Stero Question

[TaurineMike]

Hey guys,
So the 23rd is my brother's 18th birthday, he previously had a deck put in a few years ago. He acquired a new radio for his car and recruited the help of his friend who essentially wrecked his deck and left him high and dry. He owns a 2001 Grand Am GT, non-monsoon. I have appropriately matched the aftermarket wire diagram to match his factory wire diagram.

Attached I have some pictures/information in this post that perhaps can help you guys find the problem.I have always hard-wired my systems however I am having a little trouble running power to the radio itself.

The radio does work when constant power is applied through a straight-wire from fuse-box. I matched put both his accessory (Red) aftermarket with his aftermarket 12v constant (Yellow) with the straight wire from fuse-box. This causes the radio to stay on even after ignition\car is off. The way I understood to do it is to match the (Orange) factory constant to the (Yellow) aftermarket constant. Than I was to match the (Red) aftermarket to the fusebox to provide memory and also to tell the radio when to turn off.

Does anyone have a solution? I have tried everything with the wires. The only thing I can figure is that his (Orange) Factory wire for 12v constant doesn't work properly.

Factory:
Car Radio Battery Constant 12v+ Wire: Orange
Car Radio Accessory Switched 12v+ Wire: The radio harness does not provide a switched power source. Run a wire to the fusebox for switched power.
Car Radio Ground Wire: Black/White
Car Radio Illumination Wire: Gray
Car Stereo Dimmer Wire: Brown
Car Stereo Antenna Trigger Wire: N/A
Car Stereo Amp Trigger Wire: Pink
Car Stereo Amplifier Location: Mounted behind trim in the left side of the trunk.
Car Audio Front Speakers Size: N/A
Car Audio Front Speakers Location: N/A
Left Front Speaker Positive Wire (+): Tan
Left Front Speaker Negative Wire (-): Gray
Right Front Speaker Positive Wire (+): Light Green
Right Front Speaker Negative Wire (-): Dark Green
Car Audio Rear Speakers Size: N/A
Car Audio Rear Speakers Location: N/A
Left Rear Speaker Positive Wire (+): Brown
Left Rear Speaker Negative Wire (-): Yellow
Right Rear Speaker Positive Wire (+): Dark Blue
Right Rear Speaker Negative Wire (-): Light Blue

Aftermarket:
http://imgur.com/a/ujgdO

I hope you guys have some answers. I've ran out of options .

[simonclay]

With my 01 alero I had a similar problem. The factory constant does get connected to the head unit's constant. But you have to run a wire for the switched power. I ran one from my head unit about 6 inches to the left. That's where the ignition wire bundle is. Just tap into the Brown "accessory" wire from the ignition. Hopefully this helps. Just ask if you have questions

Edit: Don't run the wire that switches the radio to the fusebox. I'm sure theres somewhere to get switched power, but the ignition bundle is really easy to get to. You can reach it from the radio opening

[TaurineMike]

So you recommend hooking the factory orange wire to the head units yellow.(Even though the head unit never turned on when hooked to proper constant.) Than from head unit run a wire to his ignition accessory wire? I believe I'm understanding this correctly. This should provide power to the head unit while still keeping a constant memory for all the settings? Hope we are on the same page .

[Nas Escobar]

Basically, what' he's saying is the red goes to the brown ignition wire.

[TaurineMike]

Ha I guess I honestly don't know where the ignition wire is at. I looked at the car, I realize I'm a effk noob lol. Ill keep looking and use google lol, unless someone wants to spare me the time. Also wouldn't that mess with the security of the car and if don't wrong prevent it from starting. I'd really not like to worry about that.

[simonclay]

If you are sitting in the car looking at the hole in the dash where the radio was, on the left side there is a metal brace that runs vertically. Look to the left of that and you should see a black bundle, if not stick your hand in there and feel for it. When you get it pulled over and are able to work on it, pull the black covering off of it. You should see half a dozen or so wires. Sort through and find the brown one, and there you go.

Be careful though, there isn't much slack on the ignition wires. So don't go cutting too much sh*t up, lol

And yes the orange and yellow should be hooked together, even though it wouldnt turn on. Those wires provide constant power and that is how the head unit saves settings and such. It's the red "switched power" wire that actually makes the head unit turn on and make beautiful music lol.

