Author Topic: Fitting Radio  (Read 12158 times)

Offline The Transporter

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Fitting Radio
« on: August 11, 2008, 03:21:11 pm »
Hey guys,

Can anyone help me. I want to install a radio into my sisters MK3 Polo.
This is all I have. No speakers or any other wiring.



Does anyone know the best way to go about it?

I have tried plugging in another headunit to see if there is power but there is not.
I thought this was strange as I thought the first two wires were power and ground.

Oh well.....any advice?

jonboy

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Re: Fitting Radio
« Reply #1 on: August 13, 2008, 05:59:32 pm »
you need not do a thing to the std iso block. on the loom supplied with the stereo, you will need to swap the red wire and the yellow wire around. if the car has speaker in it (lift the speaker covers up and see, then there should be another iso block behind the dash with speaker wires on it, its probably just fallen off the back of the blank panel)

Offline The Transporter

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Re: Re: Fitting Radio
« Reply #2 on: August 13, 2008, 08:31:58 pm »
[quote pid=3264 author=jonboy date=1218646772]you need not do a thing to the std iso block. on the loom supplied with the stereo, you will need to swap the red wire and the yellow wire around. if the car has speaker in it (lift the speaker covers up and see, then there should be another iso block behind the dash with speaker wires on it, its probably just fallen off the back of the blank panel)[/quote]

Thanks for the reply jonboy,

I dont have speakers so sadly there is no wires for them. But I have no problem wiring them in myself.

I just want to get power to the headunit for a start! :D

I tested the wires with a multimeter and yes there is a 12v supply. Yet when plugged in it doesnt work. Tried a couple of different head units too just to make sure the one headunit I tried was working!

I thought I might have to change a few wires as on one of the CD headunits I want to put in there is a sticker that says

''If installing into a VW, Audi, please refer to the manual''

Sadly I dont have the manual anymore.....
:(

So I need to swap the yellow and red wires on the back of the headunit? Could you explain a little more about how this works?

Offline hayesey

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Re: Re: Re: Fitting Radio
« Reply #3 on: August 13, 2008, 09:04:14 pm »
does it power on if you have the ignition turned on?

There are two power supplies to a radio: one is permanent live which is just so the radio keeps settings etc... when the car is turned off.  The other is the actual power supply which makes it work which is normally switched with the ignition.  The wires are red and yellow, I forget which way round they normally are on VWs one will be permanent 12v and t'other will be 12v with ignition on.  People quite often connect both the ignition wire and the permanent wire on the radio to the permanent on the car so the headunit is on even when the ignition is off.  They then normally need to be turned off or turn off when the face is removed.

Offline The Transporter

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Re: Re: Re: Re: Fitting Radio
« Reply #4 on: August 13, 2008, 09:13:20 pm »
[quote pid=3274 author=hayesey date=1218657854]does it power on if you have the ignition turned on?

There are two power supplies to a radio: one is permanent live which is just so the radio keeps settings etc... when the car is turned off.  The other is the actual power supply which makes it work which is normally switched with the ignition.  The wires are red and yellow, I forget which way round they normally are on VWs one will be permanent 12v and t'other will be 12v with ignition on.  People quite often connect both the ignition wire and the permanent wire on the radio to the permanent on the car so the headunit is on even when the ignition is off.  They then normally need to be turned off or turn off when the face is removed.[/quote]

No power even if ignition is on.

Offline The Transporter

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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Fitting Radio
« Reply #5 on: August 13, 2008, 09:14:24 pm »
[quote pid=3275 author=The Transporter date=1218658400][quote pid=3274 author=hayesey date=1218657854]does it power on if you have the ignition turned on?

There are two power supplies to a radio: one is permanent live which is just so the radio keeps settings etc... when the car is turned off.  The other is the actual power supply which makes it work which is normally switched with the ignition.  The wires are red and yellow, I forget which way round they normally are on VWs one will be permanent 12v and t'other will be 12v with ignition on.  People quite often connect both the ignition wire and the permanent wire on the radio to the permanent on the car so the headunit is on even when the ignition is off.  They then normally need to be turned off or turn off when the face is removed.[/quote]
12v is always present but the radio will not turn on no matter what position the key is in. i.e. ignition on or not

Offline hayesey

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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Fitting Radio
« Reply #6 on: August 13, 2008, 09:59:47 pm »
do you know for sure the radio actually works?

