Does ne1 know if there is a wiring harness for an aftermarket deck? What is every1 else doin for cd players and such? https://www.nopistons.com/forums/pub...1047683329.gif

crutchfield.com sell them check them out

I just relaid my own wires. And the stock amps are way to small to bother keeping. Most headunits put out more power.

I went ahead and rewired everything last night. went to best buy and got a kit to make a single din radio fit and wa la it works

dont suppose you took pics of doing that

I took mine out a long time ago...can't very well plug into the factory wiring because of how its set up...they have a round plug that goes to the 4 way deelie on your center column...then it splits off to 2...one to each amp...then the amps plug into a wiring harness that converts it to 4 normal speaker wires...2 for each speaker...the plugs remind me of midi...but more crude...and my amps always had static...do what i did...disconnect your old radio...if you have any bare wires WRAP THEM WITH TAPE...i don't know how many fuses i blew because of some stupid wire tapping metal and causing a short...then you'll need to disconnect the amps...i'd recommend removing them...but you'll have to pull the cubbies out to do that...and be carefu with the light on the top of the cubby...it helps to push down on the top a bit...and take everything out of the cubby first... :P



then you'll disconnect the power plug to the amp..and the old wiring harness...you could use the end of the plug off the amp...since you'll never use them again...that is if you don't want to bother rewiring your speakers...but the wire kinda...sucks...go get some 14-16 guage cheapo wire from wal-mart...its a million times better...then you'll have to pull the plastic covers off that cover your speakers...just have to hold your tounge right on those things...and after you remove the speaker you should see the old wires...you can run your new wires following them...i wouldn't bother removing the old ones unless you just feel like it...too much trouble if you ask me...



I have my speaker wires for the back running down into my cubby...the fronts run over to the center console...hide under it...then back to the cubby...and i have a 400 watt jensen amp there...have it running off a 4 guage power cable that runs under my door trim...then up to a hole in a rubber grommet that goes thru the firewall...and if you decide to get a new amp the best thing i found is using one of those gold plated battery terminals...very heavy and it has a plastic cover...but you'll need a battery with gm terminals...and if you're getting an amp...a new battery wouldn't be such a bad idea anyway...u know?



I manage to run 4 speakers mounted in factory locations...and a 10" ported sub with no problems...don't have a radio tho...i got a 1/2 din equalizer from wal-mart...and they also have a radio install kit there that fits the factory radio mount holes...it left enough room at the bottom for me to mount 3 toggle switches for driving lights, the amp, and an extra 12 volt power outlet...then i run a cable with a stereo headphone plug on one end and right/left rca on the other into the back of the eq...that plugs into my portable walkman...which can use one of those remotes that attaches to your steering wheel...but i havn't got one yet...my thinking is out of sight out of mind...and if i don't have a radio deck nobodys going to bust out my glass to nab it...just stick the cd player in the glove box



the rest is fairly simple...rca cables run from the "front" channel on the eq to the front channel on the amp...which pushes the 4 factory sized speakers 4ohm+4ohm on a channel makes 2ohm...which is what most modern amps can handle these days...then i have a single rca running to a single rear rca plug on the amp...according to the manual...you flip a few switches...and the amp runs that channel on "mono" for a sub...then you add one sub of any size that is no lower than 4ohms...or theres about a million other combinations of wiring up subs to make 4 ohms...or whatever the amp is that you plan to use...i can explain further is someone plans to hook something up :P



oh oh...and with a sub...you abosolutely NEED a crossover...they're cheap and they make it sound oh so much better...so get one if you want to hook u a sub



I know it seems like a lot of work to do all this...but it really sounds nice when you get done...

and if you want to see some pictures i can take some tomorrow...i don't mind ripping stuff apart to help fellow rotor heads https://www.nopistons.com/forums/pub...#>/biggrin.png

you do know they make head units with built in crossovers and detachable faceplates?

Alpine makes some really great cd players that have built in crossovers (digital is WAY better than analog anyway, so aving internal is great), 3 sets of preamp outs (great if you run a sub and/or two amps), and a built in EQ. I've never really been an Alpine guy until I shopped around for my latest head unit. They had all the features for the best price...and now that it's in I'm in love with the damn thing. The only thing I think it doesn't have is all the gay changing colors and eye candy bullshit...you get green lights and that's it (at least on the one I have). If I remeber right I spent about $200...where as any other unit I looked at with those three main features was way more. No brainer...

