Stereo Installation in an R32??

[$ballin$]

Hi all,

I am planning to purchase a new head unit to replace my stock cd player in my R32 nissan skyline gts-t. I was just wondering how hard is it to install a aftermarket head unit on the r32? I have installed head units before on other cars but since this is an import i guess it may be a bit harder. Do you suggest i get it done professionally?

If anyone has done it before can they help me out or maybe even take me throught the step by step process. Also are there any special equipment I need to purchase prior to installation? Ive read on the R33 installation it requires an adaptor, what is this for and why?

Cheers

[Dahtone Racing]

installation in my R32 was straight forward just like any other car

only difference was the antena cable it has two pins rather then the usual single pin

you can get adapters for em but in not sure where

[daler32]

you can get the adaptors from autobarn or supercheap and its pretty straight forward fittin a stereo in a 32 especially if youve done a few before

[$ballin$]

ok thanks for that, i feel a bit more confident now installing it myself rather than going to a professional and gettin ripped off.

about the adaptors, this would be the first time for me to deal with these thingys. Do they just plug in together from unit to cables and are they necessary? sorry for asking 2 many q's its just that once i begin installing i dont want 2 wreck anything or find out i need something else.

cheers

[$ballin$]

also i forgot to mention since the head unit im removing is stock is it hard taking it apart from the a/c climate control and cassette deck?

[geordie]

The power is on a seperate plug with three wires, using a currenty tester you will work out which is acessory and which is power, the third, and left over wire is not earth, and if used so, head unit will work but fuse for rear tail lights and dash lights will blow (yes i found this out the hard way).

Moral:

Best to run a seperate earth wire.

To get it out is relatively easy, just pull the dash apard, mainly the surround of the stereo area and the two stero units are conected to each other on the same brackt and come out as a double din item. Very straight forward and plain easy to work out once you start pulling it all apart. MUCH!! easier than a R33.........but they get an easyier amplifier install.

[cowie165]

Hi dude, I just installed a head unit into my R32 yesterday. Assuming you know how to take the dash apart, you need:

Antenna Adaptor lead "Nissan Double Diversity" - $12.99 fm Autobahn

wire stripper/pliers

either:

screw connector (its a little white box with screw in terminals) - $3.99 fm Autobahn (though about 80c fm Jaycar) and a small screwdriver

OR

soldering iron

I used the screw connector box cause it's easier (IMO) than soldering inside the dash, and if you stuff up (ie. connect speakers around the wrong way) it's super easy to fix, and much tidier.

I recommend beg/borrow/steal a multimeter so you can confirm which wire is which, just in case your car is different to others.

If you go to an auto shop (autobahn, supercheap, coventries) you might find a Nissan->Pioneer or Nissan->Alpine plug adaptor. Prob a good idea to check first, cause you'll save having to strip wires and test things out. I wasn't so lucky and had to suss it out with a mate.

If you need more info, beam over a PM and I'll try and help with any q's you still have. Once you have all the bits, it's pretty straightforward and will take 2h(ish).

Mark

and geordie is spot on, run a separate earth. There is a decent earth when you screw into the gearshift (the oval gasket thing that holds the rubber boot down).

[B0oStEr]

Don't forget to hook up the black and red wire from the centre pin of the larger plug to the power antenna output of the new headunit. It's for the antenna amplifier.

There is another black and red wire on the plug but that is a speaker negative.

[$ballin$]

thanks ppl for all the help, ill probably go to autobarn tomorrow and look for an adaptor.

cheers

[BADHAB|T]

Im amazed that no on has mentioned you may need to do an amp bypass. It may have already been done or it may not have a factory amp. To check, its a small round thing in the boot, screwed to the underside of the parcel tray

[geordie]

I made it alot easier for myself, as my whole stereo is running from an amp, all i really needed was power to run the Head unit and ran a RCA through to the amp and all the noise is taken care of from there.

[B0oStEr]

Im amazed that no on has mentioned you may need to do an amp bypass. It may have already been done or it may not have a factory amp. To check, its a small round thing in the boot, screwed to the underside of the parcel tray

Good point.

I didn't think to mention it because I used a new amp for all the speakers.

I think there are 11 pins on the factory amp plug, 4 speaker inputs, 4 speaker outputs, power, earth and trigger. Use a test light or multimeter to find 12v, earth and trigger then just join the inputs to the outputs. I think speaker positive wires are solid color and negatives have a trace. Anyway it's not too hard to sort out.

GL

[sav man]

Do you get shitty reception if you only use 1 plug from the antenna. Cause my car came fram japan with a "fm expander" and only one of the pins goes into it. And with my new head unit (Alpine CDA-9826) i get crap reception.

[$ballin$]

yes, i have noticed that small amp in the back boot. Do i have to touch it or can i just do a straight head unit replacement?

[BADHAB|T]

It needs to be bypassed, or run new wires to each speaker. Do a search, it must have been overed before!

[predator]

I'm just halfway through transferring my old head unit into my current car..

The only problem is that I'm hardly getting any volume out of the speakers. Think they are stuffed (factory ones), or just play at low volume.... Is there any solution for this, other than new speakers? I tend to get that problem with any factory speakers and this deck until i put new ones in, and then it's all fine

Just cut off the aerial plug and put the new one.. seems to get reception ok. Haven't connected up the "aerial booster" wire at all - sure its required?

[Dahtone Racing]

i never had this problem with mine

[predator]

meh, it works i guess.. just sounds pissy..Anyhow, pretty much finished mine.

If you have a bunch of plugs in there (like mine), they'll probably be for the double DIN, amp, stacker, or whatever else was in there once upon a time.

The only one you'll need to really worry about will be the big flat one, which is like one plug seperated into two sections - one with 6 pins, the other with 4 (only 2 filled with pins).

Here is the wiring:

Blue/red - Illumination wire (12v on lights on). Most stereos this is not needed, but useful if you want to tap off for a boost gauge light or something

Blue (4 pin side) - 12v accessories (i think it's either that or 12v constant)

Yellow - 12v constant (or accessories, see above )

Brown - Front Right -ve

Black/Red (below the brown) - Front Left +ve

Blue (6 pin side) - Front Left -ve

Black/White - Front Left +ve

Black/Red (below yellow) - Antenna boost. Connect this to your antenna/amp control wire. After a bit of experimentation, this *does* in fact boost the amount of channels I could get, so a good idea connecting this up.

[$ballin$]

I'm just halfway through transferring my old head unit into my current car..  

The only problem is that I'm hardly getting any volume out of the speakers. Think they are stuffed (factory ones), or just play at low volume.... Is there any solution for this, other than new speakers? I tend to get that problem with any factory speakers and this deck until i put new ones in, and then it's all fine  

Just cut off the aerial plug and put the new one.. seems to get reception ok. Haven't connected up the "aerial booster" wire at all - sure its required?

Lucky the person i bought it off had already replaced the factory ones with decent aftermarket ones....just gotta get the new head unit. But at the momment ive been having probs with the factory headunit, sometimes the volume is producing only low sound even tho its up and sometimes it just cuts out.

[=premo=]

have to say that installing my alpine head unit into my R32 was the simplest install i have ever done.

www.installdr.com

has a wire matching guide for head units in general. but does not mention the dimmer wire which i belive is next to the ignition wire on the plug (1985-1994).

only annoying bit was shaping the trim of the headunit to suit the step up on the trim around the din slots in the dash. (just used a file and a very sharp knife to cut the plastic).