For those who wish to keep thier interior looking as close to stock as possible, this thread explains how to install a newer GM Delco style CD Player.

First you need to locate a GM Delco style CD player, with the "21 pin" style connector. Unbolt your radio bezel and set it off to the side. Pull your factory radio out. You will now need to check the plug against the connector in the radio. I believe the snap clip on the blue plug will need to be removed, in order to fit into the back of the radio. The wires will hold fine. Next, line the radio up in the dash. The CD players are longer in size and will need to be moved around a little, as the wiring for the automatic shifter are in that cavity. You may need to pull the cover for the shifter, so you can get under the radio to manuever it. Line up the 7mm screws and bolt them in place. Now onto the radio bezel, you will need to remove the inner plastic, from the backside of the bezel. I used a air powered saw to take it off. If you aren't a perfectionist, this works really well and only leaves a small gap between the radio and the bezel. Most people do not even notce it.

I have a CD player from a 2003 Grand Pix currently installed in the car. You can also use radios from many 94-99 model GM Vehicles. Radios from Blazers, S10's, Monte Carlos will work really well. They have the "Auto Tone" feature. If you get lucky and find a 7 band EQ style Pontiac radion from any pontiac model in that year range, you can get really good souns quality.

You can typically find a used factory CD player in salvage yards, for around 35-75 bucks. As long as the THEFTLOCK was disabled, when the radio was pulled out of the orignal vehicle, the radio will stay unlocked. You will not even have to reprogram them.

 

Also, I have found that Monsoon 6 X 9's will work really well with a stock Delco style radio. You won't be able to use the 4 X 6's from the Pontiacs, as they are a 2 Way 2-ohm speaker. The high frequency sound will be terrible. I recommend 4 X 6's from an aftermarket company, such as Pioneer or Infinty.

 

I have 92-95 Buick Delco CD players in both of my Irocs.They have 5 band EQ`s on them and are perfect fits in the camaro.Just a note,If the theftlock is enabled it can be unlocked very easily.There is a thread on this site explaining how to do it.Ive done it with several delco cd players and it works every time.

 

I found another sound system combo, for the factory radios, that works really well. You can come across a Cobalt LS packages, with the 2 ohm Pioneer 2-way 6 X 9's in the rear. They feature plastic cones and santoprene rubber surrounds. They will give excellent bass, to complement a set ov Cavalier/Sunfire 4 ohm 3-way stock speakers.

Please note the factory deck can produce enough watts to blow front and rear speakers on this set up. The factory speaker magnets are too small to handle the recievers output.

 

hey there-i am learning as i go. is it possible to deactivate theftlock or delcoloc when the car is in the wrecking yard? what is the best way to unlock the unit? and lastly for today you have to identicle decks but one is bose what is the bose unit doing differently than the other? thankx

 

The TheftLock has to be deactivated at a GM dealership. The older style TheftLock on those models will only engage, if the car is hot wired and you break the ignition switch. The chip in the key is what deactivates the TheftLock.

As far as the BOSE package. Vehicles in this year range, had an external amplifier, and between 6-8 speakers in the car, for the "improved" sound quality. They have a secondary plug for this, even on the non-BOSE units. It is a one-tier plug with about 7-8 pins. You know what I'm talking about, when you see it. The unit itself, aside from the face looking different are identical to the non-BOSE units.

Usually if the wrecking yards can't unlock the radios, they won't sell them. GM charges like 85 bucks to unlock them. Also, avoid Cadillac, Buick, and Oldsmobile radios from 1994-up. GM created plugs for the wiring in the division, that are non-interchangable. Also, avoid using 2000-up Chevy division, and some Pontiacs after 2003. Once again the pugs are changed, and you'll be cutting and splicing wires all day long.

 

You can deactivate a theftlock from a junkyard car if you can power it up like with a booster box or battery.Just have to know how to do it.

 

There isn't a need to modify the connectors in the way you describe in your first post.
There is only one "21 pin" style connector, and they are all the same, no clips to be removed.

