The Stupid Electronics Questions Thread

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Eveready

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Is there an easy and quick way to disconnect the rear speakers in a 88 RC? Has factory radio/casette still. Have a bad speaker in the rear that making an awful sound and doing full balance front helps, but is still slightly noticeable. Have some replacement Polk speakers but won't be able to do the swap for a little bit.

Also, any insight on how to properly remove the interior trim on a regular cab to do that swap? Hopefully with no/minimal damage.

Sorry I had not noticed this question before. You may have solved this by now. The answer to your question is "it depends" If you have the Silverado high trim option it is a pain in the butt to remove the trim to get at the speaker. You have to start down around the seat belt anchor and remove a load of screws to pull the strip out and then unbolt the speaker.

If you have one of the less expensive trim packages it is easier, just gently pry off the speaker cover R/R speaker and replace the cover. Since you ask the question you probably have the wide trim strip with the speaker cover built into it.

An elegant way to deal with it would be to find the proper speaker pair in the radio harness and clip the lead for that speaker. To do that you would need the color code for the various speaker lines. I personally would not do that unless I was swapping out the radio. Good luck ! Once you post which trim package you have (a picture would not hurt) @sewlow might be the one to ask about getting that trim loose.
 

df2x4

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Why not? I got a red top with no issues and a 3yr replacement guarantee from Oriellys. It also has the stock side posts as well as extra top posts. Haven't had a issue with it except it going completely dead from sitting for a year, but a quick trip to Oriellys for a test showed it was perfect just really dead. They recharged it for free and it worked like new.

I see alot of hate on Optima on forums but alot of guys I know run them in race applications as well as daily drivers without issues.

I've had the complete opposite experience. I went through two yellow tops in less than a year. One shorted, the other fractured the positive side terminal inside the case. Ever since they sold to Johnson Controls and moved production to Mexico the quality control seems to have dropped way off.

I used to run Optimas exclusively but after that last incident I can't recommend them in good conscience. I switched all my vehicles to Odysseys and have had no issues with them.
 

Blue Turd

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I've had the complete opposite experience. I went through two yellow tops in less than a year. One shorted, the other fractured the positive side terminal inside the case. Ever since they sold to Johnson Controls and moved production to Mexico the quality control seems to have dropped way off.

I used to run Optimas exclusively but after that last incident I can't recommend them in good conscience. I switched all my vehicles to Odysseys and have had no issues with them.

Yeah a couple years ago Optima was bought up by another company I think. The quality has since gone down the drain, and they are not what they used to be. They pretty much just milk the name now. Not worth the cash anymore IMHO.

Kinda of sad, I loved my Optimas back in the day. A superb product.

Also I have heard good stuff about the odyssey batteries, but have yet to need one in a vehicle to try. I usually run Interstates from Costco (crazy good price)
 

Night Bomber

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There is a set of fan speed resistors in your dash behind the glove box. Different resistance values in series with the motor make it go different speeds. I have had a couple resistors get hot and “burn open” making for an open circuit when I selected the burned open speed resistor. Not hard to find. A bit awkward to replace. If you remove your glove box you will see some wires going to a device protruding downward into the air ducting behind your glove box. That’s the resistor bank. Try to remove and replace.
 

nhyrum

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So, I have a 95 w/t. I'd like to add an aux input so I could hook up either my phone or Sirius radio. I've seen threads on here about adding one to the factory radio, but they require either a tape deck or CD player. I've got just the plain Jane am/fm deck. Or is there a way I could swap in like a NBS radio?

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Eveready

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So, I have a 95 w/t. I'd like to add an aux input so I could hook up either my phone or Sirius radio. I've seen threads on here about adding one to the factory radio, but they require either a tape deck or CD player. I've got just the plain Jane am/fm deck. Or is there a way I could swap in like a NBS radio?

All you need to do assuming that your factory radio is working well is add in the plug in wiring for the tape deck or CD player and then proceed as directed in the thread. The CD and Tape units are add ons so if you get the wiring harness from one you can use it to add the AUX input. Only problem I can see is that your old radio will probably crap out about time you finish the job. Swapping an NBS radio would be a whole different animal. Might be much easier to put an aftermarket radio in the center like so many do and replace the original witha delete box. If you have the original speakers prepare for an imminent failure as they do not last.
 
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nhyrum

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All you need to do assuming that your factory radio is working well is add in the plug in wiring for the tape deck or CD player and then proceed as directed in the thread. The CD and Tape units are add ons so if you get the wiring harness from one you can use it to add the AUX input. Only problem I can see is that your old radio will probably crap out about time you finish the job. Swapping an NBS radio would be a whole different animal. Might be much easier to put an aftermarket radio in the center like so many do and replace the original witha delete box. If you have the original speakers prepare for an imminent failure as they do not last.
So, I could basically just get a tape/cd unit from a junk yard, pull the harness and plug into that?

I'd prefer to stick with a stock looking radio. I just don't like how aftermarket head units look. Hell, even a CD unit from an obs would be fine. Would it fit?

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df2x4

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Hell, even a CD unit from an obs would be fine. Would it fit?

Definitely, the openings are all the same in the 95+ dashes. Also just throwing this out but there are people on eBay/Amazon who sell the stock CD players pre-modded with either an aux input cable jack, or bluetooth.
 

nhyrum

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Cool. I know my Taurus, I can't just throw in a CD unit cause the plugs are different or something
Definitely, the openings are all the same in the 95+ dashes. Also just throwing this out but there are people on eBay/Amazon who sell the stock CD players pre-modded with either an aux input cable jack, or bluetooth.

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Fimpen

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I have a 1990 c2500 350 TBI. I was wondering if there is some program you can buy that reads all the engines values. Like a OBD1 to USB cable that you can plug into a laptop and run a program that reads the vehicles computer in real time? Like you can do on newer OBD2 vehicles.

Found this one. Not sure if there is a better one out there? http://www.moates.net/aldu1-and-cabl1-p-127.html

Is it even worth buying a cable like this for a TBI engine? Can you get any good datalogs from the engines computer for troubleshooting and what not?
 
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