Radio Wiring and Amp Bypass

[Chigga]

Tell me what happens when you clp the lead on a 12V source and touch the chassis of the deck with the lights on

Have to report back today after work.

Thank you for the help.

[StereoInstaller1]

got one, now how do I sort this mystery.

Tell me what happens when you clp the lead on a 12V source and touch the chassis of the deck with the lights on

[Chigga]

got one, now how do I sort this mystery.

[StereoInstaller1]

I've been following this guide and ran into a strange issue today.

I swapped out the dash and installed a new Pioneer HU, the car is a 91 318i, no premium sound, has 4 pairs of wires that ran into the factory hu, along with all others.

The new HU powers up, antenna comes out, but no sound.

But if I insert the key fast enough to go to position II, it sometimes has sound but the interior lights stay on very dim even though they are at the off position.

What gives?

1. Go buy a test light.

2. Go buy a test light

3. ask me how to use it after you have completed steps 1 or 2.

We will get you rockin'!

Luke

[Chigga]

I've been following this guide and ran into a strange issue today.

I swapped out the dash and installed a new Pioneer HU, the car is a 91 318i, no premium sound, has 4 pairs of wires that ran into the factory hu, along with all others.

The new HU powers up, antenna comes out, but no sound.

But if I insert the key fast enough to go to position II, it sometimes has sound but the interior lights stay on very dim even though they are at the off position.

What gives?

[StereoInstaller1]

Found it. Had the wrong set of wires. Not sure what they ones I cut initially went to but it doesn't seem to effect anything, and all speakers work fine. Sound is awesome for stock speakers. Much better than before. Your tip on how to wire the front speakers was extremely easy. Probably got the whole thing done in the time it would have taken me to tear apart the kick panel and door on one side.

Thanks for your help and patience.

Woo hoo! The sweet sound of success.

No doubt! This man and I have swapped like 10 PMs and he has struggled with this for weeks, so good to hear it is all bueno!

Luke

[dogsbark26]

Woo hoo! The sweet sound of success.

[6670charger]

Found it. Had the wrong set of wires. Not sure what they ones I cut initially went to but it doesn't seem to effect anything, and all speakers work fine. Sound is awesome for stock speakers. Much better than before. Your tip on how to wire the front speakers was extremely easy. Probably got the whole thing done in the time it would have taken me to tear apart the kick panel and door on one side.

Thanks for your help and patience.

[6670charger]

OK, now trouble. I've run two pairs of wires from the deck through the dash and along to the spot under the back seat where I found all the correct color wires for the speakers. I connected all the new wires to the corresponding speaker wires based on a flow chart I made for them, and I get no sound out of the fronts at all. I connected into the speaker wires that appear to lead back to the front of the car, so I assume they're the ones that ultimately connect to the front speakers.

Any thoughts?

[6670charger]

Alrighty then!!!

Back speakers connected and working fine. Great sound at all volumes and EQ settings. Now to connect up the fronts.

[StereoInstaller1]

Great! Sounds like I have a plan I can use. I like your idea of running the new wires to existing which would eliminate having to tear apart so much of the car to get to things. The one thing that confuses me a little is your reference above to "the wire" going to the front speakers. I assume you're referring to this as a plural reference to the front speaker wires? I have LF: gray/red (+), gray/violet (-); and RF: gray/white (+), gray/brown (-), based on your initial post.

Yes, exactly...now go get it the fuck DONE!

[6670charger]

simply cut and connect the wire going to the front speakers under the rear seat.

Great! Sounds like I have a plan I can use. I like your idea of running the new wires to existing which would eliminate having to tear apart so much of the car to get to things. The one thing that confuses me a little is your reference above to "the wire" going to the front speakers. I assume you're referring to this as a plural reference to the front speaker wires? I have LF: gray/red (+), gray/violet (-); and RF: gray/white (+), gray/brown (-), based on your initial post.

[StereoInstaller1]

Ok. Was hoping to not have to do all that due my limited time, but sounds like I have no choice. Based on what I've read so far, it looks like if I do what BlueBMW did I should be good.