For those with older radios, they can buy or make an adapter harness, to go from the older "12 pin" (used up to 1991 on some models) to the later "21 pin".

 

That's almost the way I installed the 2002 Chevy/GMC truck CD deck in my 89 Camaro. It helped that the previous owner hacked the harness, so I got the correct 20 pin harness from the junkyard and spliced it in - it matched pretty much color for color.

 

2002 avalanche head unit

 

Nice it looks factory!

 

Does anyone know if a radio with steering wheel controls from a Mid 90's pontiac would work with my GTA steering wheel?

 

Do the buttons on the cd stereo light up red at night?
Did the stereo fit exactly without any modifications?

I'd like to find one for my Firebird that has the red backlit buttons at night.

 

I have a factory pontiac cd player with 5 band eq.Radio works but the cd mechanism will need to be fixed

 

Is it the factory correct cd player for the 1990 Firebird trans am?

 

I have that same model CD player. I took the face plate off to access the back side of the buttons and painted them red from behind. They don't look any different in the daytime, but light up bright red with the lights on. I posted a kind of step by step a while back, I'll have to find it.

EDIT: I found it

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/inte...umination.html

 

That came out very nice!
I'll have to find a CD player for my car.
What delco models fit?

 

Any Delco model, from a 95-99 Chevy brand of car or truck should fit. GM discontinued their "21" pin connector setup(82-94 GM models) in 2000, and started using "Brand" type connectors. To clarify, what i call a "Brand" style connector, Buick radio plugs became different, than Pontiac or Chevy, etc. Each different Make of car had radio plugs, unique to its family only. Older Buick, Pontiac, or even a Cadillac radio may fit. 97-2003 Grand Prix radios will fit. I posted above, some of the possible modifications and problems with the units themselves.

The conversion isn't hard, but don't be surprised if all your buttons do not light up or work.

The Delco radios had huge problems with the backlights burning out. Note that they are incandescent bulbs, and SOLDERED to the faceplate circuitry. The CD players, themselves ARE interchangeable. My Delco player went bad, and I tore the radio apart. I replaced it with a CD Player, from a Pontiac Grand Prix radio(1997-2003). I was going to use the whole radio, but of course the display backlight was burnt out.

The best part about using a Delco player, from a Buick, Caddy, Chevy, or Oldsmobile, is being able to utilize the "Auto Tone" EQ. Otherwise, go for the Pontiac Monsoon package(this requires more modification and there are posts on how to do it), or get the Pontiac style with a 7 band EQ. The base model radios, with only a Bass/Treble setting, do not give as clear of sound quality.

As far as Speakers go, get a decent brand of aftermarket, 4 ohm resistance, speakers. Make sure to find the harness adapters, or you'll be forced to cut and splice. You'll need to adjust your balance slightly to the rear, as the reduced resistance will double your wattage flow. You can actually blow the voice coils on the front 4 x 6s, with a STOCK deck.

The benefits?? Well, your radio will be loud enough to annoy anyone within 100 ft of your car, and your bass can hit hard enough to still rattle your seatback. When people hear it, show them the deck and say, "I don't know what it has. It looks stock to me."

So you will get excellent sound quality, without anyone trying to steal it, or having to spend a truckload of money.

 

Thanks for all the information.I recently bought a stock cd player for my car,I sent it out for repair and they will be installing an updated cd mechanism.

Arent the factory speakers 4 ohms?

 

What is the Pontiac "Monsoon" package and is the head unit different than a standard stock one?

 

Factory Delco speakers can vary. The stock speakers are 8-ohms, plus they have paper cones and foam surrounds. The magnets and voicecoils are very small, so your sound quality is very poor, in comparison to a higher quality 4-way, aftermarket speaker.

I had originally swapped a set of Monsoon package speakers, from a 2005 Grand Am GT. They have dual voicecoils, and require some experience with wiring. The high frequency speaker is a 4-ohm unit an the woofer is a 2-ohm unit. Thanks to the moisture content, here in Ohio, my surrounds started to deteriorate. They are paper.

Trust me, that aftermarket ones available may be pricey, but they are much more durable.