I should have my cutout later today, and plan on getting it installed tomorrow but I'll do the wiring myself. I've been searching and some questions are answered, but I was thinking of a different mounting location... what if you mounted the switch INSIDE the arm rest/console thing and it wired in series with the light in the console? So basically it will kill power to the switch(ie, not drain your battery) as long as the console isn't open. Open it up and it will have power.

Or does the cutout need to have power to stay tightly closed while the car is running?

 

I mounted mine in the ashtray and wired it up to the cig. lighter, which is hot all the time and my battery has never been drained.

 

My e-cutout has what's called a "momentary" switch for opening/closing the valve, and I think that's true of all e-cutouts. There's no way it can use power unless your pressing the switch to open/close the valve.
If you wired it up with a light, you'd need to wire it in parallel, not series.
The cutout doesn't need power to stay open or closed.

 

So I could wire it to the cigarette lighter? I've never heard of anyone completely draining thier battery with one, but have been told it will happen. It will be the QTP valve if that matters at all.

Also, how do you remove the center console and the area that the cigarette lighter is located? LOL I'm retarded...

I could always buy a second rocker switch to completely cut power to the cutout when I want to. It would be like... arming the cutout? haha. Useless but the more switches you have, the faster it goes

 

Just make sure the grounds are good!!!

 

To get the console out there is one bolt in the Cassette holder, two inside the console under the lid. Then there is one located underneathe the shifter insert. On an M6 car you can just pull up on the insert to get it to come loose to get access to the screw, but i'm sure its different on an A4.

 

Like I said, there's no way you're gonna drain your battery with your cutout - they just don't draw any power at all unless you're holding the switch to open or close the valve. Mine is wired in with the cig lighter, like a lot of peoples.
Make sure to follow the manufacturers recommendations for what to do after installation. With my DMH, I started the car and ran it for 15min with the cutout closed, then let it cool completely, before opening the valve for the first time.
I don't really use the electric valve all that much - because I usually just leave it open

 

Thanks guys, I think I'll go w/ wiring it to the cig lighter and mounting it right above/beside it. How hard is it to pull the carpet up to get the wire through a drain plug, along the side of the carpet closest to the pass. door, and over to the casette holder area?

 

No problem with the carpet. I just removed the front and rear passenger side trim pieces and rear seat, and lifted the carpet. I ran the cable along the door sill up to the dash, then into the console via the dash center section. Or you can go under the carpet directly to the console. BTW, there's a drain plug located close to the hump in the floor where many people put their cutouts.

 

Awesome, thanks Dave, you've been a great help


Now, where are the bolts to remove the rear seats?

 

There is one bolt on the front of each of the rear buckets then they will come out. Then there are two bolts to get the rear seat back out.

 

Thank you Z95m6!


I just got the cutout itself welded on.. I started it up and

It's THAT damn sweet!!! Now I just gotta install the electronics.

 

ugh, after a long fight with the center console i got it out... i was wondering, could I just delete the cigarette lighter completely by instead of splicing into the wires, just put the orange on the switch's red and the black on the switch's black? i need to know soon, trying to get it done before dark...

 

Yeah, you could, as long as you're not going to miss the lighter. Does the '93-'96 have an extra lighter socket / power outlet in the console like the '97-up?

It's up to you... hope you get this before it's dark!

 

No problem. You can delete the cig. lighter but why not just splice into the wires? i need to have a cig lighter for my cell phone.