Previous owner butchered audio install (98 C1500)

[Mattj96]

I got an extended cab C1500 last month for a killer deal but the head unit was installed using the wrong DIN kit and the one working speaker only played the highs unless I plugged my phone charger into the cigarette lighter, so I wanted to get it working properly.

When I pulled the dash and head unit i saw they had chopped the factory harness and there's about 15 loose wires back there, only about 5 of them actually hooked into the radio. I followed the wiring color guides and guessed as well as I could, and managed to get the head unit working fine, but now I have absolutely no audio. How should I proceed?

I have all new speakers to install as well but wanted to get this handled before I start pulling door panels off. The wires are a little old and faded but I saw 2 yellow, brown, grey wires and don't know where to go from here.

 

[Eveready]

I got an extended cab C1500 last month for a killer deal but the head unit was installed using the wrong DIN kit and the one working speaker only played the highs unless I plugged my phone charger into the cigarette lighter, so I wanted to get it working properly.

When I pulled the dash and head unit i saw they had chopped the factory harness and there's about 15 loose wires back there, only about 5 of them actually hooked into the radio. I followed the wiring color guides and guessed as well as I could, and managed to get the head unit working fine, but now I have absolutely no audio. How should I proceed?

I have all new speakers to install as well but wanted to get this handled before I start pulling door panels off. The wires are a little old and faded but I saw 2 yellow, brown, grey wires and don't know where to go from here.

It may be that your stock speakers are completely crapped out. When I bought my '93 There was no sound at all from the radio and the stock unit had the usual "stuck on one setting and frozen clock" condition. Once I removed the factory unit my next test was to connect a 9 Volt battery across each speaker pair. Sure enough ... no click. The voice coil was open on all 4 factory speakers.

In your situation I would remove and replace all four before doing anything else. 3 x 5 speakers are cheap if all you want is to have a decent radio in the truck. You can of course spend as much as you like for a sound system, but if you just want a working radio the factory speakers are most likely dead so start there.

 

[Mattj96]

It may be that your stock speakers are completely crapped out. When I bought my '93 There was no sound at all from the radio and the stock unit had the usual "stuck on one setting and frozen clock" condition. Once I removed the factory unit my next test was to connect a 9 Volt battery across each speaker pair. Sure enough ... no click. The voice coil was open on all 4 factory speakers.

In your situation I would remove and replace all four before doing anything else. 3 x 5 speakers are cheap if all you want is to have a decent radio in the truck. You can of course spend as much as you like for a sound system, but if you just want a working radio the factory speakers are most likely dead so start there.

Good chance they are, but it also appeared that prev owner didn't even bother hooking up any speaker wires except front pass speaker, which did work before(sort of). The previous aftermarket head unit worked perfectly, as did my new one (turns on when key is turned, dims when I turn on headlights).

 

[east302]

Here are the wiring diagrams for a 1998 Tahoe, maybe it is similar enough to a truck that it will help sort it out.

Without power amplifier:

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With power amplifier:

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Remote tape/CD player:

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Connector C1

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C2:

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Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Eveready]

Good chance they are, but it also appeared that prev owner didn't even bother hooking up any speaker wires except front pass speaker, which did work before(sort of). The previous aftermarket head unit worked perfectly, as did my new one (turns on when key is turned, dims when I turn on headlights).

Sounds like a hack job from the start on the part of the PO. I would install working speakers and go from there. Good idea to solder your connections and use heat shrink tubing over the connections. Take time and do it right.

Edit .... East302's post above contains the color codes for each speaker pair. That will enable you to test each set and make any needed fixes. Also you can attach those wires to a harness adapter which will greatly simplify your installation. good luck !

 

[Mattj96]

Sounds like a hack job from the start on the part of the PO. I would install working speakers and go from there. Good idea to solder your connections and use heat shrink tubing over the connections. Take time and do it right.

Edit .... East302's post above contains the color codes for each speaker pair. That will enable you to test each set and make any needed fixes. Also you can attach those wires to a harness adapter which will greatly simplify your installation. good luck !

All the harnesses were chopped, but since I know the wiring for head unit itself is fine I just went ahead and ran new and thicker wires to the front. Will do the rears another day, it was a bit of an ordeal.

 

[Mattj96]

Here are the wiring diagrams for a 1998 Tahoe, maybe it is similar enough to a truck that it will help sort it out.

Without power amplifier:

You must be registered for see images attach

With power amplifier:

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

Remote tape/CD player:

You must be registered for see images attach

Connector C1

You must be registered for see images

C2:

You must be registered for see images attach

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks! This may be very helpful.

 

[whiteboyslo]

Ugh. I hate when folks hack stuff up! If I were you, I'd buy a new stock harness and install it, then go from there. It'll just make it that much easier the next time. The same companies that sell adapter harnesses typically sell the stoxk replacement for exactly this reason.

Mike

 

[Mattj96]

Ugh. I hate when folks hack stuff up! If I were you, I'd buy a new stock harness and install it, then go from there. It'll just make it that much easier the next time. The same companies that sell adapter harnesses typically sell the stoxk replacement for exactly this reason.

Mike

You're probably right, but I went ahead and ran new wire for the door speakers and that seems to have worked out. Awful lot of clips and panels and whatnot to remove, no wonder these things seem to be higher build quality than ford. I wish i had taken a pic of the old harness job, it was a horror show.