QuestionThanks alot for the help, that should help me alot. another question i had is with the new deck im putting in, it came with all the wires, but no manual, or label to tell me which wire goes where. would you be able to tell me the colors for those wires?
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Followup To
Question -
im installing a new deck in my car, and i need the wiring colors, it is an 87 oldsmobile cutlass calais
Answer -
Hi Jordan,
Don't know anyone with this info going back that far so I attach below the, "I don't have a clue, instant expert" text, this will sort you out, I suggest you pop into Radio shack/Tandy, etc and get a pair of ISO DIN plugs and solder them into your car so you have the latest connector and you can then fit amy modern radio in seconds.
This is what you need.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MALE-ISO-CONNECTOR-LEAD-TO-BARE-END-WIRES_W0QQitemZ1100415
Peter
Fitting a radio to an unknown harness.
I run this test when working on a car where a previous owner has ripped the connectors out of a used car and we don’t have a schematic, so it covers all the basics and should sort you out. So armed with your 12v probe or test meter, some paper, masking tape and a felt tip pen, here ya go!
You will need a test meter set to 20vdc or a 12v lamp or test probe.
An AA or AAA battery (nicked from the TV remote for an hour)
Paper and pen for notes
Some sticky labels or masking tape to label wires,
Speaker wires; (non-amplified)
These are normally twisted together in pairs (if you are lucky) and usually in a loom before going of to the four corners of the car and are the same colour for each pair but one with a colour trace on, i.e. blue and blue/white,. These are tested by BRIEFLY flashing the battery across a pair and you will hear a 'crackle’ from the speaker. Label it (e.g. left rear), continue until all four pairs are identified and labelled.
Power connections;
Earth one side of your meter or tester to a metal part of the car, probe each wire until you have a wire that is live all the time with the ignition OFF, label this ‘ 30’.
Switch to accessory or ignition and re-do the test until you find another previously dead wire now live, this is ‘ 15’ (this will probably go dead when cranking the engine on ‘start’).
Switch off ignition and switch on the side / park lights, repeat test until you find a third live, label this ‘dimmer’ (this is for front panel dimmer if fitted as a feature of the radio). Switch off the lights
You should now have two or three left. One will be earth, (usually black or brown); one could be to an amp and or electric ariel (usually blue or blue white) and one for phone mute if (rarely) fitted. If you have an electric ariel it will go up when 12volts are applied. If using a ISO DIN connector (recommended) then connect your plug to the correct wires if not use an strip multi-connector block or bullet connectors crimped on and jobs a good un’.
ISO DIN connections are.
Speakers
Right rear -, right front -, left front -, left rear-,
Right rear , Right front , left front , left rear
Power block viewed from cable side
Phone mute (white),/ n/c, / ariel & amp (blue), /ignition (red)
N/c, / 12vlive, (yellow or orange), / lights, (various colours),/ negative (black)
AnswerProbably if I knew what make and model radio you have I could tell you ;-)
Usually speakers are paired in one block and power etc seperat in another block, most radios worth having are ISO so the info at the bottom of the text will put you right there but is all you have is a bunch of wires coming directly out of the back this is a ROUGH guide.
Speakers are usually the same colour bit the positive has a trace colour on it e.g. green and green/red, blue and blue red etc
power 12v perm is either yellow or orange (fused)
12v ignition /acc normaly red (fused)
earth black, (sometimes brown)
signal 12v OUT blue (or sometimes blue/white or both, amp & antenna)
lighting grey (if fitted)
phone mute white (if fitted)
But this only a rough guide and what I would expect to see but I would test before connecting and if not sure take the lid off and see if it makes sense when you can see where the wires go to on the board.
Peter