I'd love to have a head unit but when you're talking atleast 200 for a decent one it gets kinda expensive...plus I wouldn't try going much over 400 watts...perhaps 500...thats rms...before i'd consider replacing the alternator...if i ever have the money i might consider it...but right now it just can't be done :P



So for now the cheapo 20-30 dollar equalizer from wal-mart suits me fine...only problem is if its cold the volume dial seems to have some problems unless you turn it...very...very slowly...causes loud boom/crackles otherwise...but really...what can you expect for that cheap? :P



and another thing...where you propose mounting a sub amp and 2 other amps? :P...i took me forever to find a place to hide just one amp...and those babys get hot if you don't give em room to breathe...especially if they're pushing at max load

You can get harnesses from peps boys too.. or best buy in the install bay area..

eventually i want to just take all my crao out of the two behind the seat compartments and put a 7" sub in each and i figure if i get a 300 watt amp and take the shroud off i can get that to fit in one of the compartments. then just have a long board that covers the whole area with the 2 speakers pointing out and wrap it up in some black interior whatever cloth.

They make adapter harness' for FBs?I didn't think they would have them out for cars this old.I might have to look into one for my 84.

A wiring harness would be fine and dandy if our cars didn't have such old wiring...you have to consider that when our radios came out it was pushed by amps that i think are 10-15 watts...when i tried using the old wiring with my 400 watt amp i didn't get crap out of it...almost no bass at all...and the sound wasn't very clean...new wire fixed it



and as for subs in the compartments i've seen 10's and 12's in them...which it would be crazy not to do since you can pick up a decent set of 12's for cheaper than a pair of 7's...its just more common...and you'd have a much wider range of bass from them...



of course you'll have to fabricate boxes...and they'll be a wierd size at that...aaaand you'd probably have to take the whole inside apart in the back to fit those in there...then you have the problem of mounting amps...and giving them enough room to breathe



actually i think 10's would be easier...that way you could give them a box big enough to function properly...and still leave space somewhere to mount your amp...like on the box...aaaah...mind boggling https://www.nopistons.com/forums/pub...1047683358.gif



if people wern't so freakin greedy we could just mount this stuff out in the open...but i don't think that will ever happen https://www.nopistons.com/forums/pub...1047683664.gif

and another thought just came to mind...I see how a kit to install a modern deck would work...but the wiring adapter?...erhm...perhaps i'm wrong...but don't our factory speaker hookups run directly off the amps behind the seat?...so if you were to install that wiring adapter it would run the new deck thru the old amps...which defeats the purpose...and might even start a neat little fire...since you would be running an amplified channel into another amplifier https://www.nopistons.com/forums/pub...1047683664.gif



just a thought...perhaps i'm not remembering correctly...it's been quite a while since i had those amps in my car

are you saying theres stock amps mounted behind the seats?

mine were right in the back of the hatch behind the molding.

when I posted previously I was thinkin FC.. they may make them.. another thing I usually do is go to the junk yard and scavenge on Mazda for the connectors that will fit the harness for the radio.. and cut it off with some slack.. I did this with my old Mazda Pickup.. i dunno how the connectors on an fb look though..

yes...we have 2 stock amps...one behind each seat...thats if you have the clarion radio...and i'm assuming most of you do...thats why i dont' think you can simply use some sort of wiring adapter on our cars...i've been told that in the past anyway...best buy wouldn't touch it because of it



to get to the amps you have to pull the cubbys out..and they are mounted vertically on the metal wall behind your seat...you'll have to pull the carpet back to get to the 3 nuts that hold each of them on...and i believe they are 10mm



then i think you have 3 things that hook into the amp...might only be two because i can't remember if it has its own power plug...one is a wierd round din plug...one from each amp go to the pan doohicky in your center console...then it goes up to your radio...i have a chart with the pinout somewhere...seems like it carrys the audio signal and some power...then you've got the 4 wired plug with 2 positive and 2 negative...i'm assuming one amp is front right/left and other is rear



i've got quite a collection of those crappy amps as well as gutted clarion radios...i'll see if i can get some pictures up here monday after school

i was pissed that my car didn't have a cd player and it was going to cost me an ass load to get it up to date. But one day I was wandering around Walmart and stumbled upon a 10disk cd-mp3 player made by Durabrand. "Who the **** is durabrand..?", I asked myself, but hey, it was only 100bux and I figured I'd try it out and if it died I'd just take it back. 3months later it's still running great! Plus it has a great little back-lit LCD that displays the mp3's id3 tag.



