stock amp Options

[eclipse_04a]

ok, the main how to just stops talking about it, but what do i have to do? just get to the wiring, and unplug it? can i wire it up to my new deck? whats the deal? this info should be added to the howto. and where does the second smaller plug go....my wiring harness from the stock deck only has the one larger plug....am i missing something here?

[mikew04]

You have to bypass the amp if your putting in a new head unit.

[runriot95]

ok, the main how to just stops talking about it, but what do i have to do? just get to the wiring, and unplug it? can i wire it up to my new deck? whats the deal? this info should be added to the howto. and where does the second smaller plug go....my wiring harness from the stock deck only has the one larger plug....am i missing something here?
[right][snapback]208744[/snapback][/right]

I'm the one who wrote the how-to on installing a new HU. I actually wrote a follow-up with instructions if you had the factory amp and it never got added for some reason. I tried a couple of times and I just gave up.

Anyway, you can't use the factory amp without splicing the wires and knowing what wire is what. I don't know if you would want to anyway as it's probably not as good as the built-in amp in the HU.

The task in front of you is to locate the factory wiring which is 2 blue plugs. The wiring you see on the back of your factory stereo goes into the factory amp and then wiring goes from the amp to the factory wiring that you are trying to locate.

There is some disagreement on how easily the 2 blue plugs are to access. My car had a plastic fastener attached to the bottom of the amp that held the factory wiring in place. Therefore, I had to remove ALL the trim on the center console to get underneath the amp. Not an easy task.

If you want me to send you pics and instructions on how to do this, send me an email.

Good luck!

[eclipse_04a]

ok, well i figured it out....took me a LONG time...like 5 hours from beggining to end to put in my new head unit. i took out the seats, back section of the center console, the glove box, the panel under the steering wheel, the plastic covers in the doors... i couldnt get the upper section of the center console out, the HVAC controls are in the way, so i didnt know how, but i just bent it out of the way, hoping it wouldnt break. i removed the amp completely. took out the two wire harnesses, and then plugged the correct wires in to the adapters, and put everything back, ending up with like 6 extra screws, so ill have to find any parts that rattle and fasten them back down better. but all works well.... but for my own knowledge, how do you get the upper console part out. i had no problem with the lower one, and the trim peices....

[Newbie]

Take all the screws out, then there are two clips that hold it on the top left, and the top right.. Yank it out.. Heh. Carefully.. That is.

[eclipse_04a]

for the HVAC controls? the only thing that kept them from coming out were the two cables that were attached, and i dont know enough about the system to try and mess with it, as i screwed it up in my other car by trying before (car was junk anyways), but i worked around it, and got it, new deck is awsome. kenwood excellon kdc-x979 or something like that. i want to find a way to recess it about half an inch though, because it sticks out. i have it in the stock brackets right now, im going to try and rig something up so that it mounts a little farther back as long as space isnt an issue, and while im at it, i may put the storage thing on top of it, since the deck has the controls the flip down (why it sticks out so far). the other concern is it not being able to flip down, but its motorized and comes out even farther before it flips down when you turn it on, and you can adjust it to come out even farther yet.

[runriot95]

The HVAC controls are held back by 2 cables- a blue one and a black one.

The blue cable is to the right of the gas pedal right behind the console. Very easy to get to. There might be a cap on top but just remove the cap and slide the cable loop up and over the post.

For the black cable you have to open the hood. look on the driver's side coming through the firewall you will see a black boot and the cable coming through that and hooking on a lever. You have to use a flat-head screwdriver to remove a clip that holds the cable in place. Once you do that, the removal is the same as the blue cable. One piece of advice, I would leave the rubber boot in place and just pull the black cable through the firewall. If you exercise some caution, it will be very easy to remove.

Any more questions -ask.