How Long to Install New Receiver?
 

Can this be done fairly quickly? I'd like to pop in a new CD receiver so my fiance can have some decent sound while driving the Formula, which currently has the stock tape deck. If I buy a receiver from Crutchfield, with one of their harnesses, how long might it take me to pop out the old and pop in the new? Time is in short supply right now, but if it isn't a big job then I might go ahead and give it a shot.

Thanks for your opinions.

it doesnt take too long maybe 20-30 minutes max to take the tape deck out and get the cd player installed. that is if you have the wiring harness connector thing and the install kit that you can get from like walmart and all the tools on hand its really not to big of a deal ive changed decks out in my car at least 5 or 6 times.

Yes buy the install kit saves the factory wires from a hack job and will make your life easier installing. I Like seperate group of wires by powers, speakers front and speakers back. What I do is remove excess wire from the radio and harness so you dont have a mile of it to stash in the radio compartment. Leave enough to work with in future if you decide to change vehicles. Try to leave more on the radio side The harness is cheap. Then I like to wrap black tape around the different grouping of wires to keep things organized. Then get your self some wire conectors and hook everything you can up before you even set foot in the vehicle. The harness is labled well and you should have a listing of hookups on the radio or manual that came with it. Take your time on this part and everything else should be a easy. You will also need the addapter bracket for radio to fit the space. This will be the next most complicated thing you do. Fitting the radio takes some patience to make sure your not pinching a wire or the radio is placed correctly. The first time you do this it make take you an hour to make sure your doing everything correct. After you have done this once or twice you should be able to do this in 10-30 minutes max. Dont leave any bare wires advice from experience lost all dash lights after blowing fuse. Good luck hope I was clear. Oh one other thing if you still have the stock radio I like the metal brackets off the radio better then the crappy plastic ones you get in the kits. I get a better fitment of the radio with them. Shoot me a pm if you need anymore help check the board a few times a week.

Three thing you need Harness, Adapter plate,
and one of these
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1077626938161

Looks Like you have a love for old cars someones got to keep them from the crusher. Nice selection

91's advice is very good. You should wire up the harness outside of the car where you have plenty of room to properly crimp all of the wires. That way when you get into your car, you've got everything you need to just do a direct swap. While you're out of the car, install the cage of your new radio into the mounting kit you bought. This is a piece of cake. Just slide it into place and bend the tabs around to secure it. Slide the radio in until it clicks and you're golden.

If your formula is an 89 or newer, I think you're going to need the antenna adapter. Crutchfield and every other car audio shop will have the adapter you need.

Pop the trim ring off your center console, and set it aside. There are 4 7mm screws holding the factory radio in. Remove those, and pull the radio out. Once it's out far enough, unplug all of the connections and remove the radio.

All of those connections will plug into your new deck now. Your wiring harness adapter will plug right into the factory wiring harness, and with the antenna adapter, you can plug that right into the back of the radio.

Now's a good time to make sure everything works. Turn the key on, tinker with the radio, and set 1 or 2 presets. Shut the car off, count to 10, then turn it back on to make sure you still have your presets. Check your balance and fader knobs to make sure all of the speakers are hooked up right.

Sometimes when you put the radio in, you'll have to screw with the mess of wires to get the radio to go all the way in, but once that's accomplished, reinstall those 4 screws, and snap the trim ring back into place.

Now go for a drive. :)

Jim, where is the trim ring on the console located that I should pop off as the first step? Do you mean the rectangular plastic trim piece that goes around the radio and heater controls? And is there a trick to popping it off without breaking it?

Hearing you guys say how quick and easy this can be, I am going to have to scrounge some money together to buy a decent headunit now! My fiance really would like an upgrade of the stock system, which is understandable!

4 torx screws in the corners. Ones a dummy so 3 really.

Not on the Pontiacs. On those it just snaps into place. Giving it an easy tug starting at the lower section where it tucks in near the ash tray will pop the bottom out and you'll figure out what to do from there.

Crap, wrong car. I'll pay more attention next time... :rolleyes:

Yes You just tug gentley on the trim ring which will come off easy. Then you should see four screws holding the radio in. They are a hex head type of screw you see all over the interior. Another quick tip is when you buy the head unit they give you a small plug that screws into the back of the radio this has always lined up with a round hole in the back of the headunit compartment when I have done installs. Make sure you use it if it lines up helps make the headunit much more stable. Some install kits work better then others I find the ones that stick out farther work better for fitment. I had a shorter one that was a PITA to try to put the headunit in without it hitting the back before you could screw it in which made it impossible to put the trim ring on.

Pulled that panel off today just to see how it is done...easy as pie, although without your help and with no service manual, I would have been too afraid to tug on it for fear of breaking it. Now to save up a little dough to be able to buy a decent head unit...

And make sure you have a mounting kit that fits. A "flush" one may not be dep enough.