If you're looking for a pretty cheap alternative, go ahead and look into 'em, so far it's been a great buy.



How it works : Mount in your rear storage compartment, hook up the power and run it thru your anntena cable. Set your radio to 88.5 and it'll send a signal to that station. The sound quality was ******* amazing for what it's worth.

FM reciever 'old skool style' cd stacker.



good for when you have no other option.

I'm not sure if these will be of any help to anybody...but I have the pinouts for all of the plugs on our radios for anyone that wants to do a custom install and can't find a harness...or just wants to bypass all that 20 year old wiring...and the second photo says they DO sell a wiring harness for our cars...but it only works on part of the wiring...so you might still have to run some wires...



This one is for the "graphic equalizer", "plug b", and "plug c"

This is for the "Power and Speaker Plug"

And one more pictures...since I have a whole box of these things...this is the factory clarion amp...according to my papers its in 83-84 models...but i also pulled 2 from a 85...so its atleast 83 to 85...



It's fairly simple...the graphic eq line plugs into a eq cable that goes to the 4 way doohicky in the center column...the power cable has a fuse inside it...and then a 4 prong speaker connector...which would be a good place to tap in if you didn't want to rewire all of the speakers

Those diagrams are fan*******tastic! https://www.nopistons.com/forums/pub...#>/biggrin.png Not to thread hijack or anything, but my speakers only work on one side (the right) and was wondering if the left amplifier is just blown. There seems to be two in my car (one behind each seat under the compartments), is it stock like that? I'm wondering where I could get a new amp if need be too, but never come across any stock sound system parts for 84-85 rx's. Hmm...

We all have 2 stock...I thought one was front and the other was back...but i guess its possible for each to control one side...and actually that would make more sense...



and as for just one side working...pull the cubby and check that blue line with the white round plug on it...seems like you push the 2 pieces together and twist...it has a fuse inside...if its blown that might be your problem...oooor...if you're just having problem with tapes...i used to get only one side to work...and actually i think it was the same as yours...turns out the tape deck ate a tape and i had a piece of tape stuck in the left sides tape head...pulled that crap out of there and whaaaam...both sides worked again



I've got 2 radios...one is in pieces...because its actually a 3 piece unit...and i needed to fix mine because pieces of the digital tuner on top wouldn't light up anymore...guy sent me 2 extra amps too...then i got 2 more out of a parts car



You might check e-bay...I see them going on there occasionally

okay one day i pulled out the little piece in the necter consol for the widow switches and foud some stereo cables...dunno what thats about. and a couple weeks ago my rear speakers just up and died. pluss my antenna motor is dead lol

I believe that switch you're talking about is the control for the eq...it has a plate that shows 4 directions...but mine was pretty rubbed off before i took out the switch...so you can't really tell...when its working you just move the joystick to position your sound to the front/rear...or whatever area you want to...kinda reminds me of atari :P



I'm including a picture below



I'm thinking...but its been a while since i used it...the white plug goes to a cord that runs back to the amps...I think it splits somewhere...one to each side...and the black one goes up to your radio...and speaking of the radio...on the head...the top of the 3 pieces...there is a plug on the back that has the round plugs like everything else



Before I took my factory system out I took one of the amps i got off e-bay and plugged it into that extra hole...then the blue power on the amp over to a 12v+ cable...theeeen the 4 speaker leads off to a dual voice coil sub...it was better than nothing...even tho i'm pretty sure its not more than 15 watts

I liked my Rockford Fosgate 9100. The lights and **** matched the guage cluster lights really well! https://www.nopistons.com/forums/pub...#>/biggrin.png