chenjx1983

I'm sooooooooo f***ed! I think I've done exactly what Icemark has warned us not to do in the FAQ - all my lights inside of the car are not working now, including the reading lamp above my head in the centre, two lights in both doors! And the alarm beep 5 times to tell me the doors are not properly shut when they are all completely closed! Don't know when exactly this has happened, but certainly after unplugging all the connectors from the aftermarket tape layer! Is there anyway to save the lights or I'll have to "drive in the dark" for the rest of my RX7 life?

jake1191

iTrader: (1)

i dont think you will burn up the cd player as long as you stick to what you can from the FAQ and guess and check the rest.

chenjx1983

I just found the audio section in the service manual, which tells me exactly what's coming out of the stock radio. I guess I'm lucky that the previous guy kept all the stock plugs go into the stock radio. The only thing I'm cofused is that the manual says the existing power antenna has already got a relay, is this the same thing that Icemark has talked about in his FAQ or is that an addional relay that I need to do?

Also, this DOES NOT solve my interior lighting problem! F*******K!

jake1191

iTrader: (1)

I know how u feel with the interior lights my old firebird lights were on all the time so i had to disconnect the battery. As far as a the relay most cd players have power antenna wire setups in them from the factory i believe what IceMark is talking about is if the cd player doesnt have these provisions.

cerm78

Nope, Icemark refers to the factory power antenna being triggered by a ground signal, when most aftermarket radios put a positive (+12v) signal on the power antenna trigger lead.

If car still have factory power antenna, then an additional relay is needed to convert the positive trigger from the radio to a negative (ground) trigger to the antenna.

If the car has an aftermarket power antenna, then the positive trigger can be passed directly to the antenna (most expect that)

If the car as an aftermarket power antenna and the stock headunit, then an additional relay is needed to reverse the negative ground trigger from the radio to a positive trigger to the antena.

And finally, if there is no power antenna, then nothing is needed connected to the trigger line and can be taped.

chenjx1983

How do you deal with them? How do you figure out what's wrong? Is there a dedicated fuse for the system that might have be blown? Is it a separate system, I mean, is there a risk of further damage to other systems if I leave the problem for now?

All other electrical system are working properly at the moment, all warning lights are fine. One thing I remember, while driving home yesterday with the radio out but not unplugged (very stupid action I guess, I'm ashamed of myself), the door warning light came on briefly when all the doors are properly closed. Is this a sign of anything?

cerm78:

Is this a relay? (please refer to the picture attached) This car has a stock power antenna and a aftermarket tape player - it is likely a relay has been done by the previous person worked on it. If I do another relay, then I will have a another wire to put to ground, can this wire go with the ground wire coming out of the new cd player?

jake1191

iTrader: (1)

The light are on all the time or arent on ever and dont work. If they dont work then it is a possible bad fuse never hurts to replace them all one by one. I did this on mine and found three that were toasted but i didnt even know it. Make sure you use the suggested fuse size for all the fuses. Also check the bulbs if they dont work. A good thing to do for a little extra money in the short run is to buy the l.e.d. replacements they look better and last a long time. They are usually brighter too.



If they are always on replace the door buttons that trigger when a door is opened. The door warning lights could be faulty door buttons too.

I see no reason the interior lights would damage other systems in the car. You should be fine.

chenjx1983

I've just noticed that all the warning beeps are out as well - eg. when you take the key out and open the door while the head lamps are on, the car should beep to remind you to turn off the lights - it was working yesterday.

I'll check all the fuses - I know there is one somewhere in the footwell in front of the driver's seat. Is this the one? Are there any other fuse boxes? One inside the bonnet maybe?

jake1191

iTrader: (1)

It the only one i know of other than the under hood fuses. It sure isn't in there lol. I also just realized i missed where you posted about the part where you screwed up the lights. But i don't think that really matters check all fuses and you should find it.

chenjx1983

I've just went to my car and had a look - could not wait untill work finishes. The 7.5A room fuse is blown for sure, I guess that explains the problem with interior lights (AND the clock, as I've just noticed). Will replace that one and check if there's any other blown fuse. As far as the CD-Player installation, I've pretty much figured out where the wires are - just one more question - I know there are two + power wires that go into the head unit, I've found two power wires, but the problem is I can not tell which is which - what will happen if I got them wrong?

jake1191

iTrader: (1)

That I'm not sure of one might be a constant power and one might be an ignition on power(aka accessory).

chenjx1983

So I bought four new speakers yesterday and hooked them all up with the new cd-player, and IT WORKED! Thank you guys so much for all your help! Special thanks to Icemark and jfpimp91elkland for providing a detail wiring explaination and answering my endless questions!

HOWEVER, I've burned my 7.5A Room Fuse again while testing, anyone knows what might be the problem?

jake1191

iTrader: (1)

If it is blowing could be a short somewhere or just a wire that isnt taped/covered well and is touching another wire. I do know that a friend of mines Subaru(yes i know its a completely different car) kept blowing the interior light fuse so we went with the next step up size fuse and it never blew again. I believe it was originally a 7.5a and we put a 10a fuse in instead. Not sure if this could cause damage on an RX-7 or not so wait for another reply before you try it.