Since he had what I have (4 wires with no twisted pairs), it seems that his setup is what I need to do:

Deck Connections:
Car ---> Deck
Red/Green ---> Yellow (12V Const)
Violet/White ---> Red (12V ACC)
Brown/Black x2 ---> Black (Ground)
Gray/Red ---> Orange (Illumination)
White ---> Blue (Antenna On)
White ---> Blue/White (Amp On)

Left Rear Speaker:
(+) Radio: Yellow/Red ===> Amp: Black/Red
(-) Radio: Yellow/Black ===> Amp: Black/Violet

Right Rear Speaker:
(+) Radio: Blue/Red ===> Amp: Black/White
(-) Radio: Blue/Black ===> Amp: Black/Brown

Speaker Connections:
L/F + R/F speakers: New Wire directly from deck to speakers

L/R:
Speaker + ---> Black/Red ---> Yellow/Red ---> Green (L/R +)
Speaker - ---> Black/Violet ---> Yellow/Black ---> Green/Black (L/R -)

R/R:
Speaker + ---> Black/White ---> Blue/Red ---> Violet (R/R +)
Speaker - ---> Black/Brown ---> Blue/Black ---> Violet/Black (R/R -)

If I understand this all correctly, basically, all the wires I have connected to the deck's speaker wires right now will become the pos/neg rear speaker wires, and I run new ones to the fronts. Assuming that this is correct, my only other question involves the door tweeters. Do these simply go away, do I run a pos/neg from the front speaker stereo wires to both the footwell speakers AND the tweeters, or do they get powered somehow through all the magic involved in the new connections in the trunk? I've seen a lot of reference to them with regard to determining what type of system people have, but nothing so far with regard to powering them once the bypass is done; only re-wiring the kickpanel speakers. Maybe I missed something?

Actually, you are getting it, hooray!

You do have to run new front speaker wires and there is an easy way to do it: simply cut and connect the wire going to the front speakers under the rear seat. Very easy to "return to stock" so it is easier to add an amp, too.

Run 2 pair of wires from your deck to under the rear seat. Normal 18ga is fine, no tiny crap, but your normal speaker wire. You will need like 25 feet total. Pull the panels under the left side of the dash, pull the door sill trim strip, pull the bottom of the rear seat.

Run your two pairs out the back of the deck hole, through the dash to the left front corner of the dash, at the firewall, then straight down and right in conjunction with the factory harnesses. You don't even have to remove the left kick panel if you are careful and just follow the factory routes. I like to wrap the wires in tape every few inches so they stay tidy.

Pay careful attention as you route past the steering column; a shitty job of this can kill you.

If you have this tool:

available at Sears and lots of auto parts stores including NAPA, it is a 20 minute job total, including connecting the wires.

Make sure you are not running through the clutch or brake pedal linkage, look at what you are doing, not responsible, etc.

Does the diagram in the ETM makes sense yet? That shit takes a while to sink in, especially if you have only a little experience. It is just a whole new roadmap, but all of the answers are there.

Luke

[6670charger]

Ok. Was hoping to not have to do all that due my limited time, but sounds like I have no choice. Based on what I've read so far, it looks like if I do what BlueBMW did I should be good.

Since he had what I have (4 wires with no twisted pairs), it seems that his setup is what I need to do:

Deck Connections:
Car ---> Deck
Red/Green ---> Yellow (12V Const)
Violet/White ---> Red (12V ACC)
Brown/Black x2 ---> Black (Ground)
Gray/Red ---> Orange (Illumination)
White ---> Blue (Antenna On)
White ---> Blue/White (Amp On)

Left Rear Speaker:
(+) Radio: Yellow/Red ===> Amp: Black/Red
(-) Radio: Yellow/Black ===> Amp: Black/Violet

Right Rear Speaker:
(+) Radio: Blue/Red ===> Amp: Black/White
(-) Radio: Blue/Black ===> Amp: Black/Brown

Speaker Connections:
L/F + R/F speakers: New Wire directly from deck to speakers

L/R:
Speaker + ---> Black/Red ---> Yellow/Red ---> Green (L/R +)
Speaker - ---> Black/Violet ---> Yellow/Black ---> Green/Black (L/R -)

R/R:
Speaker + ---> Black/White ---> Blue/Red ---> Violet (R/R +)
Speaker - ---> Black/Brown ---> Blue/Black ---> Violet/Black (R/R -)

If I understand this all correctly, basically, all the wires I have connected to the deck's speaker wires right now will become the pos/neg rear speaker wires, and I run new ones to the fronts. Assuming that this is correct, my only other question involves the door tweeters. Do these simply go away, do I run a pos/neg from the front speaker stereo wires to both the footwell speakers AND the tweeters, or do they get powered somehow through all the magic involved in the new connections in the trunk? I've seen a lot of reference to them with regard to determining what type of system people have, but nothing so far with regard to powering them once the bypass is done; only re-wiring the kickpanel speakers. Maybe I missed something?

[StereoInstaller1]

BTW, if you have a "5 wire" harness, you MUST run new wires to at least two of the speakers. Typically, the front are the easiest to run wires to. You can use the 4 positive input wires to run the rear speaker at the amp, we call this "re-purposing" the wires.