HU and CD Changer Wiring Questions

[Robb]

Hey guys,
I just purchased a previously owned non-amped HU and CD Changer for my 95. I thought it would be a quick plug and play job, but it is not working out that way.

First, the black plugs on the back of the HUs are slightly different between the two. One uses slide notches at the very edge of the plug, and the other has slide notches slightly to the center of the plug. I believe this should not be a big deal b/c I should be able to just shave the slide notches, and it will plug right in. Anyone know if I am asking for trouble by doing this?

Second, I can't figure out how to hook up changer or even if my X is pre-wired for a changer. The changer has a 12 pin female plug on the side of it. The only harness plug I can find in or under the console is a 8 pin (network cable looking) female plug mounted inside the console. Is there an adaptor cable to go between these two points, or is this plug in the console for something else (looks like on of those old car phone jacks).

Please help and ask any questions you need to help. The truck is here and console is torn apart and I have digicam to take any pics that could help.

Thanks,

Robb

 

[95xeb]

First, the plug you found is a cell phone plug.

I have a 95 that IS amped. I just recently took out the factory HU and changer, and here's what i found. Hopefully it'll help you out...

On the amped system, the HU has NO antenna jack on it. Instead, the antenna wire runs all the way back to the amp. I'd check your new HU to see if it has a jack. I've never seen a non-amped HU, but It would be my guess that they do have a jack.

My changer plugged into a wire at the front end of my center console on the drivers side. (also the side the changer mounts on.) That plug does NOT run to the HU, instead it runs back to the amp, much like the antenna.

If your new HU plugs look almost identical to the old HU plugs, and there are no extra plugs, I would guess you'll have a problem hooking up the changer. (Assuming your X isn't amped.) Since there are no extra wires, there are no places for the HU to recieve input from the changer.

On the factory amped system, my guess is that there is a control unit that recieves the input from both the changer and the antenna, and sents it to the speakers. (mine has 2 units back there, both look like amps. One recieves the antenna and changer input.) This would make the HU much like a remote. Again, this is just my guess based off of what i've found with my system.

I'd re-verify that the HU you bought was not amped. I'm pretty sure that the non-amped HUs should have an extra jack for both the antenna and the changer plug.

The other possibility is that the non amped systems still had a control unit in the back, on the passenger side. Again, I've got no experience with the non-amped systems, so hopefully someone who does can clarify this for you. If that IS the case, then you'd probably need to run a cable from the changer back to that unit, assuming it supports a changer.

Hope this helps out atleast a little bit... its mainly just information that I learned while tearing mine to pieces.

If i'm completely wrong somewhere, please someone correct me...

 

[Robb]

uh oh,
My new one has an antenna jack and my old was does not. Does that mean that my new one is internally amped?

Thanks for the help 95xeb!!! When I stated non amped HU, I meant not internally amped, I did word that poorly.

Is there a way out of this hole?

Robb

 

[95xeb]

Is your old stereo amped externally?

Does the new HU have a plug for the cd changer? And did it come from a 95 as well? I've got a friend who has a 97, and I've got a 95. His factory changer is alot smaller than mine, and i'm sure there may have been some wiring differences in there...

 

[95xeb]

I just looked at your profile, You've got the same truck as me... I would assume that you've got the premium system then, but not the changer, is this correct? Based on the fact that your old HU didnt have an antenna jack, it makes sense. The new HU you bought was not internally amped, but has the changer controls that your old one was lacking, correct? If it came from the same year, that would make it identical to my old HU... which does not have an antenna jack. You said the new one had an antenna jack...

If it didnt come from the same year, i'm not sure what you'd do. Hopefully someone with more experience has an idea...

 

[rpr]

Robb:

Sorry to see you are having difficulty. Let me know if you want me to take any pics of the wiring harnesses/plugs in my x and I will e-mail them to you. Good luck!

 

[Robb]

95xeb,
I think they called mine the "luxury system", whatever that is. It is a JBL with DSP and only cassette and no changer controls. I assume it has the external amp b/c I think they all did until 98. I have not dug into the rear compartment yet, but will soon. About having a changer plug, both HUs have the same # of plugs and the gray ones are identical, the black ones are only slightly different. The new changer and HU came out of a 97.

rpr,
Any pics you could take while your system is in "developing" phase would be great. BTW, do you have the mounting hardware for the changer?

This is no longer a problem, it is an adventure. I have wired many systems, but never one using factory stuff, so now I am determined.

Thanks for the advice guys, keep it coming

Robb

 

[rpr]

Robb:

I just sent you a few pics. Hope they help!