[TaurineMike]

I did end up finding the bundle, I will look up and double check to see if it is brown. Should be an adventure trying to get off the plastic sheathing to tap into it. So it won't affect the cars security correct or starting? Also just out of the curiosity why wouldn't the blue wire running to radio fuse work just as well as the ignition wire? I appreciate the help and I will try this tomorrow. If it was my car I would have no concern and simple do it, however I have the wrath of my parents back home if I mess up lol. Thank you for your help and I hope to have his b*itchin system in on the 23rd.

[fisdad]

I just did this.... Now my car won't start at all... Tries and cranks but if it fires it immediately dies?

[Nas Escobar]

Does your security light stay on? Our cars are known for that.

To answer Taurine Mike's question, it shouldn't mess with your security, but it may keep your "battery" and "oil" dummy lights on. It does that in my car, and I'm pretty sure it's related to that. I bought it like that so IDK.

[simonclay]

YMy battery and oil lights stay on when the car is on, but when i start it they go away. I'm not sure if this is what you're talking about or not. And it never messed with my security. Everything as far as starting works fine too. I don't know what to tell you fisdad, if the car worked fine until you did this. It should work just fine. I don't think there were any wires that could be confused as Brown. And unless you accidentally cut or nicked another wire, you shouldn't have problems.

[TaurineMike]

Hmm.. I'm sure it works just fine in your car I have no doubt it will work. I'm just curious if there is another way to do it.

Also I found this quote, "2 pink wires at the ignition switch right beside the radio or even a green wire will provide 12v ignition just strip the plastic back and tap into the wire." From grandamgt.com.

I'm simply a scrooge when it comes to have excess things turn on or stay on when having a system put in. I was going to try the Gmrc-01 module, however I was just used to hard wiring it. There has to be a another way to apply this fix outside of the ignition wire. Why wouldn't a straight wire to a if use work again? O.o thanks for all the help so far also guys. I think we can figure something out for me and fdisdad.

[fisdad]

Originally Posted by Nas Escobar

Does your security light stay on? Our cars are known for that.

To answer Taurine Mike's question, it shouldn't mess with your security, but it may keep your "battery" and "oil" dummy lights on. It does that in my car, and I'm pretty sure it's related to that. I bought it like that so IDK.

I'm an idiot. I tapped into the wrong wire. Lots of wires look brown in the dark!

[TaurineMike]

So the ignition wire worked just perfect and the radio will turn on and save settings however I am getting no sound from the speakers. I have double checked the speaker connections as well as the system control and all seem to be matching. Would there be a reason why this sound work work?? HELP!

[Nas Escobar]

Does it have a premium sound? Another reason is that the speaker wiring isn't hooked up well (as in not colored matched). Did you use a kit or did you splice the stock wiring?

[TaurineMike]

Its a non-monsoon system, so as far as I know its not a premium system. I cut the factory click off and hardwired the wires together with the aftermarket harness using http://www.amazon.com/Install-Bay-Co...ire+connectors That connector. Crimp down both ends for the stripped wire, all the connections seemed to be tight. I did have a 4 or 5 factory wires left over when I was done but the aftermarket wires were all filled/connected. I will double check all the speaker wires and make sure the positives as well as the negatives match along with the colors. I'm not sure why the sound isn't coming through. I seem to be having a lot of trouble with this freakin system /

Edit/Add: Also I'm not sure if this matters but he does have one blown speaker, perhaps that could cause a issue?

[simonclay]

Hmm. It doesn't make sense that NONE of the speakers are working. Even if you hooked the positive and negative backwards, you would still hear something. I would check the head unit. Maybe use a meter and check for voltage coming out on the speaker wires (it will only be around 2.5-8 volts IIRC). Or if you have an extra speaker lying around you can hard wire it directly to the head unit. Then maybe check continuity of the factory wires.

Keep us posted

[TaurineMike]

So I researched the problem I'm having. Apparently some older cars have a factory AMP located in the trunk. http://www.modifiedlife.com/2001-pon...iring-diagram/
There is his wire diagram. I guess the stero/speakers are put into some sort of protective mode when the factory amp isn't in use or something like that. I'm still wrapping my head around it.

Here is an article I found that talks more about it, I think there is a wire I need to add to my aftermarket wires. Perhaps factory pink amp control to system control for the amp?? Why can't I just by pass it??

http://www.stevemeadedesigns.com/boa...-but-no-sound/

Edit: His car is a monsoon system, I checked back left of his car he has a factory amp in place which makes this a premium sound system from what I understand.

