Desperate For Info...

[toneybarber]

Does anyone know what the exact speaker wire color code is for a '92? And, why is it such a closely guarded secret?

 

[ErickSaint]

Not really sure if this is what you need or not. Not really closely guarded, took about 15 seconds to pop up on www.the12volt.com If this isn't what you need please be more specific.

1992 Ford Explorer Stereo Information
Constant 12V+ Green/Yellow
Switched 12V+ Yellow/Black
Ground Black
Illumination Blue/Red
Dimmer n/a
Amplifier Remote Blue
Antenna Right Front
Front Speakers 5" x 7" Doors
Left Front (+) Orange/Green
Left Front (-) Blue/White
Right Front (+) White/Green
Right Front (-) Green/Orange
Rear Speakers 5" x 7" Rear Doors
Left Rear (+) Pink/Green
Left Rear (-) Brown/Yellow
Right Rear (+) Orange/Red
Right Rear (-) Black/White

 

[toneybarber]

Thanks ErickSaint. I too found this same info at the12volt. What was confusing to me was that the wires I had were no where close to the colors cited here. Further investigation leads me to believe that these are the color combinations of the wires coming from the factory amp. Is that correct? Now the real problem is in learning how the wires that appear in my dash (which are totaly different in color combination) pair up to the amps output wires. The wires I have at the dash - in the grey shielded cable - are:

green
white/orange
light blue/black
yellow
purple/white
light blue
white/red
brown

I'm assuming that the wires are paired as a solid and striped pair with the sriped wire being the negative and the solid a positive. What are the pair combinations and what pair goes to which speaker?

I have installed the new HU (Pioneer) and it powers up and functions as expected but I cannot get the speakers to sound. I'm wondering, do I HAVE to bypass the factory amp?

 

[adamhc]

Adapter

I believe ?schosce? makes an adapter that allows you to use the factory amp. Although you may find that the pioneer has more power than the factory amp. You may want to run RCAs back to the factory amp location and use it for an aftermarket amp. ( passengers rear quarter panel.) and just splice the connector there and use the factory wiring.

 

[toneybarber]

Thanks adamhc. I'm going to look into the adapter. I just got off the phone with the Pioneer installation support tech who told me that, in fact, the factory amp MUST be bypassed or, as you have pointed out, use an adapter. From what I have been reading in other posts it sounds like it might be best to bypass the factory amp.

Is the need to bypass the factory amp unique to this situation and can I / should I install a differnt amp? I'm not an audiophile (only because I can't afford to be) so I'm not too concerned about driving anything more than the factory speakers or possibly a slight upgrade.

 

[ErickSaint]

When I ran my HU I kept the factory amp, but it's getting changed out in spring when I build my stealth box. Try to apply 12 volts to the blue amp turn on lead and see if that get you sound. I had no sound and had not bypassed my amp at first, I needed to get power to the amp. Of course I'm using an older HU for now, when I build the box in spring I plan on upgrading the HU as well. So you will either need to power the factory amp or use a bypass harness.

 

[Jason94sport]

Every explorer, well 99% of them need a bypass for the factory amp. Just how it is.

 

[catfish_hunter36]

if you ae tring to put in a radio you got at the store you have to get a jumper cable to go around the amp thats in the back on the passanger side behind the plastic panel its only two sets of wirers one set in the bottom and one set going in the top of the amp that lets your radio work right.

 

[adamhc]

Thanks adamhc. I'm going to look into the adapter. I just got off the phone with the Pioneer installation support tech who told me that, in fact, the factory amp MUST be bypassed or, as you have pointed out, use an adapter. From what I have been reading in other posts it sounds like it might be best to bypass the factory amp.

Is the need to bypass the factory amp unique to this situation and can I / should I install a differnt amp? I'm not an audiophile (only because I can't afford to be) so I'm not too concerned about driving anything more than the factory speakers or possibly a slight upgrade.

In my install I removed the factory amp. And used that location for my aftermarket Polk C400 amp The factory speaker harness does have a power line in it. I will look at what color it is and get back with you on that. I spliced into the factory harness for power and sound. Granted it is not a very big power cable. I think maybe 10 gauge if that. But never the less it is there if you want to use it. This forum has the color codes for the factory speaker wires. Just do a search or if you would like me to look at mine I will. I have not had any issues with the amp shutting down do to thermal issues. If you deck has a line out on the back I would recommend running them to an external amp. The stock silver factory amp just IMO is worse than any aftermarket head unit amp. Now I went to the salvage yard before I did the sound system upgrade and got the JBL entire setup from a wrecked 91 explorer and the black JBL amp sounded a hundred times better than the silver one did. Let me know if you would like pics of my install of the aftermarket amp so you may get an Idea of what it looks like. By the way if you can get them from another forum member or a junk yard for cheap the 2 way JBL speakers are much much better and more durable than the standard full range speaker.
Best of luck. Adam

 

[toneybarber]

Thanks to everyone for the help. I've purchased the bypass harness and am going to finish the job this weekend - I hope. Thanks to all of you things are clearer and make sense. I appreciate it and will update when finished for those following the thread. Couldn't have done it without you!

 

[toneybarber]

In my install I removed the factory amp. And used that location for my aftermarket Polk C400 amp The factory speaker harness does have a power line in it. I will look at what color it is and get back with you on that. I spliced into the factory harness for power and sound. Granted it is not a very big power cable. I think maybe 10 gauge if that. But never the less it is there if you want to use it. This forum has the color codes for the factory speaker wires. Just do a search or if you would like me to look at mine I will. I have not had any issues with the amp shutting down do to thermal issues. If you deck has a line out on the back I would recommend running them to an external amp. The stock silver factory amp just IMO is worse than any aftermarket head unit amp. Now I went to the salvage yard before I did the sound system upgrade and got the JBL entire setup from a wrecked 91 explorer and the black JBL amp sounded a hundred times better than the silver one did. Let me know if you would like pics of my install of the aftermarket amp so you may get an Idea of what it looks like. By the way if you can get them from another forum member or a junk yard for cheap the 2 way JBL speakers are much much better and more durable than the standard full range speaker.
Best of luck. Adam

Adam, thanks for the insight. I would like to see the pics of your install. I'm also going to give some thought to changing out the speakers as you have suggested. Thanks a million for your help and advice. Toney.

 

[toneybarber]

Just a quick update: I finished the install. I purchased the bypass harness (thanks adamhc for the info) and completely removed the amp. My system sounds great and I did not need to replace the speakers. In the early going I was wanting to know how the wires in the gray harness (pre-amp) were matched to the speakers (post-amp). Armed with this information I could have completed the HU wiring while waiting for the bypass harness. Well, I compared the wires while installing the bypass and, for anyone interested, here is the speaker wire color code for the harness located behind the HU:

LF, Green(+), White-Orange(-)
RF, White-Red(+), Brown(-)
LR, Light Blue-Black(+), Yellow(-)
RR, Violet-White(+), Light Blue(-)

These wires pass through the amp and then on to the speakers as EricSaint pointes out above.

Thanks to everyone for your input. It has been educational and rewarding.