Stereo replacement

[sinep9078]

82 chevy--Tryin to replace what I believe is the stock cassette player/radio. I removed the instrument bezel and got the radio out. It wasn't working at all.. wouldn't even power up.

ideas of why there is no power?

whats the easiest way to install a new stereo? Not too picky, it'd just be nice to have some tunes. I have a couple nice box speakers that I had in my 05 ram, and I have an okay amp layin around too.

any help is appreciated guys/girls, thanks!

PS-- as far as i know, there are no speakers hooked up to the radio

[junior3382]

In the Chevy's, the power signal wire is yellow. The most common culprit when the unit gets no power in those older trucks.

Installing a stereo can be easy with patience. Even though there are no speakers, the wiring for them should still be there on the stereo. The white and grey wires from the harness one solid, one with a black stripe, are for the front two speakers. If the truck is or is not equipped with rear speakers, you will still see a green and purple set from the harness off the deck, again with one solid and one striped. Now I am talking about the wires from the back of the replacement head unit you are using. These along with the orange or red, depending on the unit, the yellow and the black are all the ones you will need to connect. The blue is for the signal turnon for the amp if you so chose to run one.

Okay now, from the truck, the speaker wires will not match color wise, but will match patternwise. Speaker wires run brown, orance, grey and a bluish green most of the time, assuming they are original. The power wire is black, and most of the time there is no ground wire, you will need to ground the unit yourself.

I recommend using a harness adapter, makes it easier, but hardwiring will work just the same. If you so chose to go that route, get a Haynes manual and the wiring diagram.

Anyways, if you decide to run the Amp, that is a whole different animal, all you will need from the head unit, you will have to do everything yourself. Like I said, connect the blue wire to a signal lead running to the Amp, then use a set of RCA patch cables for the sound signal, and appropriately run the pos and neg power cables for the amp seperate from the stero's wiring... The fun part of all of this is hiding all the wires.

Anyways, I hope at least some of this helps. If any of the wires from the truck itself seem too brittle, or have exposed copper, run new ones, will save huge headaches. The ignition signal wire, the pos batt wire and the ground wire ALL have to be solidly fastened to all sources for you to get power to the head unit. So be sure to double check these.

Anyways, sounds like fun, I am installing a stereo this weekend actually, so I will think of ya. Let me know if there is anything else I can do to help.

[junior3382]

Also, just to add, when installing a DIN style head unit on any GM product, you will need a dash kit to mount properly, like 10 bucks, worth it... Just another thing to invest in.

[sinep9078]

I've replaced stereo's in cougars, avengers, lebarons, explorers.... none of those seem as complicated or made me feel as retarded as I do right now.

The factory harness is hanging there, just chillin all messy and old looking. the yellow wire is connected to abolutely nothing.. just hanging with a piece of electrical tape around it.. is that normal?

if there was just some **** power gettin to the stereo I wouldn't be so held up

[junior3382]

if the yellow wires is not connected to anything, there is your problem. The stereo could have direct power from the batt, but with out the ignition signal, it will never turn on. The newer vehicles made replacement sooooo much easier I have found, these old trucks sometimes had no rhyme or reason to it, but still in the end, much less wiring. From the sound of it though, this is not the first time a stereo has been replaced in this truck... do you have a multi-meter?

[sinep9078]

multi meter? I'm sorry, speak girl languange. I'm sorry

[junior3382]

if you do not know what it is, then you more then likely do not have one. but I will try to explain it... sorry, It is a little yellow box with a screen and a dial with two wires attached, red and black, used for measueing the resitance and draw of electricity on just about any wire.

Anyways, if you wish to tackle this on your own run a new 22 gauge wire from the fuse box to the stereo and a new power wire 22g as well, from the batt and a new ground to any non painted metal suface behind the das and see if that gets it working again... then you will be in a better position to replace it.

[sinep9078]

that'll work... i have a power tester, but not exactly like that!


Gotta get ready to bed, work early in the am-

I'll update tomorrow, thanks for the help

[junior3382]

No problem, I hope I actually helped...LOL... and I wish you luck.

[CharlyG]

For a quick test, just hook the yellow wire to the cig lighter connector. If the stereo comes on, then run the more permanent one.