Fatfarmer

So I have an 86 v6 firebird and am looking to upgrade to a Bluetooth head unit. The car currently has a really old pionner unit. I read on one of the posts here that aftermarket units can cause the system to not work? It already has an aftermarket unit so I was confused by what the poster ment.

"the 86 Firebird is the UQ7 sound system. This was the premium sound system in the Firebird (85'-89'). It does have a small amp under the dash near where the map pocket is. The amp powers the small 5 inch subs in the rear sail panels. There are 4 x 6 inch speakers are above them, and two 4 x 6 inch speakers in the front of the dash, so its a 6 speaker system. The system is designed to work with any of the GM factory stereo radios of the era: the UM6, UM7, UX1, and the top of the line UT4. It *will not* work with aftermarket stereos."

I am a little confused on what will stop working with an aftermarket unit. Does anyone have a bit of clarification? also is there anything i should be aware of when instaling or removing the units? All tips appreciated very much.

capted60

Are you sure the pioneer uses the factory amp? Are all 6 speakers working?

roadthrills

Sounds old school. Typically the aftermarket head unit was installed and any factory amplifier was simply bypassed.

DynoDave43

iTrader: (11)

I don't "know", but I would "guess" he means that the factory radio provide a pre-amp output to the UQ7 amplifier. If an aftermarket head unit only had line level outputs (amplified outputs), this would not work (you can send an amplified signal into an amplifier).

Fatfarmer

The front ones are not working but the rear set are.

Fatfarmer

I'll have to trace the wires to see if the factory amp is still connected because i am not to sure, going to get into it tomorrow so I'll find out

LAFireboyd

iTrader: (3)

My 1987 wiring should be the same as your 1986. The picture below shows how to make the factory amp work with a 4thgen radio using a 3rdgen to 4thgen adapter harness, and it does work. The blue wire on the car's side has to be spliced/tapped to a power wire. Might work the same way with an aftermarket radio harness. The aftermarket radio's harness might even have a dedicated output wire for a sub, so if no aftermarket sub is being used, then splicing the blue wire to that wire might do it, otherwise, splice/tap it to the red wire, similarly to what I've done. What's the worst that can happen?