How do I know if I have an amp or not?

[exploration1997]

I have a '97 XLT with this radio:

I do not have a subwoofer. So do I have an amp or not?

 

[exploration1997]

Anyone?

 

[koda2000]

if you do have one, it's located behind the passenger side interior trim panel in the cargo area just in front of the storage bin. i'm thinking you don't with that particular radio, but i guess the only way to know for sure is to check.

 

[drdoom]

I see you have the auto set button, so that means you have an amp in the back. Just did a new bluetooth hu in mine including bypass so hit me up if I can help.

 

[koda2000]

I see you have the auto set button, so that means you have an amp in the back. Just did a new bluetooth hu in mine including bypass so hit me up if I can help.

not to hijack, but my Mountaineer has an aftermarket HU that the PO had installed with his own AMP and subwoofer. the truck has it's original amp and sw, but it's not hooked up to the new HU (at least i don't believe it is). there's is a blue wire on the HU which used to go to the PO's amp. as he removed his amp and sw, do you know if i should now hook up the blue wire to anything to have the truck's original stuff work with the new HU?

 

[drdoom]

Koda, I believe you would first need to determine if the stock amp has been bypassed or not. One way to tell is to pull the rear trim panel for a look see. There are three phhillips screws under the carpet edge at the floor, and about eight or so trim push retainers, plus a T50 tork for the seat belt.

 

[drdoom]

The bypass is basically a nine or ten wire harness, about fourteen feet long. There is a factory plug for connecting at the rear quarter, and bare wires that you solder to the new head unit connector. The factory amp is unplugged. So the four channels are firing directly off the head unit.

 

[shadowless127]

not to hijack, but my Mountaineer has an aftermarket HU that the PO had installed with his own AMP and subwoofer. the truck has it's original amp and sw, but it's not hooked up to the new HU (at least i don't believe it is). there's is a blue wire on the HU which used to go to the PO's amp. as he removed his amp and sw, do you know if i should now hook up the blue wire to anything to have the truck's original stuff work with the new HU?

your setup is different. The speakers use the amp from the HU (whether factory or aftermarket). The only thing the amp powers is the subwoofer.

 

[koda2000]

your setup is different. The speakers use the amp from the HU (whether factory or aftermarket). The only thing the amp powers is the subwoofer.

I underdtand what you're saying, but then how is it that some trucks have a factory amp but no factory subwoofer? Question #2 is, should my factory amp & subwoofer work with the aftermarket HU?

 

[drdoom]

There were three levels available...base, premium, & audiophile. Base is hu only, premium is hu + amp, audiophile is hu + amp + sub.

 

[drdoom]

Tech support told me just the other day that it can be done both ways, bypass amp or use amp. They recommend the bypass optiion.

 

[koda2000]

Tech support told me just the other day that it can be done both ways, bypass amp or use amp. They recommend the bypass optiion.

Interesting. Thanks!

 

[jay1028]

You have an amp in the passenger cargo area, bolted to a bracket at the wheel well. I just had to get access to mine to see if it was working since I was getting no audio but radio was tuning stations and changing the cd changer. Ended up, radio was no sending mute signal (un-mute in my case) to amp. 96 and 97 same options for audio system.

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=3082190