radio wiring
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 3,729
Likes: 0
From: Vancouver, BC
radio wiring
my radio works fine, except for the illuminator light. the wiring harness is aftermarket and i'm not sure if the colouring is correct. i've got red (power), black (ground), blue (??), orange w/white stripe (??) and then my speakers. also, i don't know where to connect the illuminator wire. any help is appreciated, thanks.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 6,640
Likes: 287
From: Ann Arbor Michigan
On the stock radio (depends on which one you have):
Grey wire is the light from Inst LPS fuse.
Yellow power in from fuse
Black ground
Tan/grey LH speaker
Dkblue/Lt blue RH speaker.
Use a volt meter and see which wire powers up when you turn on the lights.
Does this help?
Grey wire is the light from Inst LPS fuse.
Yellow power in from fuse
Black ground
Tan/grey LH speaker
Dkblue/Lt blue RH speaker.
Use a volt meter and see which wire powers up when you turn on the lights.
Does this help?
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 3,729
Likes: 0
From: Vancouver, BC
well, here's what i got
red
black
blue
orange with white stripe
grey
grey with black stripe
white
white with black stripe
purple
purple with black stripe
green
green with black stripe
red
black
blue
orange with white stripe
grey
grey with black stripe
white
white with black stripe
purple
purple with black stripe
green
green with black stripe
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 2,149
Likes: 6
From: NCCO Oklahoma
SizzleChest.
Are you calling off the colors of the wiring from the head unit? It sounds like it... it's a 'normal' color convention for after market radios.
Look here and see if this matches what you have:
http://www.crutchfieldadvisor.com/S-...de.html?page=3
Or are you taking about the stock wiring, as seen here?
http://www.installer.com/item/displa...php?it=71-1607
If so, I believe it is as follows:
Red: Ignition
Black: Ground
Orange: Illumination
Blue: Antenna
Grey/white/purple/green are the speaker wires.
Double check the wiring with a meter if you can. Let me know if this helps.
Good luck!
Mark
Are you calling off the colors of the wiring from the head unit? It sounds like it... it's a 'normal' color convention for after market radios.
Look here and see if this matches what you have:
http://www.crutchfieldadvisor.com/S-...de.html?page=3
Or are you taking about the stock wiring, as seen here?
http://www.installer.com/item/displa...php?it=71-1607
If so, I believe it is as follows:
Red: Ignition
Black: Ground
Orange: Illumination
Blue: Antenna
Grey/white/purple/green are the speaker wires.
Double check the wiring with a meter if you can. Let me know if this helps.
Good luck!
Mark
Last edited by Fasthotrod; Mar 26, 2007 at 11:16 PM. Reason: Added info for stock C3 wiring.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 3,729
Likes: 0
From: Vancouver, BC
this is what i have here except i do not have the seperate yellow piece.
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-5flASkH...display=XL#Tab
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-5flASkH...display=XL#Tab
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 2,149
Likes: 6
From: NCCO Oklahoma
The seperate yellow wire is a 'always on' connection. It is for keeping your radio memory active when your car ignition is turned off. Most, if not all 1978 models, didn't have a need for a memory wire as they didn't have digital head units back then.
Let's back up a minute. Are you wiring an after market stereo in your C3? If so, what brand/make/model is it? I might be able to help you get everything wired up properly.
Mark
Let's back up a minute. Are you wiring an after market stereo in your C3? If so, what brand/make/model is it? I might be able to help you get everything wired up properly.
Mark
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 3,729
Likes: 0
From: Vancouver, BC
it is a correct 1978 am/fm/8track however, the car was originally a radio delete car. i have found a bulb tucked under the shifter console that is doing nothing. maybe the automatics had a illuminated panel? mine is a 4spd. i was thinking i could cut the bulb off and use the + wire to illuminate the radio. if this would work, is the grey or black wire the positive? i assume the grey...
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 6,640
Likes: 287
From: Ann Arbor Michigan
I believe the bulb is inside the radio and you have to remove the front panel to change it. The socket you found in the console is for the auto trans indicator light. So everything works except the light?
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 3,729
Likes: 0
From: Vancouver, BC
correct. well, i have no speakers or antenna but i hooked the speaker wires to an old house speaker i had laying around and i got static so that tells me the connection works. i have already tried replacing the bulb. still doesn't work, unless both bulbs are toast but they look fine to me.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 2,149
Likes: 6
From: NCCO Oklahoma
You need to hook up the Orange wire for illumination.
I think you need +12 volts applied to the Orange wire to get it to work, although I have heard of some units that required a ground instead.
If you have a digital or analog voltmeter, try reading from ground to the orange wire for a voltage reading when the radio is on. If you don't have any voltage, then switch to 'ohms' and see if you can get a measurement between the orange wire to ground.
Voltage indicates a ground requirement, resistance indicates a voltage requirement.
If you need voltage, you can tap into that other light in your dash and should be okay.
Mark
I think you need +12 volts applied to the Orange wire to get it to work, although I have heard of some units that required a ground instead.
If you have a digital or analog voltmeter, try reading from ground to the orange wire for a voltage reading when the radio is on. If you don't have any voltage, then switch to 'ohms' and see if you can get a measurement between the orange wire to ground.
Voltage indicates a ground requirement, resistance indicates a voltage requirement.
If you need voltage, you can tap into that other light in your dash and should be okay.
Mark
