Wiring harness?, Weird... Options

[snadman]

OK. Well I got a new deck and I'm wanting to install it. I got the wiring harness for the 87up Toyota cars...but it wont go at all...not even close...BUT as I was looking online the GM one for 88up GM cars looks like it will match right up...hmmmm any ideas?

[runriot95]

Okay, I went through all this myself with very little help but I was able to figure it out, so I'll make it easy for you.

First off, I assume you have the factory amp. THIS is the problem that makes you think the wiring harness you bought won't fit - BUT IT WILL.

Go here: http://www.installdr.com/InstallDocs/Toyot.../PDF/869009.pdf


The only thing I can add to this install document is that MY factory wiring was attached underneath the amp by a plastic plug.

This should solve all your problems but let me know if you have any more questions.

[snadman]

Does it sound like crap without the factory amp?

[snadman]

OK. I got ti all installed. Getting that factory wiring harness out was a b!tch. After I got it out of there...in which I think I snapped that plastic piece that holds it under the amp oh well...yeah I hooked it all up...ran into a few problems.

1) You have to make the power antenna go to the ground of one of the speakers. (At least I figured that out)

2) There was one extra little wire...not in the wiring harness at all...but kind looks like the anetnna wire but smaller...where does this go in my new deck? There's no place for it! On the stock deck it goes into a hole right next to the antenna wire bu on the new deck there's no spot for it.

3) OK...biggest problem. the sound sucks! My stock deck bumped a little...and I could at least make it loud without it going "kdsnmkgkdfjnaglokjfdanlkfjngag" actually its more of a scratchy sound...the louder I go the worse it gets. It doesn't come into effect until I get to about Volume 12. What the hell is wrong? i might go over my connections tomorrow again...take every one of them apart and resplice them...should you use solder to make sure the connections are secure because that may be the problem? Well thanks if nayone can fix this.

So yeah..it's 10:45 and I start this at 9:30...not too bad considering I had to come online twice to ask questions.

[runriot95]

QUOTE

Getting that factory wiring harness out was a b!tch. After I got it out of there...in which I think I snapped that plastic piece that holds it under the amp oh well

Yeah I did the same thing. I was just so pissed that it was held in place under the amp that I broke the plastic fastener so I could have more slack with the wiring.

QUOTE

There was one extra little wire...not in the wiring harness at all...but kind looks like the anetnna wire but smaller...where does this go in my new deck? There's no place for it! On the stock deck it goes into a hole right next to the antenna wire bu on the new deck there's no spot for it.

I actually haven't installed my new deck yet ( it should be coming any day now ) but I did notice the 2 antenna wires also and wondered what would happen with that. I knew that the "extra" jack on the factory stereo was unique and that no aftermarket stereo would have anything like that. I'm interested in finding out what that 2nd wire does myself. Let me know if it effects anything.

As for the sound quality, Yes, check you're connections and DEFINITELY solder the connections to prevent the wires from coming loose in the future - unless you enjoy taking apart your dash for a loose wire.

[snadman]

Yeah, because I don't know it shouldn't be like this. My friend said this weekend we could take the stock wiring harness...the one that doesn't look like it fits...the one that comes from the stock...and wire that to the new deck so I can use my factory amp. I was advised to check where each wire goes to to make sure it all works...so yeah it's definitely a weekend project. I just don't have the available cash flow to buy a new amp and deck at the moment. It's an older Pioneer (DEH2000) but it has CD and it will work. I'll let you know about that, and maybe write up a little wiring diagram for people who encounter this problem and want to use their stock amp. Later and thanks for the good document. It did help a little...just because I needed to know where the stock wiring harness was. Later.

[snadman]

Nevermind...went through the wiring...and unwrapped everyone of them...rewrapped (no solder yet that's this weekend just to secure the connections) and taped each one tightly....wowsa! Awesome sound! Wow...putting the EQ on Bass Boost setting just mkaes my car bump like it has a sub....yeehaw! I love it! Thanks for the help with the wiring harness issue. Lata!

[Silver94CelicaOw...]

Waaaiiiiit, wait wait.......i just ordered a new headunit and a 4 channel amp because i was told that i probably couldn't power all 8 of my stock speakers from the headunit using the wiring harness.....So you mean to tell me that i dont need the amp, and that the wiring harness lets you use the stock amp??? Somebody clear this up for me....please.

