First off I have to admit that I kinda messed up in the attempt to install my friends stereo..one thing is I didn't even think to disconnect the negative on the batt. so some wires may have touched... :-(
He has a 1995 240SX. The previous owner had an aftermarket headunit and sony cd changer. The wiring was a mess so I removed all of the stuff needed for the CD changer. He did not need it anyway.
Attempting to test the power (without an ohmeter - I know) I connected the red (+12) the yellow (memory?) and the ground to the headunit. Turn key, nothing. No power to the headunit. I tried different combinations of this with the illumination wire and still nothing.
Things got strange when the clock on the dash stopped working and when you touched the +12 and the yellow wire coming from the wiring harness the clock and the sidemarker lights would come on. I don't know how it happened but now the clock only lights up when the key is in and the lights are on but it is very dim.
I'm going to go back in there and try to figure out what power the wires are putting out with a meter and probably buy a new wiring harness that hasn't been cut up. I feel bad because I've done this twice before (mine and a friends honda) and had no problems. It didn't have a stereo when he bought it and it's not his daily driver right now, plus I'm helping him out just because I want to.
Any clues on why the power to the clock is dead, why the sidemarkers don't work anymore and why when you touch the +12 and mem (+12 also?) together the clock lights up?
240SX new headunit - strange problems..
Wow you sounds like me when I first started installing. Ha. Yeah I loved blowing fusses. Just blowing them was a hobby. It was sad. The problem your having with the atenna is that it is also a ground. I believe that is why the headunit is going on and off. The antenna going up and down. You shouldn't have to connect the antenna at all. I don't have it where it goes up and down. But on your new wiring harness that your going to get on the back of the bag there should be a list of the wires. Find the antenna and try hooking it up and try not hooking it up. See what happens and see if your get rececption. Some cd players are weird about these things along with some antennas
Hmm..
I did find that out. The ground seems to also be the antenna wire.
This leaves me confused as where to go next because I can either drill a new ground into the chassis for the ground wire on the headunit, or hook it up to the antenna wire.
I did correctly find the +12 memory, and ignition wires. Problem is when the ground is hooked up (to the antenna ground) all the +12 lines put out 3-5V instead of +12.
At least I *think that's what the antenna wires is doing.
I did find that out. The ground seems to also be the antenna wire.
This leaves me confused as where to go next because I can either drill a new ground into the chassis for the ground wire on the headunit, or hook it up to the antenna wire.
I did correctly find the +12 memory, and ignition wires. Problem is when the ground is hooked up (to the antenna ground) all the +12 lines put out 3-5V instead of +12.
At least I *think that's what the antenna wires is doing.
No see the antenna is kinda of a safe guard. Your black ground wire goes to one of two places. You either find a nut and loosen the nut put the wire in and tightin the nut. Or just connect the black wires on the harnesses and it will work. Because the black wire on the harness goes to where the factory grounded the radio and it will work. Don't hook the ground to the antenna.
Welp I got somewhere further.
Everything is good, except getting audio out of the speakers!:)
Looks like his car had the stock clarion CD system which had the amp in the trunk.
I'm going to test with a 9 volt and see if I can get any of the speaker wires to respond. If not, it looks like either running new wires or bypassing the amp in the trunk will be the solution.
Hopefully (or hopefully not) the stock system might have a common ground for all 4 speakers.
Everything is good, except getting audio out of the speakers!:)
Looks like his car had the stock clarion CD system which had the amp in the trunk.
I'm going to test with a 9 volt and see if I can get any of the speaker wires to respond. If not, it looks like either running new wires or bypassing the amp in the trunk will be the solution.
Hopefully (or hopefully not) the stock system might have a common ground for all 4 speakers.
Hmm...Don't really have an answer. The only thing I did was double-checked all the fuses. Even the ones in the engine bay.
Update - I got everything working. The car did have the stock amp so I powered that and hooked up the headunit unto that. Safe? No. There's a risk of blowing the headunit and the amp, but my friend just wanted something to work.
He also has that heavy vibration and low idle or whatever. Maybe his motor mounts or O2/MAF are messed up. This roughness causes CD's to skip whenver he stops or brakes.
I'm also getting 'alternator whine' so I'd like to run a stronger ground and possibly lower gauge wires from the battery.
Update - I got everything working. The car did have the stock amp so I powered that and hooked up the headunit unto that. Safe? No. There's a risk of blowing the headunit and the amp, but my friend just wanted something to work.
He also has that heavy vibration and low idle or whatever. Maybe his motor mounts or O2/MAF are messed up. This roughness causes CD's to skip whenver he stops or brakes.
I'm also getting 'alternator whine' so I'd like to run a stronger ground and possibly lower gauge wires from the battery.
-
iliketocrash
- Posts: 1109
- Joined: Sat May 31, 2003 5:58 am
that would be a resoundign YES....there are no stupid questions...I may have a few of my own returning the racecar I purchased to a street car.....it has no radio...no wires...nothing...not even for the power windows....one of which is broken....like I said...no such thing as a stupid question...especially if its something that you know little about.....like me and racecars:pokeiliketocrash wrote:can i just completely remove the amp(s) and just wire the speakers directly to the head unit harness?
if you have a problem with your clock or either your dash lights, and dimmer switch not working, there is a white box behind the driver kickplate right by the fuses, if you remove that box and open it up look to see if any of the circuts are blown, you will clearly see this if that is the case. but just run a jumper wire there and you will solve the problem. there is many problems with this box especially when stereos are being installed.
good luck
good luck