Can anyone make sense of this stereo wiring?

[classicjim]

This is what confronted me behind my after market 89 Sunny stereo. I know diddly about wiring and ICE and it looks a bit of a shambles. The stereo DID work, but stopped since I pulled it out. The speaker crackled and died. I realise a fuse has gone in this photo, which I've now replaced. Still no sign of life. 

I've checked all fuses all relating to audio, all okay. There are some wires that are just cut and lead nowhere (the green one with a white band, part of the old loom? The purple one to, and a solid red one, also from the old loom)  If somebody could kind of shed light on what the hell is going on I'd appreciate it, in idiot speak. Or at least help me identify what is what.

Thank you.

[Killbill]

WOW That is a mess!!! wish i could help you more.
However i would cut the lot out and start again.
Good luck with that lot

[classicjim]

Honestly if I had any idea what I was doing I would.

[benjy_b]

Mar 19, 2015 16:19:55 GMT Killbill said:

... i would cut the lot out and start again.

^This

Cut everything out
Get rid off all the insulated crimp terminals
Be careful not to short any wires
Initially cover all wires with insulation tape to prevent shorting
Use a methodical approach to finding the appropriate wires

First off, how many speakers are fitted?
Has it got an electric aerial?
Has it got any amps or auxiliary stereo equipment fitted?
Do you have a multimeter/test lamp?

Stereos are straight forward to wire up.

12v Constant
12v Ignition
GRND
Speaker Wiring

Once you get back to me with answers to the previous questions, I'll see what I can further help with.






Edit... After a quick Google search, here are typical Nissan wiring colours:

Constant Live - Red/Black Stripe
Ignition Live - Blue
GRND - Earthed through mounting cage (You will probably need to run a designated earth for your stereo)
FR Positive - Brown
FR Negative - Brown/White Stripe
FL Positive - Blue/White Stripe
FL Negative - Blue/Yellow Stripe
RR Positive - Blue
RR Negative - Pink
RL Positive - Red
RL Negative - Dark Green


Here are the Standardised Stereo Wiring Colours:

Red - Ignition Live
Yellow - Constant Live
Black - GRND
Grey - FR Positive
Grey/Black - FR Negative
White - FL Positive
White/Black - FL Negative
Purple - RR Positive
Purple/Black - RR Negative
Green - RL Positive
Green/Black - RL Negative
Blue - Electric Aerial
Blue/White - Amp feed
Orange - Illumination
Orange/White - Dimmer


From yours, I can see:

Ignition Live Live - Red to Brown
Constant Live Live - Yellow to Red
GRND - Black to Dodgy twin core speaker cable

I can't really make out where your speaker wires are going to, but from the above lists you may be able to sort it out.

[classicjim]

Thank you for the reply. I've got a mate coming with a voltmeter and more of an idea than me.

First off, how many speakers are fitted? Just two front, although currently zero
Has it got an electric aerial? Nope.
Has it got any amps or auxiliary stereo equipment fitted? Nope.
Do you have a multimeter/test lamp? Yep.

Going to go have a look and I'll report back using the wiring information provided.

Jim.

[benjy_b]

Looking at how it's been previously wired, it seems they have used the rear speaker outputs from the stereo too.

If I were you, I would only use (from the stereo):

Red
Yellow
Black
White
White/Black
Grey
Grey/Black

- Secure all the redundant wires so they don't stand a chance of shorting out. I like to trim the wire, fold it back on itself and then use heat-shrink to hold it down.

- Get rid of the inline fuses as the car should have the stereo protected from the factory fuse box. Do you have a manual/fusebox lid that might give you an idea where these fuses may be?

- Run a dedicated GRND wire to earth the stereo

When joining the wires together, in order of preference:

Crimp using uninsulated splice connections with heat-shrink to protect
Solder with heat-shrink to protect
Crimp with un-insulated terminals (what is currently being used)

Don't use screw down terminals, "scotch locks" or twist the wires together!

Finally, cable tie or tape the wires so there is no chance of shorting when the stereo is pushed back into position.

[classicjim]

Thanks Benjy, yep the inline fuses threw me a bit.

It does indeed have a fuse solely for the audio (which I've found and checked)

Going to have a go at splitting everything and starting again. I will update a bit later..


Jim.

[benjy_b]

I would guess it has a fuse under the dash for the ignition live circuit and a fuse in the engine bay for the constant live circuit.

