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2001 Civic Big 3

Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: Car Audio
Forum Discription: Car Stereos, Amplifiers, Crossovers, Processors, Speakers, Subwoofers, etc.
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=72333
Printed Date: July 13, 2025 at 5:17 AM


Topic: 2001 Civic Big 3

Posted By: coppellstereo
Subject: 2001 Civic Big 3
Date Posted: February 07, 2006 at 12:09 AM

I am going to do the Big 3 on my girlfriend's 2001 Honda Civic EX coupe.  I am looking for advice on a good spot to ground and the easiest way to find the alternator and the 12V+ engine terminal.

I'm not familiar with her car under the hood and want to be prepared for when she brings it over this weekend. 

Thanks!



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Replies:

Posted By: haemphyst
Date Posted: February 07, 2006 at 10:51 AM
The +12 is in the underhood fuse box, front-left corner of fuseblock. Alternator input is on that same edge. (I may have them backwards, but they are both on that front edge of the box. The alternator input is the fused one...) There are two #8 wires connected to the battery - white. One goes to the underhood fuse box, the other to the starter. The alternator lead runs from the alternator to the underhood fuseblock, in the harness that runs over the top of the cylinder head. In mine, it was WAY too much bother for me to attempt to remove it, it's all taped and loomed in place, so I simply disconnected it at both ends, and shrink-wrapped it... A couple zip-ties keep it hidden at each end... this also allows easier removal of all my aftermarket stuff for when (and if) I ever decide to sell the car.

4 gauge directly from the alternator terminal to the battery... lots of places to run it through and around the chassis supporting the radiator. Be sure you fuse or CB protect it! Re-built the cable from the battery to the fuse block - custom is better IMHO... Alternator will be plainly visible, but NOT plainly easy to get to... Those Japanese automakers STUFF those underhood areas TIGHT!!! Count on a couple bruised knuckles... posted_image

Grounds? There is a braid from the valve cover to a point above the radiator, replace it with a #4. AT the chassis side, I scrubbed the paint, and added a dollop of electrically conductive, anti-corrosive goo... Got it from work, and I do not remember what it was called, sorry. I added two 4 gauge grounds from the battery to the chassis, one on each side of the car. There are some bolts available for this, again, scraped and anti-corrosion treated.

Make certain your alternator IS THE SAME!!! A drop-in replacement will make your life MUCH easier... I had some fabbing to do. Brackets and spacers - pretty easy fabbing, but fabbing nonetheless. Alternator R&R was pretty easy, overall. Should be no trouble for you.

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It all reminds me of something that Molière once said to Guy de Maupassant at a café in Vienna: "That's nice. You should write it down."





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