Hi Folks,

A previous owner installed a Custom Autosound unit. While installing new carpet in my 69 base, I found several interesting issues and working the radio is next in line. I wanted to see if I am thinking correctly.

He had the radio's memory wire connected to the ACC terminal on the fuse block. ACC is only powered in the ON/RUN position, isn't it? It also appears to have a fusible link in it.

He had the radio's ACC wire run to a black wire coming from the harness behind the radio...it looks to be a smaller gauge wire.

Seems like it's wired backwards. Unfortunately, I haven't used the radio a lot, but I do seem to recall it going back to 87.5 fm every time I would furn it on...which would tell me power is cut when the switch is off.

I'm still a borderline illiterate in regards to the wiring diagrams...I am struggling with identifying that black wire.

 

Here’s my thread about wiring one of these radios. My very first thread actually. 5 years later I’m not much better at wiring, but I know the memory wire should not be running off accessory power. I have mine wired directly to the battery with an inline fuse. If you have the radio on, turn the car off, then back on the radio should come back on by itself and to whatever you had it set to.

 

Thanks so much. Mine was poorly done and this, along with the other links contained within it, have significantly clarified things. Caused me to go take a couple more looks and realized that black wire was added to the BATT terminal with no fuse, and wired to the acc wire on the stereo.

 

Just about all radios the last 25+ years no longer use a "Memory" wire-

But rather have a constant power wire - that powers the whole radio- amp section- clock- and uses the ignition wire to just trigger the radio on.
This was done to help eliminate noise entering from a dirty power source.
You'll notice only the constant power wire has a fuse and not the ignition wire.

 

I didn't put too much thought into it until I actually read this thread, on my 79 I'm not sure if it's factory or aftermarket alarm but it does have one, I've been doing car audio for 25 years and I've come across a few times on older cars but never realized it was in mine, mainly because mine got passed down to me by my stepfather so I've known the car it's whole life, and he was always scared of the alarm because it left him stranded a couple times but he was a stubborn old bastard, God bless him great guy.. he just couldn't grasp the Simplicity of car alarms in those days they were tied into the door lock on the driver side.. they didn't have remotes, RF transmitters weren't around back then. Installers or even the factory would use the driver side door lock you put your key in the lock, you unlock it and it would disarm the alarm, a couple aftermarket guys got creative and I've seen them on K20 badges on Silverados Square bodies couple other weird places but my 79 has one in the driver door lock and it's in the manual so I'm going to go with it came from the factory, but he used to irritate the hell out of me cuz he let the car sit forever because he was scared of getting stuck out there, and he wouldn't just trust me that unlocking the car shut it off and I did it right in front of them probably 10-15 times he was just set in that .mindset, now she just sits which is killing me and the car... what are you going to do I hope it Shines some light on your current problem, you guys need any help let me know... thanks for listening

 

I have one of these radios the memory wire has to be connected to power when ignition is off.

 

I just wrapped up the connections using the link piersonpie posted. I fished a wire down the console to the battery with a fuse between the battery and radio power wire. Ran a wire from the ACC port in the fuse block to the ACC wire, and connected the ground. Thing seems to be working like it's supposed to. I have found that operating the thing is another story. Too many functions, too few buttons. I appreciate all the help!