Attempting to install a new headunit

[RndmTaco]

Let's start with some info on my car:
1986 Grand Marquis Station Wagon with Digital Factory Radio, 'Premium Sound', and other exciting/mystifying options.

Ordered the head unit from crutchfield (http://www.crutchfield.com/p_020CZ109/Clarion-CZ109.html?tp=5684), along with the wiring harness, mounting kit, and this thing (http://www.crutchfield.com/p_127OEM2/PAC-OEM-2.html). Crimped everything together, bypassing the PAC for the left and right rear negs and pos's. Put front speaker lines thru the adapter, yata yata yata. Put the front speaker positives to their appropriate wires, and put the front negatives, along with the ground to the 'common ground' wire on the harness (Used the multimeter for this to make sure i wouldn't be messing things up). Amp turnon, etc. Plug the radio in, no flames: yes!. Turn it on, sounds promising. Music. Back speakers only. What gives?

I've attempted looking through the forums for people using crutchfield or this strange adapter, but almost all i've read of is people rewiring to the front speakers. Is there any easy way to get the factory amp working so that there's no rewiring? Or should I settle in for rewiring the front speakers?

[85crownHPP]

I wouldn't call it 'settling', you'd be doing yourself a favor - re-wire the rears too.

[RndmTaco]

Any tips for someone that has no idea what they're doing? Also, is it a correct assumption that using the adapter is fruitless if the speakers were to be rewired? Thanks for the quick reply!

[85crownHPP]

You can use the power side of the adapter harness if you want - I would just use the memory and key-on power, and run an independent ground to the chassis somewhere. You might have a set of ground tabs on your firewall behind the center hump.
Im guessing you have power antenna - that should be in the power side of the adapter harness too.

Your head unit should have a wiring diagram telling you which speaker wires coming out of it go to which speaker... are you using the stock speakers? If you have four speakers up front, you can wire the 2 for each side both to each front output from the head unit IF it can handle a 2ohm load (the HU specs should tell you this) assuming the factory speakers are 4ohm speakers. This should be stamped on the speaker magnet somewhere.

[RndmTaco]

Not sure what ground tabs look like, but there's a metal plate-type thing right under the radio that seems to have a good ground. I do have the power antenna, but it's controlled by a switch right above the tailgate window switch.

Everything is stock, including speakers, radio (for now anyways), and the factory amp that i'm told is hidden behind the left rear quarter panel. There are four speakers up front (2 dash, two doors). No clue what their resistance is, but i'm going to take apart the front passenger door in a few minutes to check out the door lock actuator (another project) so i can look then.

If pictures would help, I'd be happy to oblige.

[RndmTaco]

Right door speaker, in all it's glory. (http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc201/randomtaco/DSCN1833.jpg)

[RndmTaco]

Scratch it all, it's done. After speaking to the gentleman on the phone with crutchfield, we both decided it would be easier, and probably sound the same to bypass the factory amp. He helped me find this connector in the passenger's side kick panel:
http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc201/randomtaco/DSCN1836.jpg

The side of the connector with the clip has 2 connectors where there are 2 wires of the same color going into one connector. One of the wires from each comes from the amp, one from each goes to the door speaker using this gizmo:
http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc201/randomtaco/DSCN1837.jpg

So i cut the two wires that did NOT go to this (wht, grn stripe, and grn, orange stripe) and used the stubs that were left going into the connector to attach speaker wire to there straight from the radio. Also on the connector are a lt blue, wht stripe wire, and another wire right next to it that i can't remember the color... Anyways, cut those two, and bring speaker wire straight to the radio, for the LEFT speakers. (I used the battery pop test to make sure i had the wires right)

I also believe i found the ground tabs that 85crown was referring to:
(up in the driver's foot well, somewhere near the center console)
http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc201/randomtaco/DSCN1841.jpg

Grounded the radio on that, plugged everything in to test it and it works beautifully. The new radio now resides in the car. :ohyeah:

Hopefully this post can help someone else =)

[85crownHPP]

Sounds like you got it figured out - Ive never messed with the premium sound stuff... you done good!
Those are some handy ground tabs.

[87gtVIC]

My ground tabs are filled up. :(

[zoomie]

what ever you do ,dont use the factory amp, i blew a 250 dollar deck trying that trick with my TC, i ran all my own wires and am now completly satisfied stereo runs great and best of all i also have room for options like an amp when i decide to add one.

[deepsleep]

what ever you do ,dont use the factory amp, i blew a 250 dollar deck trying that trick with my TC, i ran all my own wires and am now completly satisfied stereo runs great and best of all i also have room for options like an amp when i decide to add one.

Is this true?

[Archangel]

My ground tabs are filled up. :(

And you don't have a small drillbit and some ring terminals and sheetmetal screws? ;)

[mitymerc]

Now it's my turn...

I just attempted to install a Clarion HU in my '87 premium sound wagon....
I am sure all the wiring is correct. I am using a 4 channel floating ground converter.

There is no power to the unit.

Ground is good.

Power is good.

The only question I have is re: the OR/WH illumination lead, it is currently connected to the OR/WH dimmer lead on the adapter not the OR illumination lead. Is this a prob?

I hope it is not fried, when I re-install the fact. unit it works fine...

Any Ideas?

[marquisman]

nice, i will be doing this very shortly my self on my 85 colony park(the twin to your 86 wagon)