1st Generation Specific (1979-1985) 1979-1985 Discussion including performance modifications and technical support sections

Stereo Trouble

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Old Feb 15, 2009 | 10:16 PM
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Stereo Trouble

I just bought a bunch of stereo equipment for my 85 GSL SE, the guy at best buy gave me a wiring harness for an 86+ RX7 and now im either retarded or its the wrong harness, he said their books say itll work but for me its not. so can someone help or direct me somewhere with a walkthrough for it or something. Please help
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Old Feb 15, 2009 | 10:19 PM
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im going to need some more information, what exactly is not working? does the best buy harness not fit into the stock harness, or is there no sound?
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Old Feb 15, 2009 | 10:30 PM
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pretty much the problem is not all of the wires snap in, theres no place for the front speaker attachment
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Old Feb 15, 2009 | 10:56 PM
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would it be an issue for you to cut off the factory harness and solder your new decks harness to it? thats what i did and it works great
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Old Feb 15, 2009 | 11:04 PM
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well thats kind of the plan for now, i looked at crutchfield and their kit comes with what i got so i just gotta do some splicing and make it work i guess
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Old Feb 15, 2009 | 11:21 PM
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so if im splicing them where would the other set of speaker wires be? and how do i get rid of that stupid selector **** thing between the seats?
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Old Feb 16, 2009 | 12:02 AM
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oh those thing, i left my there i just unplugged the rest of it. get rid of those amps and stuff in your storage compartment there useless now
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Old Feb 16, 2009 | 02:39 AM
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i've done 3 custom stereos in my se. first time i just cut my whole harness, figured out which cables went where, then just got it working. it was only a cd player though, and my antenna didn't work so i took it out and put in an mp3 cheapo deck.

some idiot broke in to my car and stole the deck. so i bought another one. JVC 7" double din. did custom wiring again. been fine ever since. it still doesn't look perfect but i'm not a pro.

The wiring is very easy. just do new wires to your speakers. you can buy a spool of 50 feet or anything. it will work well
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Old Feb 16, 2009 | 09:08 AM
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In my experience I've found that there's no easy "clip-in" harness to get both front and rear speakers working in the FB.

The stock stereo used two unique connectors (look kind of like the XLR microphone/speaker connectors that DJs use) to connect the stock head unit to the two small amplifiers in the bins, which then have wires going to the speakers (which also use non-standard sized connectors). There are a set of connectors that somehow lead to the rear speakers, and those are the connectors that you'll find harnesses for. I don't know if they bypass the stock amps or not, but they're there and they kind of work.

The best option is to just run brand new wires for the four speakers to the deck. That takes care of the speaker wires, leaving only the 12v+ and Illumination wires to find. For those, harness is available from www.crutchfield.com but I found that both times I used their harness I actually had to take the 12v+ wire, remove the spade and place it in a different location on the connector for it to work. It's still better than splicing the original harness though, as the wire (red I believe) can easily be moved with a flat screwdriver to the proper part on the harness.

Get a digital multimeter (like $15 at Canadian Tire, or whatever local autoparts store you have in lieu of that), and use it to find out which wires in the stock harness have 12v+ when the car's off, then with the key in "accessory" position, and "On" position. One of those will also dim when you dim the console. Those, along with your speaker wires should be all you need to wire in a new deck. It's a good idea to put a fuse in-line in the 12v+ wire (yellow on my harness). It has saved my stereo a few times when I had alternator problems. Mine's a 15amp, but you should get a good idea of which to use from your deck's manual.

Jon

Last edited by vipernicus42; Feb 16, 2009 at 09:13 AM.
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Old Feb 16, 2009 | 01:36 PM
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awesome sounds great, thanks for all the help, i didnt know a gslse had so much to mess with for a stereo, hidden amps and all, crazy stuff
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Old Feb 16, 2009 | 02:45 PM
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ok i just bought all the speaker cable i'll need and enough for a sub later on, now where would i find that amp and stuff, im just gonna rewire the rear speakers, maybe even the front ones
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Old Feb 16, 2009 | 03:09 PM
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the amps are under the drivers side storage compartment IIRC. I'd say remove those and put a new one in there, you can even put a small sub in one of the compartments. there was a write up on this.

it depends on how stock you want your system to look.
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Old Feb 16, 2009 | 04:12 PM
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If your up for a drive. I can help you put it all in at no charge. I've built harnesses from stock. I can also help you wire your amp. I've got alot of expirence with car audio. I live out in forest grove. its by beaverton. take I-5 nb to hwy 26 west and get off at northplanes. PM me if interested
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Old Feb 16, 2009 | 04:24 PM
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This is what you need to do if you don't want to come out

1)locate a constant 12v supply, a 12v power supply from your acc switch on your ignition. a ground. (yellow to constant, red to acc, black to ground)

2)alot of speaker wire about 30 feet to be safe fronts are the white and gray and rears are purple and green. I forget on what side is which though.

3)use the solid blue wire for your amp remote. its basicly the acc switch for the amp so it turns off when you turn off the sterio.

4)wire it up and hide the wires. its alot easyer than it looks. the most important are the yellow red and black.

5)also when I did mine the power intena (sp?) needed a extention cord cost like 5 dollars at shucks.
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Old Feb 16, 2009 | 05:24 PM
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most people's power antenna's don't work anymore, so they replace it with an aftermarket one. personally i don't like how our cars look with it, so i took it out completely.

i recently bought a 20 dollar inside antenna that goes on a window. it works well just don't put it too close to some metal
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Old Feb 16, 2009 | 07:25 PM
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I belive you still need the plug to make it work correctly. Its a ground for the outside of the sterio. most of the sterios i've fixed for people this is why it wasn't working. I may be wrong. I don't have a power antani but i know if i don't plug the connector in I get no power to the sterio.
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Old Feb 16, 2009 | 09:15 PM
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Good info about the power ant.
http://www.jimrothe.com/mazda/antenna/index.html


Almost all Blue/yellow wires in the car are 12v constant power. There are single Blue/yellow plugs behind the radio and at each amp. Good for the yellow wire from your head unit. Locate the 6 conductor plug J-04 behind the radio. Two terminals are not used, Blue/yellow is 12V, Blue/white is switched 12V, Red/green is illumination lights, Blue is complicated (you don't need it). Also behind the radio are two connectors J-10 plugged into each other. Front speaker wires can be accessed in one of the plugs. One plug comes from the rear amps the other side connects to the front speakers. Blue/red & Blue/yellow (only Blue/yellow in the car not 12V) are right side. Blue/green & Blue/white are left. Same type of plug (J-13) for rear speakers is under left storage bin plugged into the amp harness. Blue/white & Blue/black is right. Blue/orange & Blue/red is left.

These are small stock speaker wires so you're better off with your plan to run new heavier wires, but this may help someone else.
Attached Thumbnails Stereo Trouble-stereo.jpg   Stereo Trouble-stereo3.jpg   Stereo Trouble-stereo1.jpg  
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