Is there something wrong with the pictures and links posted throughout this thread?

 

no i found it now. there are just so many pages this sticky needs an index lol

 

Found this forum and this thread randomly and just registered to say thanks! Successful install on a 2005 Explorer Sport Trac. Here's some pics - looking at the ones one here helped me out so I figured I'd share.

My probe

The ribbon cable (from the cd player) connected to the main board. It doesn't look like a ribbon cable because I spliced wires to lengthen it - helped with the probing process.

Another view - top of photo is front of head unit.

Me testing it and a view of where the jack is going.

It took me 2 goes with the wiring. I was probing with the paper clip and was getting audio off of what I thought was a soldering pad on one side of the connector but was actually part of one of the pins on the other side. So, word of caution - make absolute sure of where the audio is actually coming/going.... Anyway, thanks again!

 

y couldnt you just splice into the external wiring goin to the cd player?

 

Because the head unit won't accept audio from a device that isn't there. There is a similar modification to this one that uses the external CD changer wiring but it requires that a factory CD changer be connected and working. Adapters like the GM9-AUX include circuitry to simulate the changer and make the head unit think one is connected.

This modification connects to the wiring for the built-in single CD player and still requires that a CD be in the slot when in use. The HU won't let you switch to CD audio unless there is a CD in the drive.

 

Just finished mine. Don't have an MP3 player to test currently, so I ordered a Sansa Clip and retractable male/male cord. Pretty sure that it works though, as I tried the CD player and it still works.

Question, does it matter if a song is playing from the CD or not? Can I just put a CD in, pause it, and then use my MP3 player?

 

Help, did I screw something up? I went ahead and did everything according to the write up but went with what I believed to be the right ones for my 00 Camaro. Now it won't even allow a tape to be pulled in and spun to get the amp going. Did I choose poorly?

 

Did I just spilce the wrong ends of the plug? I think I needed to do the other side (closest to the face).

 

Does anyone have pics of the changer cable mod?

 

Finally received my cord and mounted the plug today.

 

Let me see if I get this straight...I've got a 99 T/A and am considering doing this to my Monsoon CD HU....you 'divide' the wires, you don't add TO them,correct? IOW, I was considering just using a splice type clip on connector to the wires already there,not actually cutting or dividing in two. DO you cut the wire in two and then splice this in BETWEEN? Or can I use the splice in connector to do this? This is the splice connector I'm talking about just adding TO the wires with

http://www.howtosplicewire.com/images/img07.jpg

 

No, you can't just splice into the existing wires. The reason for cutting the wires is to separate the original CD player (or tape player) signal from the added auxiliary input signal. The jack does this switching by disconnecting the original signal when the plug from an auxiliary device is plugged into the jack you add.

Although we've all used them at one time or another, those splice connectors (commonly called ScotchLocks) are not a good choice for any wiring. They don't provide a solid and reliable connection. Sometimes they will work for years and then lose connection causing real headaches trying to track down the problem. Especially avoid using them anywhere that moisture might be a problem (under the hood) or where movement of the wires occurs (e.g. in the doors).

 

Did this to my '00 radio and it worked great, until the cd player stopped working. I may pick up a '99 radio and was wondering if its the same thing?

 

Man, I bent my connector pins all to hell trying to get this thing apart! How the heck do you get this stereo apart?!? I've got a 99 T/A with CD and five band EQ. Took the top off,there's a circuit board. The bottom is connected to the entire chassis of the stereo,so I have to go through the circuit board. Trying to get the circuit board out of the way, prying it up and out and it bent a few of the connectors to the front of the stereo. Right now it's half in half out and I'm afraid I screwed the thing up looking at those bent connectors. The circuit board is in there so tight though I have no idea what to do now. I can't seem to get it up and out. It's jammed in pretty tight. I don't see ANY way to get this fricking thing out! But I can't do this without getting that out of there. I may end up having to put a stereo in before I wanted to which would TOTALLY suck and my wife would have a fit!

 

Did finally get the freaking board out. Had to pry some little metal ears back on the rear panel and use a large screwdriver to pry the sucker open,then the circuit board popped out. Putting it back together will be fun. Prob won't bother with those ears. Tape it if I have to lol. Anyway, the pics for the same radio on this site are not good to actually see what to splice into. TRW I believe has the same type but his pics are major fuzzy. So I'm gonna wing it....if it gets screwed up,so be it. Too far into it now to go back...

 

Just got done with it and it WORKS,woot! The back was a bit out of wack from bending it out to get the circuit board out so it was a challenge to get it back together. Had to push and "coerce" it in a bit but it's working great! Soldered it,put heat shrink tubing over it,everythings nice and tight. I wanna thank those who have first thought this up and then carried on throughout this thread to help those coming after. It was a job but it's done and working! Thanks again!!!!

 

yes you did splice into the wrong end.... its the 1st and 3rd wire in on the other end...

 

Ok well I went ahead and tackled this adventure and also found the perfect location to install this jack to that it is in the face of the headunit. I used 22ga wire from radio shack thats a solid copper wire. it comes with 4 wires that are green, white, black, and red. I stripped the green out and used 2 pieces of it as the audio cut portion of the plug to the CD player module.





Unfortunetly I couldnt get the jacks collar that screwed on that holds it in place installed but in this location the circuit board holds the jack in place when its screwed down.




Right above where it says "Compact Disc" is a blank spot that is perfect and does not interfere with anything or destroying the circuit board with holes being punched in it...



And heres the final product, suprisingly everything works lol and im very happy with the outcome. Now if I can only find a wire comming of the back of the CD player thats a keyed IGN so I can replace the one to the fuse block then I would be perfectly content with not getting a aftermarket CD player.

 

lol and you can see LS1tech pulled up following the write up, advertising benifits perhaps?

 

Great writeup, I think I'm about to do this.This is great stuff.