Power antenna issues
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Teching In
Joined: May 2024
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Power antenna issues Replacing my power antenna, purchased new old stock from eBay, wires are different colors from the old ones. I know on the car side orange is constant per, pink is radio on/off power and black is ground?
The new Antenna actually matches a wiring diagram, wire colors are gray on one side, green in the middle and white on the other side. I have tried several different combinations of where to put the wires, sometimes it will go up or down, but not consistent, any help would be greatly appreciated.
99 Trans Am
The new Antenna actually matches a wiring diagram, wire colors are gray on one side, green in the middle and white on the other side. I have tried several different combinations of where to put the wires, sometimes it will go up or down, but not consistent, any help would be greatly appreciated.
99 Trans Am
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,328
Likes: 346
From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
If the antenna was NOS and the right part for the vehicle (not just a GM power antenna from an unknown model) then it should just plug in and work... the wire colors won't matter. You have the correct purposes for the three factory wires - orange is constant (battery) power, pink is power to raise and maintain the antenna up (it's not just a momentary signal, the power has to be there to keep the antenna raised), and black is ground.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: May 2024
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Checked all the fuses, they are good, the part number was different. I did check with GM both #'s do fit f-bodys, but only the original part # shows up when checked by vin. According to seller they were AC Delco NOS, and he has sold many with no issues
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,328
Likes: 346
From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
Double check the RADIO ACCY fuse... that's the one which protects the power antenna. Never rely on a visual inspection of an old fuse - they can look fine but still be blown. Always use a fuse tester or multimeter, or replace with a known good fuse.
Other than that, I don't have a lot to offer other than trial and error. It's probably safe to assume that the ground wire does not go to the middle pin since that's the factory configuration. So, you can try connecting one outer pin to ground and both of the other pins to power (use jumpers connected directly to the battery or a bench power supply to eliminate any possibility of bad power or ground) - the antenna should extend and stay extended. If not, swap the two outer pins and see if that works. The only other possibility is the unlikely setup of the ground being the center pin.
If none of those combinations work then the antenna is faulty... it will be up to you to convince the vendor that you didn't break it.
If you find a working combination then you'll only have to determine which power needs to be constant and which is the signal. Simply remove one power wire and see if the antenna retracts. If it does then that's the signal wire, otherwise the other power wire is the signal.
Other than that, I don't have a lot to offer other than trial and error. It's probably safe to assume that the ground wire does not go to the middle pin since that's the factory configuration. So, you can try connecting one outer pin to ground and both of the other pins to power (use jumpers connected directly to the battery or a bench power supply to eliminate any possibility of bad power or ground) - the antenna should extend and stay extended. If not, swap the two outer pins and see if that works. The only other possibility is the unlikely setup of the ground being the center pin.
If none of those combinations work then the antenna is faulty... it will be up to you to convince the vendor that you didn't break it.
If you find a working combination then you'll only have to determine which power needs to be constant and which is the signal. Simply remove one power wire and see if the antenna retracts. If it does then that's the signal wire, otherwise the other power wire is the signal.
