Got a new radio...wiring is messing with my head. Blew more than a fuse...

Topic: Got a new radio...wiring is messing with my head. Blew more than a fuse... (Read 4836 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: Got a new radio...wiring is messing with my head. Blew more than a fuse...

Reply #15 – January 16, 2005, 03:23:39 PM

Quote from: EricCoolCats

The red wire with the loop is your ground wire. Obviously you'll need to attach it. It's been reported that all cars with the factory Premium Sound setup also have a spare, pre-bypassed radio harness laying behind the dash somewhere. Personally I've never seen it...then again, I've never looked for it either. But many people have told me it's there, so start hunting behind the radio, or above the radio (remove your storage bin), or look over between the radio and the glove box. When/if you find it, you can use any of the aftermarket Ford wiring adapter harnesses at the local stereo store (or Wal*Mart) for $10 US, and wire your radio into that. This will get your aftermarket radio working with your stock speakers, while bypassing the factory amp. If you want to run your own amp, you will need to run new wiring throughout the vehicle, plain and simple.

You have two choices with the factory Premium Sound setup: get jumper harnesses and use your stock amp, or bypass it and use your own amps. Since you are bypassing this you cannot mix the stock amps in with your amps...it's one or the other.

i have in Mikeys car. it was taped to the between the glove box and the radio..if you find it you still have to dissconect all the plugs going to the factory amp or you will fry you new deck.. and like Eric said instead of cutting the factory harness i would get an factory harness to aftermarket radio adapter..from auto zone or pep boys or wal mart..

Re: Got a new radio...wiring is messing with my head. Blew more than a fuse...

Reply #16 – January 16, 2005, 03:30:05 PM

Eric, I love you! That loop of colored wires in the first pic, I pulled on that and out dropped the bypass harness. Well, now I just need to figure out why my clock and day time back light for my dash only work when I touch the two orange wires together....

Re: Got a new radio...wiring is messing with my head. Blew more than a fuse...

Reply #17 – January 16, 2005, 03:33:47 PM

No no no no no! You can either use the stock amp (stupid, because the head unit is probably more powerful), replace the amp with an aftermarket unit, or go ampless, and none of these options require rewiring the car. Regardless, you do need to know a bit about wiring, because if you can't trace wires or have trouble understanding color codes you're gonna have trouble. Having the wire colors handy is a good thing. Here they are:
http://www.foxthundercats.com/tech/wiringdiagrams.htm
Print off the system that is appropriate for you car and take it with you into the car.

If you want to go ampless (bypassing the stock amp) you will need to find the harness that Eric is talking about. Taped up somewhere in behind your radio or around the glove box you should find this elusive harness, and like Brian said, when you do, you can get the adapter from a stereo shop and plug it in. You'll know you have the right harness because it won't be connected to anything and the wire colors will match the ones in the "Non-premium,non-EQ" diagram at the location listed above. You MUST disconnect the factory amp in order to do this. Simply unplug it.

You can also use the factory amp but this involves making custom adapters to connect your RCA pre-outs to the factory premium sound harness. This would sound the shiznits, however, as your new deck, no matter how cheap, almost certainly has a better amplifier circuit than the stock, 16+ year old Ford amp.

The third (and best) option is to use an aftermarket amp. This is what I did, and you can do so using all stock wiring (as long as you don't go too big, even the factory premium sound power wire should suffice. The info on how to do this is also at the website noted above.

Regardless of the way you want to do it, you do not have to rewire the whoole car. Everything you need is already in the car. It's just a matter of finding it.

Re: Got a new radio...wiring is messing with my head. Blew more than a fuse...

Reply #18 – January 16, 2005, 03:35:09 PM

Quote from: Blown306Cougar

i have in Mikeys car. it was taped to the between the glove box and the radio..if you find it you still have to dissconect all the plugs going to the factory amp or you will fry you new deck.. and like Eric said instead of cutting the factory harness i would get an factory harness to aftermarket radio adapter..from auto zone or pep boys or wal mart..

I found it in my TC as well, its how I have my head unit connected and it plays great. If you can find it it will have 8 wires in it, 2 going directly to each speaker. Thunder Chickens wiring diagrams should show where each color connects(make sure you look for the non premium system). IF you go this route BE SURE TO UNPLUG THE FACTORY AMP IN THE TRUNK, AS IT IS WIRED PARAELL TO THE NON PREMIUM WIRING

Re: Got a new radio...wiring is messing with my head. Blew more than a fuse...

Reply #19 – January 16, 2005, 04:46:15 PM

I think I should've waited for TCs response cause this deck has very little power, stock unit provided more bass without being overly bassy, but it's good enough for the time being. I really do need a new one because this one, I used that clip thing from the stock unit, the mounting brackets wouldn't fit on the new deck so it's a little loose in the console, it's bouncy. I plan on buying a pioneer deck and speakers after my birthday...

Re: Got a new radio...wiring is messing with my head. Blew more than a fuse...

Reply #20 – January 16, 2005, 06:30:52 PM

I'm glad you got things working. If you want help around here, try to have a little patience and remember that we can only help you if you're thorough in explaining what you need. You can't be vague when it comes to wiring. I was going to jump on this topic, but you seemed too pissy to listen to what was being said and became even pissier when no one replied. If you want help, don't be an ass about things.

Re: Got a new radio...wiring is messing with my head. Blew more than a fuse...

Reply #21 – January 16, 2005, 09:36:09 PM

I'm sorry my idiot-ass responses were no help.

Re: Got a new radio...wiring is messing with my head. Blew more than a fuse...

Reply #22 – January 17, 2005, 06:35:54 PM

Pioneer, yea baby.
Best decks out there,all i ever run.
Curently running a 960mp and love it.
Check out my picks of it and my car on users rides.

Re: Got a new radio...wiring is messing with my head. Blew more than a fuse...

Reply #23 – January 17, 2005, 06:51:21 PM

Quote from: lowcat

If you can't figure out how to install a headunit, no wonder you have a hard time doing basic tune up work.

pwn3d!!!

Re: Got a new radio...wiring is messing with my head. Blew more than a fuse...

Reply #24 – January 17, 2005, 08:00:59 PM

Hi,
'87 with Premium Sound huh? Well, Lincoln puts factory amp boxes in the trunks of their '80s towncars for Premium Sound systems and I bet you have a Ford amp box? If so, then you may have to bypass the amp box to get a head unit to play---I know because I had to do it and I have an '89 Towncar as well. This is a not an uncommon thread on the lincoln site. Find the amp box--it is a steel box about the size of a medium book and could be mounted on the back wall of the trunk (the back of the rear seat)---that is where Ford put the the Towncar ones. You need a patch cord which is sold by better auto stereo stores. It is 2 feet long and made for this purpose. You unplug the 2 amp cables and plug the patch cord into those ends bypassing the amp. Total time to do this task: less than 5 minutes. Cost maybe $15 if I recall----if this is the problem, I hope this tip was the answer. Looks like you already beat up the wiring at the radio.

JR