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Don’t use passenger side grommet to get wires through firewall!

1996cc

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I used the grommet based on some threads I found here. Now at least 1 of my AUX switches doesn’t work anymore. After wiring in my Search & Rescue radio, I lost my lights wired to the AUX 2 switch. I decided to stick my camera scope inside the grommet to take a peak. I assumed that the factory would pass the wires straight through, even wrapped in the fabric tape they have on the outside - that IS NOT the case. It is like spaghetti in there!! Now I’m pretty sure that I cut a wire (hopefully only 1) while poking through it with a sharp screwdriver :(

Here is the grommet with my coax and power/ground wires going through:

540C219986034E51A99E.jpg


And inside the grommet:

2C453C7040BF46FA812F.jpg


I hope this saves someone else from this problem. This is going to be a nightmare to try and fix! I’m open to any suggestions.
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1996cc

1996cc

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I dove into it today. Didn’t sleep well last night knowing this was coming. It took me about 6 hours to yank both batteries, power distribution center, airbox, etc. to get access to the grommet to fix my epic mistake. The install video from Genesis for their dual battery system was helpful.

In the process of getting to the grommet:

2D8E1688E47043479324.jpg


The wires I ran that caused this problem:

DFEDEA568AB24C10B673.jpg


What it looks like inside the grommet. On the bottom left you can see the 2 wires I cut (which happened to be the wires for the AUX 2 & 4 switches). They are both brown (with different tracers), hiding behind each other.

8395B27106DB4883A9AB.jpg
 

Rico1111

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Wow what a nightmare hope you get it all sorted!!! Definitely not for the squeamish!
 

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Daaaaaaaaaamn!

I’m glad I ran my power step wires through the clutch hole! Sadly I lost the plastic cover and I’ve been meaning to buy a grommet to cover it up hhaha
 
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1996cc

1996cc

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Wow what a nightmare hope you get it all sorted!!! Definitely not for the squeamish!
I did. Forgot to mention that at the end, got it all done and put back together. The best part - the Jeep started right up, and my Aux 2 & 4 switches work again!!!!

Normally I don’t drink much at all, and never feel the need to “take the edge off.” I had a couple tonight.
 

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2Wheel-Lee

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I haven't needed to run wires through there yet, so I haven't looked into it. Thank you for this photo. There is the perfect spot to run wires through the grommet. So perfect, that it looks like it was planned for accessory installations. See thick red circle. You can see the back side of that in one of your photos as well.

Passenger firewall grommet.jpg
 

MarkY3130

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I haven't needed to run wires through there yet, so I haven't looked into it. Thank you for this photo. There is the perfect spot to run wires through the grommet. So perfect, that it looks like it was planned for accessory installations. See thick red circle. You can see the back side of that in one of your photos as well.

Passenger firewall grommet.jpg
Nice observation. I will give it a try hopefully this weekend with a front camera.
 
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1996cc

1996cc

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You can’t get to that spot without pulling both batteries and the power distribution center. See the first pic of the whole engine bay with everything torn apart. You can see the grommet in that pic too. But, if you look at the backside of the grommet in another pic, I think you are correct, it looks like a female hole on the inside! That also appears to provide a safe channel/tube above the rats nest of loose wires. Good catch - it is definitely NOT something you can see without digging in as far as I did...

Welp, looks like I still have another hole available now on the passenger side if I need to run more wires!! :)
 

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You can’t get to that spot without pulling both batteries and the power distribution center. See the first pic of the whole engine bay with everything torn apart. You can see the grommet in that pic too. But, if you look at the backside of the grommet in another pic, I think you are correct, it looks like a female hole on the inside! That also appears to provide a safe channel/tube above the rats nest of loose wires. Good catch - it is definitely NOT something you can see without digging in as far as I did...

Welp, looks like I still have another hole available now on the passenger side if I need to run more wires!! :)
So it's the perfect spot to run wires through but you can't get to it with out all that disassembly?
 
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1996cc

1996cc

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I think you’ll be able to get to it, since you know it’s there. You can feel your way in from the inside and just poke it out and then fish it from under the batteries, etc... I certainly didn’t see it beforehand.
 

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Bringing this one back from the dead because I managed to get a 10.3 mm thick 4 awg wire through that nipple on the passenger grommet in my JT. A quick snip between the lip and the bulb on the end and you get a hollow rubber tube.

For 4 or 6 awg, you definitely need to be fishing interior to exterior and be sure to lube the cable. I don't think you'll get enough strength on the pull without pulling the battery or maybe by soldering a smaller fish wire (like a 12 awg) to the end of the cable to reduce diameter. I fished with a 12 awg taped to the 4 awg and it went with a lot of effort.

For 8 awg or something like the aux switch harness, I think you can fish exterior to interior and just pull it back out to fix the inverted nipple on the grommet. A ziptie around it should seal against the wire but my 4/6 awg power cables were plenty fat for it to seal on its own.

If you're going to do this without pulling the battery, you're going to need small, dexterous hands. You can get a little space by removing the lower tray for the second battery as well - just 3 screws from the bottom. In any case it's a tight fit.
 

TJJL19

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I was looking over the internet, for a way to run a power wire, for the Kicker 10in power sub.
I ran accross this on youtube
Look like it will work,what do you think?
 
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MarkY3130

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I was looking over the internet, for a way to run a power wire, for the Kicker 10in power sub.
I ran accross this on youtube
Look like it will work,what do you think?
Isn’t that where the clutch would be if you had a manual? For automatics it’s a no brainer to use that hole. Those of us with a stick aren’t so fortunate when it comes to firewall penetrations.
 

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Isn’t that where the clutch would be if you had a manual? For automatics it’s a no brainer to use that hole. Those of us with a stick aren’t so fortunate when it comes to firewall penetrations.
never thought of that for manual,I have an automatic. I got to admit that my JKU was a lot easier to add a amp and speakers.
 

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Bringing this one back from the dead because I managed to get a 10.3 mm thick 4 awg wire through that nipple on the passenger grommet in my JT. A quick snip between the lip and the bulb on the end and you get a hollow rubber tube.

For 4 or 6 awg, you definitely need to be fishing interior to exterior and be sure to lube the cable. I don't think you'll get enough strength on the pull without pulling the battery or maybe by soldering a smaller fish wire (like a 12 awg) to the end of the cable to reduce diameter. I fished with a 12 awg taped to the 4 awg and it went with a lot of effort.
Yep, 6 gauge here. With thick insulation, and wire loom on the outside. Definitely was not easy to pull through. Definitely couldn't have done it without the battery removed. A smaller wire could be done with the battery in place for sure, but be prepared to play contortionist while you’re trying to locate that hole on the interior side.

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