Icemark

what size is the fuse on the Yellow wire of the aftermarket radio?

chenjx1983

The orginal aftermarket radio had a fuse in the wire (refer to the picture that I posted previously), I don't know what size it is cos' its not your typical car fuses that you find in your fuse box. The new SONY head unit has a 10A fuse in the back.

I've just hooked up all the wires using a soldering iron. And while testing, radio works fine, but CD keeps going "out" on me. I mean the whole unit would suddenly "shut" like you pull out the power plug, but a second later it will be back on again. I'm really worried that this will damage the electrical system in the car. Any ideas?

PS. all connections should be fine as I took extra care while soldering them. Could it be that battery in the car is not supporting the new speakers that I put in?

jake1191

iTrader: (1)

The battery in he car doesnt support the speakers. The only way it does is if you have an amp. Even then it shouldn't be an issue because they are only interior speakers not a bunch of bass pounding subwoofers that need a huge amp. The fuse in the wire is what i call a bullet fuse (glass tube with two metal ends). I personally think that the double fuses are over kill and that could be the problem. Usually those bullet fuses are low rated.



To remove the bullet fuse part just cut it out and put the wires together with out it.

chenjx1983

You are right, I've taken out the bullet fuse all together.

Everything is running great now! I think the preivious burn out of the fuse / "cd-player black out" is probably due to either flat battery or loose plug(s). However, after I've charged up the battery, everything is doing what it should. So, I can call it a complete project now!

Thank you guys so much for helping me! You are GREAT! Enjoy your X'mas!

NeCr0mStR

iTrader: (3)

I am partially retarded or something. I understand that with the factory antenna I need a relay, but does anyone know what the relay will look like or part number? Also where does the + and the - go or is there no + or - side. I just don't understand based on the picture in the FAQ which wire goes on the relay other than the stereo and ant lead wires. If someone could clarify for me.

Also I can't seem to get my antenna even plugged into my new head unit, does anyone have a suggestion its like the antenna plug in cable isn't long enough to reach the stereo plug in or something.

cmanns

read the wiring colors

The neg crimp onto one of those washer looking things for wires and screw that into the original screw hole on the left

Theres two pos, one keeps your radios memory called a constant (which I have reversed once again ) and a switched, which goes on when your key hits ACC section



Read for a radio thread I posted a few months ago, i cant see your sig and dunno car you got but my speaker wires were slightly different, but i think I posted all the wires

chenjx1983

If you go to post #31 you'll see a picture of my antenna relay. The antenna wire has very limited length in my car so I can not pull the head unit all out without disconnect the antenna.

If you combine the information in ICEMARK's post (#19) and the diagram in #11, you should be able to work out which one goes where - there are basically four connections: (giving these are four wires coming in and out of the relay

1. black, from relay to relay
2. black, from relay to ground (body)
3. blue (usually), from headunit to relay
4. blue with orange strip, from antenna to relay

Note that the wires in 3 and 4 are different in my car - I've got blue and green.

NeCr0mStR

iTrader: (3)

Thank you for the help, I will check into all of this. I am working on fixing some of my other issues like with my gauge cluster not being attached at the bottom of the dash due to broken screw slots.

NeCr0mStR

iTrader: (3)

Ok, so based on the info I am getting I need to plug in a ground to the car, and than a ground from the radio, and then the power antenna from the radio and the power antenna from my wiring harness that adapts my radio to the car. Anyone have a part number or a model number of said relay, and also correct me if I am still wrong about how to hook it all up.

Thank you

chenjx1983

I think you are right, basically, the wires are as simple as this: (some one please correct me if I'm wrong)

From head unit:

2 wires each for each speaker - I have four in my car so if you have more then you need some other information to make them work.

1 wire to a always on power source - eg. the battery

1 wire to a power source that will be turned on by key - eg. acc

1 wire to ground (body)

1 wire to antenna (through a relay, which is grounded)

As for the part and model number for the relay, you might be able to find out at a auto supply shop. Or surely someone here will answer that for you.

MAKE SURE you check the manual that comes with your head unit, it should have a very clear wiring diagram for your specific unit. My one also had information on how to hook up a sub and amp if you have them and in that case, the list that I gave above will be slightly different.

NeCr0mStR

iTrader: (3)

The relay was the only thing I needed to know, I can handle doing something simple like a pro job on a car stereo. I just didn't know about the relay and I am still confused as to how I am going to plug in the antenna to the stereo since the wire is so short for the actual antenna.

NeCr0mStR

iTrader: (3)

So yeah, I finally got my stereo installed complete and also my gauge pod I fabricated. I ended up getting my power antenna relay a

12VDC/30A SPST Automotive Relay

$6.79
Model: 275-226
Catalog #: 275-226

From radioshack which matches the picture in post #19 of this thread. Wired it up with with spade female connectors so I can remove it easily if I ever need to replace it.

Thank you everyone for all the help, once again everyone has made working on these cars easier than a book.