Offline The Transporter

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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Fitting Radio
« Reply #7 on: August 14, 2008, 12:59:30 am »
Yes radio 100% works.

Like I said I have tried 3 different ones just to make sure.

Does anyone have that information on changing over the red and yellow wires on the head unit. I cant see why this would help.

Can anyone expand on it?

Offline hayesey

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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Fitting Radio
« Reply #8 on: August 14, 2008, 09:30:25 am »
It's not a case of changing them over, it's a case of connecting them both up to permanent 12v supply so the radio still works even if the ignition if off.  Every radio I've ever fitted (albeit, that's not a large number!) has had red and yellow wires on the wiring between the radio and the ISO plugs and most have bullet connectors to allow you to connect them both up to permanent live.  

What headunit are you trying to install?  Do you have the correct wiring adaptor for it?

Offline The Transporter

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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Fitting Radio
« Reply #9 on: August 14, 2008, 11:22:53 am »
The headunit does not look like it needs any adapters as the iso connector fits straight in, of course leaving me with another block for the speakers. Il give it a try tonight as the car is not here right now!

Thanks for your input hayeseymuch appreciated :thumb:

Offline hayesey

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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Fitting Radio
« Reply #10 on: August 14, 2008, 11:59:40 am »
what is the radio you are trying to fit?

jonboy

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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Fitting Radio
« Reply #11 on: August 14, 2008, 01:49:07 pm »
i dont know any other way of explaining this! most headunits come with a loom. the loom will have a red wire and a yellow wire. chop them both in half and connect one end of the red wire to one end of the yellow wire, repeat the process for the remaining 2 wires. your stereo should now power up. if it doesnt your either doing it wrong or the radio is buggered.
the reason it works is that there are 2 different standards of iso wiring. vw and vauxhall seem to wire theres different to everyone else, i.e. they swap the position of perminant and ignition live around, hence why i said to swap the wires on your radio loom as it saves you wrecking the car loom, you can mod it on a bench away from the car so is easier and there normally tends to be a good amount of wire on aftermarket radios.  in fact most replacement units have bullit connectors on the red and yellow wires so you can change them with minimum effort

Offline The Transporter

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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Fitting Radio
« Reply #12 on: August 15, 2008, 04:19:48 pm »
[quote pid=3315 author=jonboy date=1218718147]i dont know any other way of explaining this! most headunits come with a loom. the loom will have a red wire and a yellow wire. chop them both in half and connect one end of the red wire to one end of the yellow wire, repeat the process for the remaining 2 wires. your stereo should now power up. if it doesnt your either doing it wrong or the radio is buggered.
the reason it works is that there are 2 different standards of iso wiring. vw and vauxhall seem to wire theres different to everyone else, i.e. they swap the position of perminant and ignition live around, hence why i said to swap the wires on your radio loom as it saves you wrecking the car loom, you can mod it on a bench away from the car so is easier and there normally tends to be a good amount of wire on aftermarket radios.  in fact most replacement units have bullit connectors on the red and yellow wires so you can change them with minimum effort[/quote]

Thanks alot jon boy.

I will give it a go tonight.
Il let you know how i go.

when the red and yellow are connected. Which hole do they BOTH plug into. RED or YELLOW?

If you get me?
« Last Edit: August 15, 2008, 04:24:33 pm by The Transporter »

Offline The Transporter

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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Fitting Radio
« Reply #13 on: August 15, 2008, 04:48:24 pm »
I have changed the wires on the radio, il give it a try tonight when my sis comes home with it.

Offline The Transporter

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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Fitting Radio
« Reply #14 on: August 15, 2008, 09:40:14 pm »
YESSSS! I have power..... everything should be ok now!

I have some speakers from an old Escort, will be putting them in the back for a start.

Thanks very much for your help guys! Will let you know if I come across any difficulties. I doubt it though.!