Audio Systems: Radio problems, ford escort lx, digital multimeter

Question
Hi,
My radio was stolen and I am trying to install a new one. The wires were cut so I can't go out and buy the adapter.... I went to streetdreams.com and was able to get the color coding but myu wires are a different color than the ones they specify for my 93 ford escort lx hatch back there are 2 groups of wires. one has 5 wires together and the other has 8 together so I am assuming that the 8 wires are for the speakers so..... before i go and try to install and ruin something. I need to know which wires are what so I can hook it up correctly. I have green, blue/green, blue/black,blue/red, black thicker
8 wires are white/blue, white, blue, blue/orange, dark blue, blue/white, red/blue, white/green.

Any ideas?


Thanks,


Wendy

Answer
Best to test with a 1.5volt battery (AA or AAA work fine).
Test all the wires for +12VDC with a test light or digital multimeter first. When you do this turn on the park lights, and ignition. You should end up with 3 wires that have power, illum, memory, and accessory. Tape these three temporary so they don't short out while testing the rest.

The following will give you a starting point, but read the notes, Ford colors change year to year!

http://www.installdr.com/Harnesses/Ford-Wiring.pdf


Strip back the ends as you test them, breifly touch the two speaker wires you suspect to be a pair to each end of the battery. you should hear a crackle from the speaker. this tells you that you have the correct speaker wires. It also give spolarity, if you can see the speaker cone, if it moves out when you test it, you have the leads correct (+ & -). if it move sin you have it backwards. If you get nothing on any speaker leads, you have the Ford Premium Sound amp still in the car, and on that model I think it's mounted low behind the shifter. The good news is that it can be bypassed. The bad news is, you should have a radio shop that is certified do a job of this level.