So I guess how do I fix this problem since it more than likely is the root of all the problems I'm having? I have a aftermarket amp so how do I bypass this monsoon amp? He only has 6 speakers and I thought monsoons had 8 speakers. FML..

[simonclay]

Ok. So I've done some research of my own now. I think I have your answer.

This is a quote from another forum, and it explains how to BYPASS your factory amp. Right now your speaker wires go from your head unit to the factory amp then from the amp to the speakers. The problem is that you're not powering the amp any more. So this is how to bypass the amp all together.

"""NOTE TO MODS: I just got this idea while posting a long-winded reply about the subject in another thread. This question seems to come up quite a bit. Any chance for a sticky? Thanks - JP

Quite a few people have asked about replacing the factory speakers with aftermarket ones and how to power them off of an aftermarket deck, which inevitably brings up a bunch of concerns about how the impedances are different, and the potential problems that this can cause for the speakers and that factory Monsoon amp. For those that want to install aftermarket speakers without having to worry about all of that, it's a fairly painless process to bypass all of the factory amp wiring and remove it from the equation. This way, you can install pretty much any aftermarket speakers that are meant for the car with no impedance issues to worry about.

In your trunk, behind the left side carpet, there's an amp and a wiring harness that plugs into it. Pretty much every wire is either an input from the radio, or an output to the speakers.

This thread has the list of pinouts:
Monsoon System Pinouts

To bypass the amp: unplug the harness, match the input to the corresponding output for that speaker, and connect them at the harness. For example, if you wanted to bypass the amp and have the headunit directly connected to your new door speakers, you'd want to connect:
E2 TAN Left Front Speaker Output (+) to E15 DK BLU Left Front Midrange Speaker Output (+)
E3 GRY Left Front Speaker Output (-) to E16 LT BLU Left Front Midrange Speaker Output (-)
E1 LT GRN Right Front Speaker Output (+) to F7 ORN Right Front Midrange Speaker Output (+)
F1 DK GRN Right Front Speaker Output (-) to F6 DK GRN Right Front Midrange Speaker Output (-)

Just strip a little bit of wire away and jump them. Or, cut them from the harness and splice them together.

Now for the rears, you want to do:
E5 DK BLU Right Rear Speaker Output (+) to F14 DK GRN Right Subwoofer Speaker Output (+)
E4 LT BLU Right Rear Speaker Output (-) to F13 LT BLU/BLK Right Subwoofer Speaker Output (-)
E6 BRN Left Rear Speaker Output (+) to F15 DK BLU/WHT Left Subwoofer Speaker Outlet (+)
E7 YEL Left Rear Speaker Output (-) to F16 LT GRN/BLK Left Subwoofer Speaker Outlet (-)(NOTE: This was all pulled from the Monsoon Pinout link I posted above.)

At this point, you'll have 8 pairs of spliced wires (+/- for each of four channels). Leave the harness disconnected, and you can now remove the Monsoon amp and toss it in the trash, burn it, sell it on eBay, etc. If you use a correct wiring harness when you install your aftermarket headunit, all of the outputs from the headunit are now directly connected to the door speakers and the rear deck woofers. You can now install any set of speakers you want, as long as they're meant to go in a car, and are 4-ohm (ie pretty much everything except Infinity Kappa).

Good luck!"""

Just read this carefully a few times and ask any questions before you cut anything up

[TaurineMike]

This was the same article I found on a forum. I printed out the wire diagram and completely cut the wires that were on the monsoon amp. I am connecting them together with those connectors I previously mentioned. Once I have all them connected I will let you know if it works or not. Also I don't have a minor concern with his radio saving settings. Seems as though it doesn't remember that it was play A CD/track it was on, however I have not configured any settings so perhaps the radio understand this and is at a basic setup mode.

Thanks again for all the help everyone. This was one thing my brother wanted and I have/had no money to buy him anything for his bday. This brings us together and it's something that means a lot me me to do for him. I could not have done it without you guys! Aleromod rocks!

[TaurineMike]

The stereo is all hooked up all speakers work as well as the subs. His stereo doesn't hold settings however, not sure how to fix that. Also for some reason or another his remote key for his car no longer locks/unlocks his car. Any suggestions?