A lot of Japanese cars are wired that way

[classicjim]

We're giving it a go but it isn't half confusing.. The stereo isn't responding at all and the wires don't seem to tally with the online manuals..it's almost like theres three looms in one.

[benjy_b]

What colour wires do you have on the chassis harness side that have been used?

I can see,
Red?
Red/Yellow?
Brown?
Brown/Black?
Green/Black
White?
White/Black?
Yellow/Blue?
Yellow/Black?
Black/Yellow?

Can you take a picture of all the wires disconnected from the stereo and fanned out?


Also,

Have you checked to make sure the stereo isn't dead?

Connect the Red & Yellow to a battery positive terminal and the black to the negative terminal just to test it first.

Then, provided the stereo works I would check for:

Constant live
- no keys in the ignition, ground your multimeter to a good earth point and work your way through each wire on the car harness, one by one until you get battery voltage or the test lamp lights up.

Ignition Live
- Ignoring the constant live you have found, do the same again with the ignition key turned on

GRND
- Find a good earthing point and make a designated GRND using a ring terminal and a piece of decent automotive wire (the same gauge as the live wires, not speaker cable)

Speakers
- Get a small battery (AA, AAA or 9v), find two wires on the car harness that are the same colour e.g, the two yellow wires. Then connect each wire to either end of the battery, if you find a speaker, it will crackle. Carry out this test on all the remaining matching pairs until you have found both speakers.

[benjy_b]

Just noticed you're in Leeds, where about? Do you want me to come over tomorrow and sort it?

[classicjim]

Hi Benjy,

We've found the constant and ignition lives, but for some reason there's also a third *green* live. The ignition live seems to actually be brown too. It has all the wiring for rear speakers but this model doesn't have them so I assume it's just standardised loom across the range.

I've tested the stereo on the battery and the small red dot flashes (but the fascia doesn't seem to do anything when attached even though it is getting power, is this normal?)

Overall a complete farce and totally beyond me it seems. Not sure if the stereo is faulty or what, it DID work.

I'm about five minutes from the Birstall lights, just up from Heckmondwike. I would appreciate you taking a look if you wouldn't mind, you'd save me a headache, happy to come to you to save you from trailing out mind.

Jim.

[benjy_b]

When you attached it to the battery did you splice the red and yellow wires together? If you just put the yellow wire on then it will do as you described. Other than that, does the stereo have it's own fuse? Sometimes they can be found with a 10amp fuse on the back that may have blown. Your stereo is showing signs of having power to it's constant live but not ignition live.

The third ignition live, did you have the lights on? It could be an illumination feed. Other than that, it's very strange. Sometimes cars can come with additional wiring for higher specced models, but I doubt this would be the case with a 1989 Sunny?!

Rear speaker plug makes sense, although I can see that none of the wires match up to what information I've found online

Anyhow, I'm not up to much tomorrow afternoon if you're around? If you're just up from Krispy Kreme then I'm sure my missus will be more than happy to hear I will be passing

[classicjim]

I put both the red and yellow on the positive seperately, I didn't intertwine them though, I will try it if you like. It does have a small 10a fuse on the rear that I have checked is intact, and infact changed for a new one just to be sure. It's like it is receiving power but not as you say responding to the ignition live. (Though it certainly used to.. )


Lights weren't on. In the image the third live was the green one. Which I'm fairly certain didn't lead anywhere. The ground is from what I can tell home made speaker wire and it runs to an earthing point on the chassis just under the bonnet release, it seems clean and intact.

Yep should be in all afternoon. I'm probably 10 minutes at most from Krispy Kreme and the retail park. Kettles always on and I have a warm-ish and well lit man cave. I can send you the address if you want. Alternatively I'll happily drive up and bring some donuts as payment.

[classicjim]

I will warn you I have zero in the way of electrical bits & bobs. Not amassed a collection of that yet.

[benjy_b]

It's ok Jim, I've got all the consumables we may need.

If you can PM me your address over and when you're available.

I could get up any time after 13:00 tomorrow.

[classicjim]

UPDATE: I lobbed the old spade connector off that was on the yellow and red coming from the stereo, it now illuminates the stereo and is fully working. So that probably explains why it wasn't working in the car.. must have been loose.

[classicjim]

No problem I'll send it now, at least I know the stereo isn't faulty. Still only moderate progress heh.

Jim.