Please help this new guy install a Pioneer HU.

[JustStartingOut 10+ year member]

I'll start with a little back ground just to introduce myself to the forum. As my name implies, I'm just getting into the car audio upgrade world. So far I've installed my own Pioneer DEH-P4800MP and some infinity speakers in my car and I love it. Ofcourse now I'll be looking into Subs soon now that I've tasted how fun this audio stuff can be. However, I don't have that much knowledge yet. I have two questions.

The first is very simple. I don't have the cash to drop right now on a nice amp and sub combo since I'm paying for this semester of school right now. Is it worth it to get a cheapo crap set up from wal-mart or something to use for a few months and to learn on until I get some cash for a decent set-up come spring? Then I could just pass it down to one of my other friends to get them into the audio world.

My second question might be a lot tougher. I was helping my brother install his HU since I've done a couple before, but we got totally stumped because he has a more complicated stock system. The car is a 90 Mercury Cougar LS. I can't find a wiring diagram or color code anywhere online. Is there anywhere I could find this, or does anyone know? The wires seemed to be different then other ones I found online. For example, they all have pink on the code. He has no pink wires...

The wires in his car are Constant, Ground, Power, LCD, Illumination, Power Antana... and one other. What wires do I hook up to what on his new HU? It doesn't have an LCD, an Illumination wire, or the other wire. Any help would be greatly appriciated. Also, you guys are awesome. I've already learned a lot just browsing and searching the forums. Thanks ...and sorry for the looong post.

Click to read more...

 

[Curel 10+ year member]

Why aren't you using a wiring harness?

 

[BoomBoomBoy 10+ year member]

I'll start with a little back ground just to introduce myself to the forum. As my name implies, I'm just getting into the car audio upgrade world. So far I've installed my own Pioneer DEH-P4800MP and some infinity speakers in my car and I love it. Ofcourse now I'll be looking into Subs soon now that I've tasted how fun this audio stuff can be. However, I don't have that much knowledge yet. I have two questions.
The first is very simple. I don't have the cash to drop right now on a nice amp and sub combo since I'm paying for this semester of school right now. Is it worth it to get a cheapo crap set up from wal-mart or something to use for a few months and to learn on until I get some cash for a decent set-up come spring? Then I could just pass it down to one of my other friends to get them into the audio world.

No, you'll be a lot happier if you save up for decent equipment.

My second question might be a lot tougher. I was helping my brother install his HU since I've done a couple before, but we got totally stumped because he has a more complicated stock system. The car is a 90 Mercury Cougar LS. I can't find a wiring diagram or color code anywhere online. Is there anywhere I could find this, or does anyone know? The wires seemed to be different then other ones I found online. For example, they all have pink on the code. He has no pink wires...

Buy an adapter harness and save yourself 100% of the headache. They're usually less than $25 for that year of car.

 

[JustStartingOut 10+ year member]

The wiring harness we bought didn't fit at all. We then went to best buy and got a different one, and that one didn't quite fit either, so we decided to try hard wiring it in since that's what I did on my car and it wasn't difficult at all anyway. His car turned out to be much different.

Thanks for the advice on the Amp/Sub. I planned on getting something decent once I got the money anyway. I wasn't sure if i should just skip on the cheap crap all together. Suppose I'll just wait.

 

[nismos14 5,000+ posts]

Save the money you were gonna use on the cheap crap to get even better equipment later on.

 

[JustStartingOut 10+ year member]

Save the money you were gonna use on the cheap crap to get even better equipment later on.

I think that's exactly what I'm going to do. I've spent a couple hours in the sub forum reading stickies and lots of searching to answer questions. My Infinity speakers with the Pioneer HU is good enough for me for now. I know it's nothing compared to what most of you have, but it's my first upgraded system and it's WAY better than stock, so I'm happy enough until I save up some cash for a decent Sub/Amp.

 

[Trey803 5,000+ posts]

if u want some cheap subs to learn some stuff on before you drop makor money down on a dream system i would recomend buying some used subs. There should be plenty for sale on this site for about the same price as new walamrt subs and they will sound a hella lot better

 

[TreyE 10+ year member]

if u want some cheap subs to learn some stuff on before you drop makor money down on a dream system i would recomend buying some used subs. There should be plenty for sale on this site for about the same price as new walamrt subs and they will sound a hella lot better

you stole my name

 

[JustStartingOut 10+ year member]

if u want some cheap subs to learn some stuff on before you drop makor money down on a dream system i would recomend buying some used subs. There should be plenty for sale on this site for about the same price as new walamrt subs and they will sound a hella lot better

The only problem with that is that I'd have to deal with shipping and I don't have a paypal account or whatever to pay for things online. I think I'll just wait a few months unless I find a really good deal on a used sub and amp.

Anyone have anything on that wiring situation or know where I could find a stereo wiring diagram for a 90' Mercury Cougar LS? Even just knowing what wires to hook up to what as far as the LCD and Illumination would help.

 

[Curel 10+ year member]

Do yourself a favor and don't hack up the stock harness. Find the correct harness.

 

[JustStartingOut 10+ year member]

Do yourself a favor and don't hack up the stock harness. Find the correct harness.

Actually we already did try to install it, so we did neatly (not a hack job at all) cut and strip the wires from the factory system. However, we were smart enough to cut them far enough back that we could reinstall the factory harness, which we did once we couldn't get the new head unit installed without playing a guessing game with the wires. I didn't want to chance doing that.

Also, we did try two different harnesses. One from wal-mart and one from Best Buy. Neither of them worked. The wal-mart one was totally wrong and the Best Buy one was half wrong. There are two harnesses (one for speakers and one for power, etc.) and one of them was completely different.

So, with that in mind, does anyone else have any suggestions such as where to find a color code or what I should hook up the illumination or LCD wires to?

 

[audiobahnuser18 5,000+ posts]

Find the correct wiring harness. And as far as finding a wiring diagram goes try

http://www.bulldogsecurity.com or you could try you can only acess this at a school of some sort because it's a site for that kind try http://www.alldata.com they have everything or if you want me to man im going class today and i can get on there computer's and i can get you the wiring diagram probably for that. always glad to help out someone in need of car audio. just Pm me that was i don't forget with your car info just the car model , make and year but pm it to me so i don't forget and ill help you out .

 

[JustStartingOut 10+ year member]

Ok, so I've got the wiring diagram now. One last question. Do I need to hook the "Illumination" and "LCD" wires up to the main power (not the constant) wire or do they not do anything with the new head unit and just tape/shrink wrap them so that they don't touch anything? I assume the second choice is correct, but I'm not sure.