Audio wiring butcherd (HELP)

[Audijarvis]

Went to fit my stereo yesterday only to find the wiring had been butchered by the previous owner (they have removed the top block-non ISO- and replaced it with one that fitted there own stereo, but not a standard socket)

I have the PC9-401

I have the two ISO male plugs

What am I missing, and can I purchase a new socket anywhere?

Thanks

Jarvis

 

[Oranoco]

What is the car (facelift non-facelift) and how many wires?

If we can identify what you need there are a couple of B5's at my scrappy, I may be able to get the plug and some of the wiring and post it up to you.

Mind you if you're fitting an aftermarket radio and are trying to utilise the onboard amp I honestly wouldn't bother and use the 2 ISO plugs on the deck and runs some fresh speaker wire up the car to run the rears.

 

[Audijarvis]

The stereo is a Clarion, it was fitted in the Focus I just sold, the A4 didn't come with one so I kept it.

I'm not fitting any other form of amp, just want the Clarion to work

Re my first post about the three sockets

I was concerned that I didn't have anything to plug into the top (non ISO) socket, but I don't have to as its for steering wheel remote etc

My problem it that the previous owner has cut several wires off the ISO blocks, and cut them so close to the block that it's impossible to rejoin them to the main loom

They have also taken a separate live from the rear screen switch so I'm not sure if the ISO would be live even if I was to reconnect it (What fuse powers the audio?)

How much for a couple of ISO blocks

 

[andybnwc]

cant remember the blocks but i thought the top one was the cd changer socket and the vertical one was the amp if so your fine. as for the live are you sure it wasen used as a remote turn on as the rear screen bit is the antennae too which has a amp to power it

 

[andybnwc]

also use a multi meter you may have to pull a switched feed up from the buzz bar under the drivers knee bolster thing .

 

[B5NUT]

The ISO blocks are cheap, but it's getting pin's and the removal tool to extract the current pins from the old ISO block, (Yes you can use the small jewelers screwdrivers but the correct tool is far better & easier) I've used this company to get all that gear http://www.vehicle-wiring-products.eu/VWP-onlinestore/home/homepage.php

 

[Audijarvis]

Sorted out part of my problem

I didn't realise I needed two live feeds into the unit
One permanent and one switched

Earlier when I found the live from the rear screen and wired it to the stereo I was baffled as to why it wouldn't work, well its obvious now that the ISO isn't live so it wasn't receiving the second switched live required for the unit to operate

Do you think it would be safe to take the live off the cig lighter as the permanent and find an alternative switched live

Not sure about the screen switch question, it works, I'll leave it alone

 

[B5NUT]

Yes, but I would replace the lighter fuse in the fuse box to that of the stereo, and use the correct gauge wire.

 

[aragorn]

The harness on our car only had a permenant live.

I took a feed from the 75x terminal in central electrics, and ran it to a relay which i connected between the permenant live and the switched live on the stereo

Why are you talking about taking live feeds from the cigarette lighter and the heated screen? Even if the wiring is mangled, the original live for the stereo is surely still there...

 

[andybnwc]

As above the live will be there but probably blown the fuse if its just been left there . Its much easier to get at the x75 under the bolster its marked there and a easy run to the unit . If in doubt take it to a specialist its not worth the risk guessing if you know what i mean.

 

[B5NUT]

I won't bet on that some of the bodges I've seen done over the years is appalling. They could have been in the fuse box and moved the stereo wire to a switched live connection.

 

[Audijarvis]

The harness on our car only had a permenant live.

I took a feed from the 75x terminal in central electrics, and ran it to a relay which i connected between the permenant live and the switched live on the stereo

Why are you talking about taking live feeds from the cigarette lighter and the heated screen? Even if the wiring is mangled, the original live for the stereo is surely still there...

It may be there but where do I start looking

I looked at every fuse in the fuse box and none where blown (it could be missing of course)

As you can see I'm not great with cars

Rebuilt several motorcycles from the ground up and can't even fit a ****** stereo Grrrrrrrrrrrrr

 

[andybnwc]

not the easiest fuse boxes to swap cables , first secure the cables safe then check all the fuses in the fuse box , use the fuse guide to identify the permanant live for the radio just in case they pulled the fuse once you have found the fuse and checked it return to the unit . The permenant live may be a slightly larger cable than the others , same size as the brown earth . Take a pic of the butchered cables and i can probably identify each cable for you if needed

 

[B5NUT]

The installer of the last stereo may have just move the wire in the fuse box, it's a simple job to do and only takes a couple of minutes. saves having to find/tap into a switch live feed.

