Author Topic: Wiring a new head unit to original wires!  (Read 2544 times)

Offline Spencer

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Wiring a new head unit to original wires!
« on: 15 November 2007, 20:57 »
Hi guys, just bought an 88 mk2 golf (a tad shabby :rolleyes:) as a project car. This is my first car, I'm 16 so have in mind to fix it up, and learn as I go along. So get ready to start answering stupid questions!

Basically I have no real knowledge of cars and this seemed a friendly enough place to get started  :smiley:

First question is that the golf has a sony head unit but it's missing the fascia, I've been offered a new kenwood for £35 so would rather go for that than spend £25 on the face alone. Only problem is that the wiring for my current head unit doesn't fit the kenwood (think it needs to be ISO?) So was wondering if somebody could point me in the right direction of some sort of adapter.

Cheers, Sam.

Offline Simpson

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Re: Wiring a new head unit to original wires!
« Reply #1 on: 16 November 2007, 16:58 »
does the kenwood stereo have the iso connections? if so what i would do is get the iso adapter kit to attach to your car loom from audioleads on ebay, or halfords sell them, they are usually labelled what wire goes where etc, so shouldnt be too hard for you to work out, let me know if you need any extra advice  :smiley:
i must buy a new car!

Offline Grazer

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Re: Wiring a new head unit to original wires!
« Reply #2 on: 16 November 2007, 19:23 »
http://www.autoleads.co.uk/harness_car.html

Halfrauds sell 'em for around £15.
Probably far cheaper on Ebay though.

Offline terri8le1

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Re: Wiring a new head unit to original wires!
« Reply #3 on: 16 November 2007, 19:35 »
thats what i need as my iso connectors have been cut off, be a pain hooking all the wires up tho wont it?

Offline Simpson

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Re: Wiring a new head unit to original wires!
« Reply #4 on: 17 November 2007, 00:06 »
nah easy if you have a voltmeter to find out where power is etc.  :smiley:
i must buy a new car!

Offline Ruji

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Re: Wiring a new head unit to original wires!
« Reply #5 on: 17 November 2007, 00:48 »
Piece of cake....volt meter...elliminate the powers 1st...look for the constant power...should get a reading of around 11.57...etc..or in the 12volt figures...then that is the one u attach to yellow wire of your new ISO patch lead. then switch on ur ignition and go over each remaining wire again to find a similar power output...once found, switch off the ignition to assure its the correct one...(initially the voltmeter reading shud then go back down to zero)...that would be the one to attach to the Red wire of your patch lead.
Note: some of the older golfs didnt have ignition Lives so u may have to wire both red and yellow of the patch lead to the same constant live coming from the car.

next stage is sometimes you will have an illumination cable which powers up once ur car lights are activated...usualy caters for factory fitted radios with backlights powered by the car light switch.
turn on the car lights and use the voltmeter to find another 11-12 volt reading...turn off the lights whilst reading this figure to assure the reading goes back down to zero. you can then jus tape that cable up from the car as it is not necessary with aftermarket units as they just require a power source to light up the built in screen lights.

finding the earth can be tricky as even the speakers can act as earths..but not sufficient enough. so either look out for the thickest cable...sometimes looms from the car are separated to power block side and then speaker block side by means of being taped up to separate them from eachother.
you can use the constant power with the voltmeter and then using the black voltmeter fork test the thicker cables to see if you get a sufficient 12 volt reading. than can elliminate the earth cable.but before you think its that....set the voltmeter to continuity (that would be the speaker looking symbol on the voltmeter)...the 2 forks shud bleep if u touch them together.
use this to chek for each of the speakers...where ther is a beep or a voltmeter reading which is sumthin other than 0 or 1, then u no that u have found one set of wires for one speaker...twist them 2 wires together so that u know that has been found and repeat the process untill you have found all 4 speakers. or 2 speakers if you only have front door speakers. once they have all been discovered...use an average battery and for each set of speaker wires put them to both the positive and negative side of the battery...listen out for a little popping sound coming from one of the speakers...this will tell you which is front or rear left or right etc...repeat for all 4 or 2 speakers.
(on the ISO patch lead, the packaging explains which goes where anyway but i always remember by saying "right side to clip" so where the notch on the ISO patch lead plug is for the speakers...tha nearest wires to it would be for the rear right hand side speakers....the 4 central wires are for the front speakers...being the whites n the greys....nearest ones being to the notch side being the right hand side.
Once all speakers are illiminated then u shud only have the confirmed earth lead left to patch up.

this seems LONG to read but its all realy quite simple when it comes down to it:-)
apologies for the long thread.
Why pay big bucks when you can do it yourself???
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Offline terri8le1

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Re: Wiring a new head unit to original wires!
« Reply #6 on: 17 November 2007, 00:57 »
Cheers for that info! Seems very complicated for me tho plus i aint got a volt meter :embarassed: If i was to ask a local car stereo specialist to wire the ISO connectors back on to my cut wires, how much do u think is reasonable to pay him to do it? Cant be over an hours work can it?

Offline Ruji

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Re: Wiring a new head unit to original wires!
« Reply #7 on: 17 November 2007, 01:04 »
Well although initially through halfords i would have to charge £40 hardwire fee which i personally think is quite a rip off....not to put the company down or nething. thats y i encourage some people to undertake the jobs themselves with instructed guidance to save them that money. but if i was to do a personal job outside of work hours then i would charge for the lead in the store (typically speaking) and plus £15 odd for the job....in the event of where the customer has there own patch lead then i would say...just the £15 fee. takes about half hour provided nothing has fused..but even then..going over the fuse box takes nuthin but 5 mins or so.
but thats just me...it realy depends on how friendly a person is and where u go.
u have to b careful with some people as they may want to just get money out of you as if they identify that have no clue as to how to do the job or how it is worth then they can charge you silly amounts!
Why pay big bucks when you can do it yourself???
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Offline terri8le1

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Re: Wiring a new head unit to original wires!
« Reply #8 on: 17 November 2007, 01:18 »
No probs mate, good advice there, cheers, where are you from, if your close enough could you do it for me and i'll sort some cash out for you :wink:

Offline Ruji

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Re: Wiring a new head unit to original wires!
« Reply #9 on: 17 November 2007, 01:23 »
I'm from the Wolverhampton branch....not the bilston one but the Fox's lane one should you want to cum see me at work!?based in the midlands.
Why pay big bucks when you can do it yourself???
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