uh oh, now what?

[cody93]

long ago, i was given a spare AM/FM cassette radio like this one -> http://www.oemautosound.com/pc-181-120-ford-lincoln-jbl-radio-f2sf-19b165-da.aspx that i was planning on using as a spare for my old 88 ranger, well the stock radio in my 88 never broke so i didn't need it. Well 2 years later, here i am with a new to me 87 singlecab ranger that someone stuck a pioneer CD player in...
1- its not wired right, no keep alive memory or dash light illumination
2- someone rigged in computer speakers wich suck
3- lack of cassette player or aux input, atleast with cassette i can use an adapter
4- sqeeks alot, coming from the cd tray inside of it.
5- im pissed not having keep alive memory working and having to tune to the station i wana hear everytime, especially since it only seeks and no tune, my favorite station gets skipped when seeking half the time..


well, long story short, i had my mom mail me the spare radio i left in california, it arived and now i realize im boned, if you notice in the pics that its got 2 types of connectors, the power side looks like regular for 8 pin connector, the others are not normal, some say its for an external amp.. heres the plug pinout,

seems like the speakers are there in that smaller 8pin block. the old single cab rangers had the 2 black n grey inline 8 connectors right? is there anyway i can use this radio, or am i best going to the boneyard and pulling a ranger tape deck out?

 

[AgPete139]

Seems straightforward to me:

Youve got the Gnd (ground, black), Acc (accessory), iLLum (illumination, white usually), and another set of Gnd. This is to power the headunit itself.

The top right box is for external amps, the right middle box is for your 4 individual component "door" speakers, and the bottom right box is for remote signal to the external amp as well.

FL = front left (+ positive wire from the speaker, - negative wire from the speaker)
FR = front right
RL = rear left
RR = rear right


************************

Throw those old speakers away, and head to Walmart and get a box of four 5x7" or 6x8" speakers. You may need 14 or 16 gauge wire too run the speakers to the headunit, too.

 

[cody93]

big question is, do i need an AMP to use this radio. this is mearly a cheapass setup so i'll probly use the speakers the PO stuck in the back until i can get some good ones, im no means an audiophile, i just want my radio to actually work and play cassette tapes. well, ima go bench test this sucker and see what happens

 

[AgPete139]

No preout amp is necessary.

 

[AllanD]

Yes, that radio requires an amp, but I can tell you where to get one....

In a 92-93 Mustang they used a compatible amp mounted under the passenger seat.

The real crowning jewel is the wiring harness that is configured as an "afterthought"
kind of like the way that the delay wiper system is connected to the gen1 Rangers.


It connects to the premium sound radios, power, the amp and then to the inline connectors of the non-premium wiring of the vehicle.

I have one of those harnesses and amps around here somewhere.... as well as a factory premium CD head unit

but I also have a couple of older aftermarket Sony Head Units, they won't play mp3 CDs
but they do work for CDs

AD

 

[AgPete139]

Oh, ok. I just leanred something new as well.

Ha, and coincidentally, I have a 1992 5.0GT Mustang with an aftermarket radio.

Would you like to buy that amp of of me, if Allan doesn't end up finding his?

Pete

 

[cody93]

basicly the radio is a paperwieght without an amp, or a nice clock.. if im gona be pulling amps outa cars, might as well just grab a stock ranger head unit since it'll be cheaper than modifying the harness, adding an amp and what not..

 

[cody93]

Oh, ok. I just leanred something new as well.

Ha, and coincidentally, I have a 1992 5.0GT Mustang with an aftermarket radio.

Would you like to buy that amp of of me, if Allan doesn't end up finding his?

Pete

well if i had extra cash mabey, i gota spend money on more important parts of the truck first, im thinking of just getting another radio from the boneyard for now.

 

[AgPete139]

Hm. Makes sense.

Good luck!

 

[cody93]

well good and bad news today,
BAD: pulled the pioneer HU and found the most half assed wiring job ever...
wirenuts, electrical tape and cut up wires... original harness is GONE, cant even find it, looks like they have an accesory+ and a ground only, no wonder why the radio has no lights or memory...

GOOD: bought the LAST AM/FM/Cassette radio with brackets out of a late 80's F-150 and part of the harness...

concerns are i dont know how long the radio sat exposed to the elements and if it still works, i hope the tape deck works and will probly replace the backlight with an LED so it'll never burn out.

 

[cody93]

Update: soldered in the new harness to what was left of the old, all wires are correct now, test radio and radio works, AM/FM/Cassette work, just need to change the LCD bulb out and im golden. next problem is the dash speakers and the speaker harness is missing, what size speakers will fit without modification?

 

[RangerFabWorks]

the dash takes 4''. certain 5 1/4s will fit barely. pioneer makes a 4'' speaker thats a perfect fit.

if you want some more sound. cut the door panels and run 6.5s in there under the window crank. theres plenty of room there.

 

[cody93]

guess i know where my next paycheck is heading... gettin me some 4 inchers!

good news is my new junkyard radio works 100% now, light replaced too. for some reason, this factory AM/FM/Cassette radio out of an 89 f-150 sounds alot better than the pioneer HU it had using the same speakers(desktop speakers behind the bench seat lol, gota love the PO's creativity)

 

[cody93]

well guess what happened to the california tape deck that needed an amp, somehow i got the radio working without an amp, its a sweet lil radio, BUT it indeed requires an amp as its not very loud. i think i got my self a project! gona make myself a nice home stereo outa this...

 

[AgPete139]

Cool. Good update. Pics now?