Stereo Install

stacy · 08:44 PM

Just pulled out the factory head unit on my 1990 C2, and need some help deciphering the wire color combinations.

I see the plug to the amp, the antenna plug, and the white cluster that plugged into the back of the unit. Out of the white plug I have the folllowing:

Brown on the far end. Next to it is a red w/ brown stripe, then there is a white thin gauge that loops to the next slot, where another white thin gauge exits to hook up with a black thin gauge and wrap around the antenna. After that, there is a red thin gauge wire, and lastly a green medium gauge that looks to run into a black thick gauge with "LEONI" on it.

Any help id'ing the proper wires will be appreciated. I plan on installing an Alpine head unit and need to figure out what goes where. By the looks of it, I'll be running some speaker wire from the back and unhooking the amp.

Thanks

Edit: After a bit of research, it appears as if the Brown is the ground, as in all DIN applications.

The red is the 12V power, and the red w black is the powered w/ switch.

I think the green might be the alarm.

colo964 · 05-17-2006, 08:52 PM

You're right. And the white = antenna amplifier. You can undo the loop (aftermarket plugs are way different than OEM) and splice it to a hot wire.

stacy · 05-18-2006, 08:27 AM

Got it up and running this morning. Need to go back in this afternoon and isolate the alarm so it doesnt drain down the battery. Any recommendations?

In the meantime, I went in and cleaned up the PO's aftermarket hardwired phone system. I swear, there was about 50 feet of wiring thoughout the cabin from that damn thing. Pulled a speaker from behind the dash last night, it was wedged up between the firewall and the dash bulkhead. I should have taken pictures of the rats nest of wires that was under the passenger side floor mat.

I need to go pull the leads off the battery tonight, as well. Just to clarify, provided I don't have any aftermarket amps or other aftermarket accesories, the battery should only have the standard single leads off the + & - posts, correct? I currently have a 10 gauge or so lead off the +, and a 10 gauge or so off the -.

stacy · 09:19 PM

Update:

Soldered off the ends tonight per the above specs. Everything is working well. Other than the bezel on the headunit. The factory doesnt really fit, nor does the OEM. Might have to get creative...

Also finally removed all the remaining aftermarket phone wires, including those leads off the battery. Might be a mic wire running around that I still need to track down, but I've removed the majority of the wires.

Unforunately, in my wire tracking, I've come across some interesting body work...that the PPI did not turn up. I'm fairly certain my C2 has had a respray. And I'm also fairly certain there is some bondo or other fiber work on the floorpan in under the bonnet. The magnet test reveals all major exterior body parts are metal...but there are some interesting swirlmarks under the spare. I'll try and take some pics and post them later.

Looks like Reggie strikes again. I have some questions about his brakework, too. Not too burned up about it, considering how much I paid...but it's the principle of the matter....

indigowhale · 07-20-2006, 10:49 AM

So what did you do with the alarm lead? I have a 90 C4 and I am wondering if I have the same drain your battery mechanism or the alarm lead.

Also, what pass through to the bonnet did you use? I am thinking behing the instruments and under the wiper mechanism right in line with the steering column.

Thinking of placing the amp in front of the gas tank and deleting the kangaroo tool pouch.

TIA