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Best practices for head unit wiring

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Old Sep 14, 2009 | 09:05 AM
  #1  
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From: VA , SP
Best practices for head unit wiring

Hi ,

I want a opinions from u guys!

I'm hooking up a pioneer head unit into my 86 camaro , i'm using the stock stereo wiring.

To clarify , the head unit has a 10amp fuse on the back, to protect itself (might be for BAT power feed?) .

The head unit need's two power sources , IGN power and BAT power (for storing settings or whatever) , oh yes , i know the yellow wire it's my ignition feed , but my doubt is :

1) Should use the orange wire (always hot) , which is feed from ACC fuse (used for feeding the radio clock in stock setup)
2) Run a wire to fusebox , and hook it to BAT terminal.

What u guys think ? opinions ?

thanks and sorry about my bad english

cheers
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Old Sep 14, 2009 | 12:37 PM
  #2  
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From: Pepperell, MA
Car: 1987 Trans Am
Engine: LQ9/L92
Transmission: 4L60E
Re: Best practices for head unit wiring

For ease of installation, I don't think anyone will disagree with me that getting yourself a harness adapter would be the best option. They are color coordinated and allow you to install without hacking apart your stock harness.

Other than that

IGN - this should be a yellow wire on the big harness
BAT - orange wire on small connector

unless you are competing professionally with a $1000 headunit, you don't need to go directly to the battery, the stock harness will do just fine.
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Old Sep 14, 2009 | 12:43 PM
  #3  
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From: Augusta, Ga
Car: 1987 Trans Am
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Re: Best practices for head unit wiring


the harness adapter has a factory pigtail on one end so you just plug that one to the factory harness and wire the other end of the pigtail to the headunit wiring. I usually do mine outside of the car (the wiring) so when its done its factory plug-in on one end and headunit plug on the other...then its just plug and play...
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Old Sep 14, 2009 | 05:16 PM
  #4  
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Re: Best practices for head unit wiring

thanks for the replies , my wiring was cut by the previous owner , so , i have the wires ending in nothing , my plan was , cutting the pioneer connector (the one in the box of the head unit) , and join the wires using faston terminals for joining two wires

When i bought the car , some of theses wires were contacting with the metal , imagine how fast blow the acc fuse .....

hmmm , i'm trying to stay original as much i can

i should use the orange one for continous power feed ? , thinking ........ " it will have two fuses in the way (ACC and the own of the head unit) , for example , when i'll blow the acc fuse , my eq presets , fm station presets and other things will be gone!!! , logically ? "

Thanks !!

Last edited by iroc_valencia; Sep 14, 2009 at 05:32 PM.
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Old Sep 14, 2009 | 05:52 PM
  #5  
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From: Bremerton, WA
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Re: Best practices for head unit wiring

Mine was cut by the previous owner also. So I found an OEM harness at the junkyard, cut out the connector, then spliced that into my harness. Now I can go the route suggested above should I get an aftermarket head unit, for now, it just goes to a stock style head unit.
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Old Sep 14, 2009 | 06:02 PM
  #6  
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From: Pepperell, MA
Car: 1987 Trans Am
Engine: LQ9/L92
Transmission: 4L60E
Re: Best practices for head unit wiring

My last 3rd gen was butchered by the previous owner as well. Junkyard let me have a harness for free, just had to cut it myself. Do yourself a favor and get a GM harness out of a junkyard. I know you said your english was a bit rough, and I'm guessing you're out of the country? Don't worry about getting one out of a Camaro; GM used the same one for many years in many cars. you can always grab a newer harness as well. I keep posting these links up recently, but I think its worth it if you've got nothing to start with.

88-older wiring diagram
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89-newer
Name:  1992wiringb.gif
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Old Sep 15, 2009 | 04:00 AM
  #7  
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From: VA , SP
Re: Best practices for head unit wiring

Thanks for te diagram , and thanks for the replies

I already have it , and the diagram from GM service manual.

I know , the good thing would be using the original GM connector , with a adapter , but i don't live in the USA , shipping to my country would be 2weeks , and i need to install the stereo to finnish the assembly of the interior , anybody knows a web page to buy the damn kit (factory connector (IIRC rockauto has one) and the adapter) ? , i'll search later in ebay.

But that's , not the question , the question was , i should use the orange wire (ACC fused) for BAT feed , or run a wire to a BAT terminal in fusebox.

Cheers!!
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Old Sep 15, 2009 | 06:49 AM
  #8  
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From: Pepperell, MA
Car: 1987 Trans Am
Engine: LQ9/L92
Transmission: 4L60E
Re: Best practices for head unit wiring

Originally Posted by 1A Dan
IGN - this should be a yellow wire on the big harness
BAT - orange wire on small connector

unless you are competing professionally with a $1000 headunit, you don't need to go directly to the battery, the stock harness will do just fine.

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Old Sep 15, 2009 | 08:47 AM
  #9  
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Re: Best practices for head unit wiring

I miss that!!!

THAAAAAAAAAAANKS!!!

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