Need help with wiring radio.

[jsimpson]

Anyone happen to have the chart that shows which pin (or which wire color code) is used for which function (left speaker positive, ignition, ground, etc) on the two radio connectors on my 94 RAM? I'd hate to have to scope all that out if someone has already done it! Pioneer doesn't have a quick wiring harness for my radio!!!

 

[Rammin On]

PM me your email address ... and I'll send you what you need ...



Keith

 

[jsimpson]

Wired it, installed it, and discovered my front speakers are burned out!:--)

 

[JYoung]

Radio Wiring

Heres a simple method of figuring out speaker polarity +/- in the absence of a wiring diagram. Use a 9 volt battery and note the polarity of the battery as you touch the speaker leads to it. You also have to either look at the speaker or confirm which way the woofer cone moves. Make sure you test with an ohm meter which wires are the 12v positive and negative both the live wire and the switched off the ignition key wire. And don't forget the dash light wire. Try to identify the 2 wires that go to the speaker. Take 1 wire and place it on the battery connection, try all the other wires 1 at a time placed on the other battery terminal until a small clicking sound is heard. Tag this wire pair. Now, confirm which way the woofer cone moves as you touch the wires to the battery. The woofer cone should move outward as you click them with the battery and this confirms that the polarity is correct. If the speaker cone moves out, then the wire on the 9 volt battery positive is the speaker positive and the other is the negative. Try it and let me know. JY

 

[jsimpson]

Been using that method since early sixties; works quite welltoo! But my speakers don't do ANYTHING! They're toast. I suspect some previous owner used an amp with them!!!

 

[jwgary]

sounds like a good opportunity for some new front speakers. I just added some MB Quart's to mine this weekend along with a new Pioneer Stereo. I am supprised that there is not a wiring harness adapter for your stereo. I know that the factory radio from my current truck went into my 91 with no problem. I would assume that Pioneer uses the same architecture for all of their radios too. I am willing to bet that you could have used the same standard wiring harness adapter that I used on mine this weekend. I guess you already got it installed, but you could have saved yourself some trouble if you just looked deeper.

 

[JYoung]

blown speakers

jsimpson, If somewhere in your travels a volt/ohm meter can be borrowed, or get one from the shack, here is how to determine a bad speaker. Remove the suspect speaker. Pre-set the ohm meter to the ohm/impedence range. The upside down horseshoe symbol in the selection area. The setting on the ohm meter should be as low as possible, say 200 ohm or less. This is because the speaker should not be more than 8 ohm's. First touch the test leads together and try to get the ohm meter to read 00. 1 or something similiar. This is equivalent to a dead short. If you don't get a reading like this or something else, then you probably have the meter on the wrong setting. Put the ohm meter leads on the speaker terminals to get a reading. The speaker will read say 3. 8 ohm which is a typical 4 ohm speaker reading. If the meter reads 6. 8 ohm's this could be an 8 ohm speaker. If the meter reads the same as when you touched the meter leads together, then chuck it, it's shot. If the meter reads the same as if the meter leads are touching nothing, then the speaker has an open voice coil. Chuck it. You can also do this, with the meter leads connected to the speaker terminals say with alligator clip leads so you have a free hand, carufully and slowly push in on the very center of the speaker cone. The meter reading will jump around which is normal, but if at any time the meter reading shows a 00. 1, this is a short, chuck it. If you don't have a volt/ohm meter, get one. I have several Fluke 87's and a Fluke 88. Beckman is another keeper. It is one of my best tools and you can use it to diagnose nearly any electrical problem not to mention hooking up all those accessories like stereo systems and security systems.



I hold a valid licence for automotive electronics installation which is required here in Connecticut. I have 20 years of experience with high end audio systems. If you ever have questions, e-mail them and I will try to help. Jim

 

[jsimpson]

Thanks Jim; I first got started in electronics in the old Army Security Agency in the sixties. Built up a juke box business before graduating from college (graduating took a LONG time!), later taught electronics and computers. Now retired, I rarely do electronics unelss something breaks. I prefer mechanical work in my old age! But I still have an array of test equipment. Afetr all, some of my stuff is old enough that a resistor, transistor, capacitor, or evn a TUBE can be replaced instead of just swapping black boxes!

Yep; it's time for new speakers. I believe I've got a pair of Sony's that I never used, hiding in the garage somewhere!!!

 

[jsimpson]

Installed the steering wheel remote... ... sweet!

 

[jwgary]

remote?

where did you put the remote? The best place for it is at the 3 o'clock position, but the cruse buttons get in the way. I find that the remote is hard to use. The buttons don't like to work all the time, but that might be different if it was mounted to the steering wheel.

 

[jsimpson]

2 o'clock position. That way my hands grip right above the cross bar, and my thumb operates the buttons. I LOVE the steering wheel remote!