Expert: Peter G. Lee - 7/26/2006

Question
how can i hook up an after market cd player up to the factory wire harness because the colors are different in both units plus what a bout the factory  amp?........ "which colors ta connect"                              help me out?..  

Answer
Hi there,
I would recommend a conversion loom from your local audio shop but, just in case you wana fly solo here's a few tips.
1. Buy a DIN connector for your loom in the car as all modern radio will accept this.
Identifying wires, easy, just need an AA battery, a 12v bulb on a bit of wire or a test meter set to 20vdc or a 12v probe lamp, (it's what I use all the time, like a screw driver with a lead with a clip on and a bulb inside). Some masking tape and a pen to label wires with

Speaker wires. These are normally twisted together in pairs if you are lucky and are the same colour for each pair but one with a colour trace on, i.e. blue and blue/white, green and green/white. Touch a pair across the battery and you will hear a noise on the corresponding speaker, label it (e.g. left rear), continue until all four are identified and labelled.
Earth one side of your meter or tester to a metal part of the car, probe each wire until you have a wire that is live all the time with the ignition OFF, label this ‘+30’.
Switch on ignition and redo test until you find another previously dead wire now live, this is ‘+15’.
Switch off ignition and switch on the side / park lights, repeat test until you find a third live, label this ‘lights’. Switch off the lights
You should now have two or three left. One will be earth, (usually black or brown); one could be to an amp and or electric ariel (usually blue or blue white) and one for phone mute if fitted. Clip tester to +30 and probe one of the remaining wires, if you have an electric ariel it will go up. Connect your DIN plug to the correct wires and jobs a good un’.
DIN connections  are.
Speakers

Right rear -,  right front -,   left front -,  left rear-,
Right rear +, Right front +, left front +, left rear +

Power block viewed from cable side

Phone mute (white),/   n/c, /      ariel & amp (blue), /ignition (red)

 N/c, / 12vlive, (yellow or orange), / lights, (various colours),/ negative (black)

Hope that helps, Peter