[snadman]

Well, I was just reading in my handy dandy repair manual...there are actually two factory amps. The first one is under your middle console...like in the floor...and the other behind the ac controls and crap. You can't use the one behind the ac....because the wiring harness that will go directly to your new deck won't work with one of those little wiring harnesses u get from Best Buy....BUT you can hardwire if you choose to do so which is dangerous because there's no turning back cuz u cut the wires...OTHERWISE you can reahc under the amp behind the ac controls like in the pdf document posted above and snap that plastic piece and unplug those plastic plugs.....then the new wiring harness form ur new deck will plug right in and bingo bango you are in....but a new amp is still nice! lol.

[1858]

Well, if you guys wanna reuse the stock amps, Metra does make a harness that works with aftermarket decks with pre-amp outs. It's Metra part # 70-8112
Some people have been able to buy this harness at Best Buys and local stereo shops. Just make sure you ask for it by part # b/c if you ask for a radio harness for a Toyota, the guy will give you the wrong one.

[runriot95]

QUOTE

Waaaiiiiit, wait wait.......i just ordered a new headunit and a 4 channel amp because i was told that i probably couldn't power all 8 of my stock speakers from the headunit using the wiring harness.....So you mean to tell me that i dont need the amp, and that the wiring harness lets you use the stock amp??? Somebody clear this up for me....please

Let me see if I can clear this up. There are ONLY 2 ways to use the factory amp WITH an aftermarket head unit:1) To splice into the wires going into the amp, after determining which wires are what. 2) To use the adapter that "1858" posted above. I have not used this adapter personally, but it appears that it will work.

QUOTE

Well, I was just reading in my handy dandy repair manual...there are actually two factory amps. The first one is under your middle console...like in the floor...and the other behind the ac controls and crap. You can't use the one behind the ac..

Yes, there are some Celicas that have 2 factory amps. One is still under the A/C controls behind the dash and the other is, supposedly, under the driver's seat. I say supposedly because I have not seen this in-person but this is what was depicted in a parts manual that I saw.

[Silver94CelicaOw...]

Thanks alot for the help guys.....i think i might look into that harness, cuz it looks like it would work pretty well. In that case, i could just send back the amp, and do all the installation myself and save alot of $$$ Just out of curiosity, have any of you actualy used that Metra harness before?

[snadman]

Well I dunno...it looks your new deck needs 2 left and 2 right audio input jacks? Just what it looks like to me...I don't know about it because I don't want to fork up the money when this works and sounds better than my stock deck with factory amp.

[Silver94CelicaOw...]

I just thought of a slight issue with that harness....the 4 main wires out of the headunit are powerd signals, but then they go to the stock amplifiers, dont they?? At least thats how it looked when i last checked it out....

[1858]

QUOTE (Silver94CelicaOwner @ May 21, 2003 - 8:20 AM)

I just thought of a slight issue with that harness....the 4 main wires out of the headunit are powerd signals, but then they go to the stock amplifiers, dont they?? At least thats how it looked when i last checked it out....

Those are power wires, and that's how it works with the factory amps. Power routes to the amp first and then onto the head unit.

The harness is only meant for aftermarket HUs with pre-amp outs, and I'd think that if a deck has pre-amp outs, it would have at least 4 channels (FL, FR, RL, RR) and you connect these to the 4 RCA jacks. Then the other 4 wires are battery, ignition, ground and antenna/amp turn on. Several MR2 owners are using this harness already once I told them about it. The factory amps in the MR2 is a lot more involved than the 6g Celica if you want to bypass them.

My Toyota repair manual does show 2 amps, but there's no info on them. Does anyone have the electrical manual so I can see how the amps are wired? If I can see how they're wired, I'm sure I could figure out and tell you what options you have if you wanna reuse the stock amps.

One last thing, the 2nd smaller antenna lead: On the "higher end" factory Toyota stereo systems, Toyota put in a 2nd diversify antenna. It's usually embedded in the windshield or rear glass. I was looking thru the Celica brochures I have and it seems like this 2nd antenna is only available on the hatchbacks; not the coupes or convertibles. If that's correct, then my guess is the 2nd antenna is embedded in the hatch glass. Depending how good your HU's reception is, you might be able to use just that antenna if you wanna ditch the power antenna. You'd need to find an adapter of some sort, to fit this in the larger typical antenna lead tho. Otherwise, you can just leave that antenna disconnected.

[Silver94CelicaOw...]

Thanks 1858......i wasnt sure whether or not the wiring was for power, etc. or if it was the actual signals.....but thanks for clearing it up for me, now i know what i have to do to install everything.