Can't make sense of stereo wiring. W/ pics

[MountainMike]

OK guys I have gotten completely fed up with my POS factory radio and decided it is finally time to hook up my JVC heaad unit. Hand me a wrench and I'm good, hand me a soldering iron and things go straight to pot. I haven't come into this section of TRS yet (I've been here a while but electrical scares me) so I'm hoping you guys will lead me in the right direction.

I have this stereo in my 1998 Ranger. Broken of course.

I want to put in my JVC which has the normal aftermarket audio pig tail on it. I thought I would buy a wiring adapter to save me a headache. Made the install in my old car easy so I thought the same of the Ranger.

Yeah... not so much

This thing has 4 dang plugs on it. WTH! I haven't pulled out my stereo yet so I'm hoping one of you gurus can tell me what's going on behind there.

Here's what I have to deal with. Keep in mind those connectors have the dust sheilds still in them. Once this is sorted I know a guy that will do all the soldering so that takes out one big problem.

So what in tarnations am I to do for my set up? Which plugs go where? Illustration A or B?

Thanks crew,

Mike

 

[Original_Ranger84]

I have a 99 and my stereo only had one maybe 2 plugs... I still have it I'll go look. I know you will need the grey one. Want a picture of the back of my old one? I can get a pic of my harnesses too.

 

[MountainMike]

Yes that would be awesome

 

[exbass94]

It has 4 plugs because they wanted to make it a little universal and fit in a lot of different vehicles. You should only need to use the white plug. (double check and make sure it fits your harness) Cut the rest off. I have the same adaptor and I cut the plugs off and I don't have any problems.

Cool modding tip:
After I cut the plugs off, I extended one of the switched-power wires and the illumination wire and left them hanging behind the dash. If I ever want to hook up some aftermarket gauges, I can easily power them and make them light up.

 

[Original_Ranger84]

Yes that would be awesome

Alright I'll do it after Classes.

And I looked behind my stock radio and it has 4 plugs. one for power one for speakers and the other two were blocked off but one is for an amp not sure about the last one.

 

[MountainMike]

So I just pulled out my stereo for a second. Didn't realise it was so easy. And see one plug in the back of it that looks like it will hook up to the white one. Not so sure what the gray one hooks up to so those pics will be really helpful. Thanks!

 

[exbass94]

You don't need the gray one. If you only have one connector coming out of your dash, you simply plug the corresponding connector on the adaptor to it, and you're done. You can cut off the unused connectors if you want.

 

[MountainMike]

I know you will need the grey one.

You don't need the gray one.

I probably won't cut the old ones as they have dust shields in them so I don't have to worry about shorting out.

 

[Original_Ranger84]

If the grey one is the only one with red/yellow/blue/orange/and black wires then you will need that one for sure. If the white one has them too you may only need the white one. I'll get pics tonight but I'll go pull my dash right now..

EDIT:

Ok will if your factory stereo is like mine it only had one plug that went into it I guess. The plug that goes into the factory stereo is black with tons of wires out the back.

Now looking at the plug caurfully that you got I noticed like Exbass said is a universal kit where all four of the plus is technically connected together. meaning the red wires from the grey and white meet into one wire correct?

The kit i got was a specific kit that only contained the one plug an no extras hanging off so I am assuming you just leave the covers on the and let them hang in there or you could probably cut them off and cover up the endings.

So if the White plug has these color wires hanging out its the correct one I am guessing.
Red - Ignition power
Yellow - Constant 12v
Black - Ground
Blue - Remote wire
Orange - dimmer/illuminater

speaker wires
2 purple
2 green
2 grey
2 white

 

[MountainMike]

The white one has everything but blue on it. This is why I'm needing help haha.

 

[Original_Ranger84]

The blue one is only for remote power to things like amps and power antennas it wouldn't be included in the factory harness. the blue one should however be on the JVC HU if it has the preamp outputs. if you don't have an amp don't worry about it.

 

[MountainMike]

No amp. Alrighty moving along good. Did you manage to snap any pictures?

 

[Original_Ranger84]

Alrighty Heres the pictures.

Radio I had (noticed you have a cassette deck too...)

Radio Plug ins

New wiring harness hooked up...

I can snap better ones but my camera likes using flash so sorry if they are a little... white. But above is my stock radio and the plug in ports then the new harness i got connected with my old one. I can remove the harness to and snap a pic of the plug ends if you need too.

The red mass in the middle is the soldered wires with heatshrink tube over them. HIGHLY recommended! its cheap and ensures you never have to touch it again.

 

[MountainMike]

Mine is going to be soldered up by one of the guys at work certified in car electrical so I have no worries on that front. Mine had the one plug coming out of the bottom right in the pic of your back.The very corner of the radio. That has got to be the white one. I took another look at the harness and a lot of the wires just split to the other ones so I think i ill just try al the plugs and if one fits get the whole damn thing soldered. Im going to take a better look at the back of my syereo tomorrow but from my quick glance it looked the same. Where did you get your harness?

 

[MountainMike]

Ok I beleive I don't require the grey one at all and I just have the one plug coming out the back of my stereo (very corner) + the antenna. I think it is the white one. Making progress.