matt_king95

I getting ready to put in am amp and subwoofer system in my 98 trans am that has the monsoon system. what i was needing to find out is what the power wire color is on the connector that plugs into the back of the radio. also if someone could tell me what all the wires are back there that would be awesome. thanks

Matt King

VIP1

http://www.houston-f-body.org/tech/monsoon/index.htm

WhiteBird00

iTrader: (4)

That site is good but it's missing a couple of things:

C1 is the black 10-pin connector and the pins are number 1-10. C2 is the black 9-pin connector for the CD changer and the pins are numbered 7-15. C3 is the gray 10-pin connector and the pins are numbered 11-20. All are numbered from right to left when looking at the connector with the locking tabs on top and the wires coming out the back.

C1-6 (brown wire) parking light feed - it lets the radio know when the lights are on so that it can dim the display.
C1-8 (pink wire - Pontiac only) power antenna feed - can be used as a remote amp turn-on signal

C2-9 (bare) drain wire
C2-10 (dark green with white) right audio signal
C2-11 (brown with white) left audio signal
C2-12 (black with white) audio return
C2-13 (black) ground
C2-14 (dark green) system power control

C3-16 (dark green with white - Chevrolet only) vehicle speed signal for the speed controlled volume on the Camaro

VIP1

Thanks for the update. Contact them so that they can update it.

WhiteBird00

iTrader: (4)

Good idea. I just sent them an email with the additional information pasted into it.

howierd42

Thanks. I was pulling my hair out looking for this info. I have been installing a new head unit, changer, and amp in my 99 WS6 convertible and it is driving me crazy. It has taken 2 days and I still don't have it all in yet.

JLSain

iTrader: (3)

I have a 20 pinout connector on the back of my monsoon HU on My 2002 Camaro SS... I need to know what each wire on that 20 pin connector is for... All I can find is 16 Pinout connector diagrams...

Any help??

WhiteBird00

iTrader: (4)

That 20-pin connector is actually two 10-pin connectors clipped together and pushed into a single socket on the back of the radio. When you unplug it, you'll find it comes apart in two pieces (one black and one gray). That's what the information in the earlier posts is refering to. Not all 20 pins are actually used so many pinout lists don't bother showing all 20 positions - that's why you'll see 16 wire descriptions for a coupe or 17 for a convertible (which has an extra amplifier control wire). Also, the Camaro has a wire for the speed sensitive volume that the Firebird doesn't - but the Firebird has a power antenna wire that the Camaro doesn't.

Lubricant

is this information valid for a 2002 monsoon system?

WhiteBird00

iTrader: (4)

Yes, it's the same for all 98+ F-bodies (Monsoon and standard radios).

Lubricant

Can anyone explain the use of these please then, and what they would be used for?
C2-9 (bare) drain wire
C2-12 (black with white) audio return
Thanks...

WhiteBird00

iTrader: (4)

The drain wire is provided for shielding for the audio signals. It is connected at only one end (the radio end) and left unterminated at the other end to prevent ground loops.

The audio return wire is the common return (ground) for the two audio channels.

What are you trying to do? If you're planning to connect some external audio device to that cable, you're much better off buying one of the adapters designed for that purpose. The head unit "talks" to the changer through the system power control wire and won't accept any input on the audio channels unless it gets the correct "conversation" going. Adding something like an MP3 player would be a LOT more complicated than just putting a plug on the end of the audio wires and plugging it in.

Lubricant

Ok, i'll do this in order.
If that audio return is the common ground for the left and right input, then what is
C2-13 (black) ground
used for?

I can wire all this into the connection for pennies.. Why spend $40-60 on a adapter?
What kind of "talking" is done? Resistance? Why are these secrets so guarded??
It looks like its a very easy job, except for the "C2-14 (dark green) system power control" wire...
Any ideas on those 2 wires?
Thanks for the help thus far...

Lubricant

The stock cd changer sends a signal on c2 pin 14...
Its not a complex signal, and its nothing that cant be generated with some components..
PIE (who makes gm9-aux) does not have a copyright to this information since it's GM who makes this.. But I wonder how PIE found this out, and does anyone have a slight clue where I can get the information to do this myself..

When that wire is used, it tells the radio something is plugged in, but the radio has no idea..

WhiteBird00

iTrader: (4)

The black wire is chassis ground for the power circuit (as opposed to the audio circuit).

The dark green wire is used for communication between the head unit and the changer. I don't know how the signals are encoded - they could be resistance-based like they are between the steering wheel controls and the HU or they could be some sort of serial communication like what goes from the PCM to the data port.

In either case, it's not just a case of a simple "connected" or "not connected" signal. The HU sends commands for track forward, track back, random play, fast forward, rewind, change disc, and probably other things. The changer has to pass which disc and which track it is playing plus acknowledgements of HU commands.

Of course PIE doesn't have a monopoly on that information. However, they probably either bought or licensed the information from GM or else they reverse-engineered the connection to find out what signals were sent. In either case I doubt they will be anxious to share that knowledge with anyone. It is not even mentioned in the Camaro/Firebird service manual although it might be in the Delco radio service manuals.