probably an inch, or inch and a half apart then slice the plastic covering following the wire connecting the two portions of the slices i had previously done and peal the covering off, without having to cut the wire.

This also goes for the break wire as well...are these methods okay when it comes to messing around with the VSS wire? Sorry if its a noobish question.

Also what does it mean to connect the brain to a constant and a switched 12 volt power source? and how do i do that?

Any help is much appreciated.

Ok this is for a 1996 honda civic dx, I already know where to find the wire and what color it is. Its under my hood and its the blue/white wire.

 

My question though is what is the ideal way to tap into the wire....the easiest that is....?

 

Is it okay to cut the vss wire? (then do the stripping of the ends and then tap into it....and solder)

 

or...

 

Take a knife (exacto....switch blade...w/e) and NOT cut the wire, BUT slice around the plastic covering (or jacket...is that what its called?) in two spots...probably an inch, or inch and a half apart then slice the plastic covering following the wire connecting the two portions of the slices i had previously done and peal the covering off, without having to cut the wire.

This is the best method

This also goes for the break wire as well...are these methods okay when it comes to messing around with the VSS wire? Sorry if its a noobish question.

Actually good question, I don't think we've really gone into great detail on splicing into wiring.

Also what does it mean to connect the brain to a constant and a switched 12 volt power source? and how do i do that?

That would be the yellow (constant) and the red (switched) wires of the wiring harness I hope you're using.

Any help is much appreciated.

Not a problem anymore quesitons?

so I would find the Yellow and Red wires for the switched and constant wire deal on the harness (1996 honda civic harness) i bought for the avic n3 right? I dont actually have any of the stuff right now, i just ordered it, and making sure i know exactly what im doing and understanding the whole process.

im also going through the pdf installation manual i got from the pioneer site...

Yup that would be correct. It'll be a lot easier for you to get once you have everything sitting in front of you.

yea i kinda figured once i had the stuff infront of me, that it would be alot simpler in terms of what to do...reading this pdf file manual is a bit confusing at some points....which is worrying me a lil.

Don't worry it's not a hard thing to do and that's not a hard car to work on. The most difficult thing is getting the stock radio out. After that it's a breeze.

personally, I like t-taps. the reason is its not permanent and can be removed easily. I dont like it because some report problems of connection issues. I however have never seen a poor connection on a t tap. I make sure that the cable is secured in such a way that the t tap maintains contact. The key is to use the right piece for the job, dont use a too large of a t tap for a small wire. splicing the wire and sliding the insulation back and soldering then taping is good though. they even make automatic strippers, often times though its hard to get these bulky tools into cramped close spots to use. Use what works, I think thats kinda universal for what makes an 'installer'

thanks for the input, i saw some of the t taps at the store but for some reason i couldnt understand how it was supposed to work....do you have to expose some of the wire first before using it? and if i did that route which t tap would you recommend...im currently look at this site that has pictures of them

http://www.crowbarelectricalparts.com/Scotchloks.htm

what would i be looking at? thanks for the input btw guys, you guys are wicked fast with info.

Yes t-taps used PROPERLY will be fine. Though I've seen and fixd plenty of problems caused by using ttaps under the hood of a car. You know how hard it is to solder a wire that's coroded bcause the insulation shifted away from where the tap broke it.

yeah you can have problems with ttaps, I cant say i have though. You dont have to expose the wire first, you just sandwich the ttap on the wire and squeeze with a pair of pliers. youll get it when you actually have a ttap in hand. Do make sure you dont sever the wire when attaching the ttap.

I've used splice connectors. They're similar to ttaps except there is no male disconnect. Use the proper gauge color. I've usually used red for the VSS connection in numerous cars. ttaps seem to be hard to come by, but Home Depot usually stocks splice connectors.

yeah ive found splice connectors at Sears hardware but not ttaps, and i havent checked home depot but ill check today.

T- Taps are for girls.

and the lazy...

call it whatever you want. either way there are many ways to skin a cat that all accomplish the job AND are reliable. Its just how you do it and use it. Also, if someone is not proficient enough to use a t tap, I'd hardly trust them with a soldering iron near and ecu or something.

call it whatever you want. either way there are many ways to skin a cat that all accomplish the job AND are reliable. Its just how you do it and use it. Also, if someone is not proficient enough to use a t tap, I'd hardly trust them with a soldering iron near and ecu or something.

that too is a valid point. At least with a ttap or scotchlock the odds of damaging nearby wiring is minimal.

im fairly confident in doing any method really, ive worked with wires before, especially when having to wire two amps on my 04 gti, this stuff really isnt new to me...but it is my first time actually installing a headunit and a brain that accompanies it....not to mention rear view camera....and the ipod adapter....and the sirius sat radio lol. Ive done a few installs in peoples cars but none with this much going for it. Generally the easier this can be done...i would like to do it that way....

call it whatever you want. either way there are many ways to skin a cat that all accomplish the job AND are reliable. Its just how you do it and use it. Also, if someone is not proficient enough to use a t tap, I'd hardly trust them with a soldering iron near and ecu or something.

 

that too is a valid point. At least with a ttap or scotchlock the odds of damaging nearby wiring is minimal.

Yeah, may not damage nearby wiring, but have fun trouble shooting, when the t-tap partially severes the wire. T-Taps are for hack shops and Pep Boys mechanics.

Grab a soldering iron and some good 3M super 33. Cut the insulation back on the wire to be tapped into, using a razor knife. Wrap wire around exposed wire, solder and tape.

again, if you cant execute a t tap properly, i sure as hell wouldnt trust that same hand with a sharp knife and a soldering iron. There are certain steps you can take with any type of install to ensure it is done properly. there are ways to install a t tap properly and get many many years of use out of it

i guess when time comes ill decide the best method, i have no problem practicing the method before i do it...quick question, do you have to drill for the ND-BC1?

drill? naa, unless you want to mount it and want to drill holes for that mounting or something

well i just ordered the avic n3, the ipod adapter, and the rear view camera, i have the wire harness and dash kit, just need to wait for it to come in now.