aftermarket amp to factory HU

[dannyb420]

I have tried to search for this answer but can only find instructions on hooking the factory amp to the aftermarket head unit. Does anyone have any info on hooking up an aftermarket amp to a factory headunit? Preferably in a 3rd gen, not that it matters. I would like to do the work myself instead of taking it somwhere. I just want to know if there is a harness I can buy that will make it a snap or if I will be involved with splicing wires. Thanks for your help.

 

[Zero Signal]

I have a Kenwood amp hooked to the stock head unit in my '99 XLT. One thing to keep in mind is that the factory unit does not have RCA pre-amp outputs so you're going to run line level (speaker) inputs to your amp.

Run +12VDC from your battery to your amp (FUSED, of course )
Find a point to ground the amp to the chassis (depends where you're mounting it)

The remote wire (12V ACC) going to your head unit is yellow/black or pink/black. Check it with a volt meter to make sure. I spliced in just behind the head unit and ran the remote wire back to my amp. If you don't want to mess with the head unit, you can run your remote wire from a switched 12V source in your fuse panel.

Depending on which speaker wires you're planning on using to carry the signal to your amp, the colors are:

Left Front: orange/lt green (+) lt blue/white (-)

Right Front: white/lt green (+) green/orange (-)

Left Rear: grey/lt blue (+) tan/yellow (-)

Right Rear: orange/red (+) brown/pink (-)

 

[dannyb420]

Thanks, it sounds like this is something I can do myself and to make it easier I will probably buy one of the amplifier wiring kits. I appreciate your help!!

 

[Zero Signal]

No problem!

One good thing about getting an amplifier wiring kit is that some of them come with a fuse holder and fuse for the +12VDC battery cable. They typically have everything you'll need for a basic installation.

 

[dannyb420]

any suggestion on the guage wire I should use? I am looking to use an Infinity Reference 611a 600W Car Audio Amplifier.

Thanks again

 

[Zero Signal]

I really wouldn't go any smaller than 8 gauge for your battery lead. Depending upon your amp's current draw, you'd be fine with 6 or 8AWG wire. For the remote lead, you can use 12 or 14AWG. I usually go big for ground wires.... and keep the lead as short as possible.

 

[dannyb420]

what kind of wire do I use for line level inputs? The amp I have has a convertor that I splice the wires into then plug it into the amp. The install kit I bought does not have line level wires just RCA. Thanks

 

[dannyb420]

never mind, to make things easier I bought a convertor to wire in RCA inputs. This way I do not have wires running all over the car, just the two RCA's

 

[dannyb420]

I wired the amp according to the wires listed above but had some problems can anyone help? I bought an adapter that connects the pos and neg of one side to the pos and neg of another and converts them to RCA preouts. When I connected everything up I get nothing. My radio/CD player work, all of my speakers work, but I get nothing but an intermittant hiss from my sub. The amp works, I am getting full power and a great ground. Please anyone that can help!!! I am close to just taking it into a shop to have it fixed and done?

 

[gsx220]

did you get one of these? http://www.crutchfield.com/S-XKm80cx5kBX/cgi-bin/prodview.asp?i=127OEM2

 

[dannyb420]

No I got this one

http://www.installedge.com/home/

the Product: IECAULOC Sku: IECAULOC
Description: ADJUSTABLE LINE OUTPUT CONVERTER 2-50 WAT

 

[toypaseo]

dannyb420, did you use at least the 6 gauge power wire like the manual suggests? Just curious.

 

[toypaseo]

Did you turn up the level on the converter?

 

[dannyb420]

I went with 9 gauge, do you think thats the problem? I picked up an amp wiring kit. I am very new at this so I probably picked up the wrong thing?

 

[dannyb420]

I turned up the level but nothing. My thoughts are that I may have tapped into the worng wires? I followed the wire diagram zer signal gave me above. I connected to the back speaker wires. the reason why I think they are wrong is because my remote turn on is not working. The amp has power the entire time the car is turned on. I found a wiring diagram that showed different

 

[dannyb420]

http://www.autotoys.com/New_Tech/Wire_codes/Ford_Wire_Colors/ford_wire_colors.htm

 

[dannyb420]

I can live with the amp being on because more than likely I will always have the amp playing when I am in the car. I am using the factory single CD unit, a Pioneer GM-520T 760W 2CH Car Subwoofer Amplifier.

 

[gsx220]

that diagram is just an example i believe im trying to find my password for the site i get mine from

 

[gsx220]

here you go i dont see any remote wire in the factory stuff though.

Radio 12v white/yellow
Radio Ground black/lt. blue or black/orange
Radio Ignition black/pink
Radio Illumination red/black (dimmer)
LF Speaker +/- orange/lt. grn - lt. blue/wht
RF Speaker +/- white/lt. grn - dk. green/org
LR Speaker +/- gray/lt. blue - tan/yellow
RR Speaker +/- orange/red - brown/pink

 

[dannyb420]

Yeah, thats the same as Zero Signal said. Thats how I wired it in? I will wait until morning I'm too frustrated and need some sleep. Its just weird what noises it makes. When the radio is off it makes a constant static noise, when its turned on it is an intermittant static. I double checked the ground, double checked the power ( unless its because I used a 9 gauge wire.) I get full power to the amp, it must be my connections. What is your suggestions to connect the converter with? in line crimps, wire nuts, etc?