My '87 'vert has the Bose stereo tuner/cassette unit and I've wanted to upgrade this system to at least play CDs without changing the look of the dash too much from the original. I was told that Bose stereo tuner/CD units from 94-96 Camaros, etc. are the same size and work well as an upgrade to the cassette version, so I finally got one on eBay and installed it over the weekend, using the 12- to 21-pin harness adapter that supposedly allows hookup between older and newer Bose system wiring. Everything worked fine when I got all the available wires plugged in...tuner tunes, power antenna works, CD changer accepts, advances and ejects properly. But no sound...

I'm stumped. There are a couple of wires in the factory Bose harness that are not now being used: one pink wire that went from the old unit to the CTSY/CLK fuse terminal from what I can tell by looking at a wiring diagram. And one gray/white-stripe wire with a spade terminal that looks like it was the harness ground connection for the old unit. Could either of these being unused have something to do with the absence of sound?

I've checked all the fuses in the fusebox and nothing's blown. Would there be any other place that would have a fuse that affects this system, and/or do I have to find a way to reground the new unit? Any suggestions greatly appeciated.

I'm a newbie to this forum, by the way. I've been following it for quite a while and the information that's available here is amazing.

 

My guess is the Bose amplifiers are not being turned on. If possible reconnect the factory unit and test the wires that are not being used. If one of them is the turn on wire it will go to 12v with the radio on and it will stay 12v not matter which function.

 

Sounds like you need a factory service manual so you can understand what the various wires are for.

 

Yes there is one more wire you need to splice, It pigtails off of the old head unit.. Snap a picture of the old unit and post it I will tell you which one it is, it will need a switch source to turn on the amps

 

Thanks for the offer...I'll charge up my digital camera and post a link to some pix later this afternoon.

 

Hi, Jeff:

I've posted photos of the back of the old unit and the two unused wires left in the original Bose wiring harness at:

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q...ldUnitBack.jpg

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q...resNewUnit.jpg

I've letter-coded the wires in each photo so you can tell how the wires coming out of the old unit matched up with the wires in the harness.

Thanks!

 

The grey wire (connector C in the radio pic/ Connector A on the car side picture) will get connected to the amps turn on wire in the radio but since it is an OEM radio I am guessing the Power antenna turn on lead will be fine. it is usually the blue lead, but you need to make sure it is the blue lead.

 

Sorry to hijack but, wow! This is a great idea! Any installation modifications necessary for proper fitment (outside of the harness conversion) or is it a simple slide-in type of install?

 

Simple slide in with the exception of possibly needing the ears from your old Headunit for the new one

 

Thanks! Now I just gotta find one.....

 

Can you guys give me the part no. or place of purchase for the 12-to 21- pin adapter. I just want to make sure that I get the right thing. Thanks!

 

I ordered one from an outfit called M & R Electronics in Saginaw, Michigan, for $25.95 plus shipping and handling. You can find their Web site pretty easily online. GM part number is 16140051. Telephone No. is 989-790-2949. You can also order the part from any Chevy dealer but it will probably cost you closer to $50.

As mentioned above, there's one more connection that needs to be done after plugging in the adapter. In my case (an '87 convertible with factory Bose stereo/cassette unit) there was a pink wire left over in the factory harness that had to be tapped into the blue wire in the adapter.

 

Thanks buddy!