 

[andybnwc]

but its not that easy in the boxes to pin out ,but could check i suppose easiest way would be to check the bigger red lead with a multimeter . Thing is if they pulled a switched from the rear of the car they would have had 2 switched feeds!
Multimeter all the way safety first.

 

[Audijarvis]

not the easiest fuse boxes to swap cables , first secure the cables safe then check all the fuses in the fuse box , use the fuse guide to identify the permanant live for the radio just in case they pulled the fuse once you have found the fuse and checked it return to the unit . The permenant live may be a slightly larger cable than the others , same size as the brown earth . Take a pic of the butchered cables and i can probably identify each cable for you if needed

Have the unit in front of me.
the cliped wires are red/blue (perm live i believe) Brown (earth)

I cant find audio fuse number on the cars fuse box diagram

 

[andybnwc]

thats right fatter red/blue is perm live , earth is fatter brown,
im sure theres a list here somewhere but in the mean time check every fuse theres not that many

 

[Audijarvis]

Thanks to all for coments

Will have it working on way or another

If I do have to pull a live from else where I'll stick an inline fuse in, just in case

Good night all

Jarvis

 

[aragorn]

So the problem is that the Perm live (red/blue) is dead?

Just looked at the wiring diagram, and its fuse "S237" (which is one of the miniblades) for a '98 car, you've not told us which year it is though, so it may be different...

There most likely wont be a switched live in the loom. The original Audi stereo doesnt have one. If you want to create one, then use terminal 75x under the relay panel, and feed it to a standard 4 pin relay, pin 86, ground pin 87, splice 30 into the red/blue, and 85 goes to the stereo switched live.

 

[jcb]

bit of a hijack but I am also looking to run a switched live for a boost controller/wideband and I followed a link on vortex to this:
http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=2672579

says the same 75x feed (whihc he describes as a switched power source) but doesn't mention a relay.
I know next to nothing about electrics. what does the relay do and where do you stick it? Only relays I know plug in.

cheers

 

[aragorn]

I used a relay because i'd no idea what supplies 75X and how much power can be sourced from it.

In my circuit, the 75x pin only has to supply the power to power the relay coil, ie a hundered milliamps or so, then the switched live is created by splicing into the radio power feed.

I attached my oil pressure guage to this switched feed too.

I could draw you a diagram if you wish?

 

[aragorn]

As you can see, the actual power to the radio is sourced entirely from the original radio wire, so protected by the original radio fuse etc. The wire from 75x to the relay should be protected by a small fuse, just incase it chafes thru etc

Also, please note, the pin numbers i mentioned above are wrong, the numbers on the relay diagram are the correct ones.

 

[jcb]

awesome!
so in this diagram the power is killed at the ignition?
do you need to have a spare relay fitting in th fuse box to use a relay, and are all relays the same or is there a specific power rating etc?

cheers

 

[aragorn]

Mines sat in a relay holder behind the stereo itself as it meant i only needed to route one cable from there back to the 75x terminal. Easier doing it that way, than ripping half the central electrics panel apart and fitting contacts etc to a relay holder!

If you'd like, i could post up a relay and holder for you, with some wire attached? I have a couple spares kicking around.

PM me your details and i'll drop it in the post tomorrow.

 

[Audijarvis]

As you can see, the actual power to the radio is sourced entirely from the original radio wire, so protected by the original radio fuse etc. The wire from 75x to the relay should be protected by a small fuse, just incase it chafes thru etc

Also, please note, the pin numbers i mentioned above are wrong, the numbers on the relay diagram are the correct ones.

I like the idea of using a relay
Did you polarise the circuit?

Have had radio working this morning although have earth issue now and the rear speakers don't seem to have any power running to them!!!!!!!

I've taken the power from the rear screen heater at the moment as it was already available and its switched (safe) and fused

Will try to find some origonal iso blocks in a breakers yard and fit the stereo properly when time (and the mrs) allows

The A4 is a 95 1.6, pretty basic but it does what it says on the tin (almost)