Adding AUX to 88-94 Stock Stereo

[Triplel40]

Lance, thank you so much for posting this. Here in 2021 I’ve decided to do a Bluetooth adapter instead of an aux jack. The adapter has two RCA’s plus a 12v+ and a 12v-.

On the power side will I just tie the 12v+ to tape in/load side of the switch and put my 12V- to the H-Grd side of the connector?

I’m doing this in my 94 C70 Kodiak with no tape deck but all this appears to be the same.

I do believe that should work. I’d check for ground with it plugged in just to make sure. Glad this thread is still helping people! I have a JL Audio MBT-RX Bluetooth adapter sitting in my garage that I’m planning to wire up in my ‘88 that way too.


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[DerekTheGreat]

Wife wants me to do it to her truck but I'm lazy.

 

[Triplel40]

Lance, thank you so much for posting this. Here in 2021 I’ve decided to do a Bluetooth adapter instead of an aux jack. The adapter has two RCA’s plus a 12v+ and a 12v-.

On the power side will I just tie the 12v+ to tape in/load side of the switch and put my 12V- to the H-Grd side of the connector?

I’m doing this in my 94 C70 Kodiak with no tape deck but all this appears to be the same.

I just finished installing the JL Bluetooth module in my ‘88. One thing I found is the orange wire that sends power to the switch is actually full time power, so anytime the key is off but your aux switch is on, it sends power back to the radio. No big deal since it’s just a reference for the radio, but after adding the Bluetooth to the on-side of the switch, that meant that the BT module was powered up anytime the key was off but switch was on.

I leave my aux switch on 90% of the time, so I decided it would be more convenient to have the BT shut off with the key, that way my phone disconnects when I shut the truck off and connects when I turn it on.

I ended up de-pinning the orange wire from its original plug and extending it to the IGN port on the fuse box instead, so now the aux switch is getting power from that port instead of the stereo.

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[LTC_]

I just finished installing the JL Bluetooth module in my ‘88. One thing I found is the orange wire that sends power to the switch is actually full time power, so anytime the key is off but your aux switch is on, it sends power back to the radio. No big deal since it’s just a reference for the radio, but after adding the Bluetooth to the on-side of the switch, that meant that the BT module was powered up anytime the key was off but switch was on.

I leave my aux switch on 90% of the time, so I decided it would be more convenient to have the BT shut off with the key, that way my phone disconnects when I shut the truck off and connects when I turn it on.

I ended up de-pinning the orange wire from its original plug and extending it to the IGN port on the fuse box instead, so now the aux switch is getting power from that port instead of the stereo.

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I just ordered a couple of cheapo Bluetooth modules to play around with. I'll post my results if I get one of the working. I still need to get a fully functional CDM for the truck though.

 

[1C9A8A0]

I just finished installing the JL Bluetooth module in my ‘88. One thing I found is the orange wire that sends power to the switch is actually full time power, so anytime the key is off but your aux switch is on, it sends power back to the radio. No big deal since it’s just a reference for the radio, but after adding the Bluetooth to the on-side of the switch, that meant that the BT module was powered up anytime the key was off but switch was on.

I leave my aux switch on 90% of the time, so I decided it would be more convenient to have the BT shut off with the key, that way my phone disconnects when I shut the truck off and connects when I turn it on.

I ended up de-pinning the orange wire from its original plug and extending it to the IGN port on the fuse box instead, so now the aux switch is getting power from that port instead of the stereo.

You must be registered for see images attach

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Awesome! I actually put mine in yesterday 02/20/2021 and everything works great thanks to you!

I will add a little of my personal insight to what I did and hopefully it helps as well.

I'll start by adding your diagram with the added bluetooth adapter.

I used the Millennia MIL-BTREC and bought it from Crutchfield.

But I also see your JL MBT-RX there as well, both will work just fine.

**Please note** Most of these 12v add on bluetooth receivers I see "do not" have the hands-free cell phone talk options on them.

This was a bummer because I really wanted that feature as well but guess these inexpensive units do not have that feature on them yet.

If anyone is reading this in the future, please let me know if they ever use/find one that does have the additional hands-free option added.

I will probably take mine back out and put that unit in instead.

You must be registered for see images attach

What I did with my set up is I added a single throw 12v switch that has a light in it so I could pick up a ground there, plus it will illuminate when on.

My switch has three contacts/poles on it. 12v+ Line in-----12v+ Load/Line out-----12v- Ground

Battery - Orange goes to the Line side of the Switch making it hot all the time.

Tape-On - I wired in the 12v + of the bluetooth adapter/Dk Blue to the Load side of the switch. - This allows me to turn the bluetooth on or off when I want.

H-GRD - goes to Black/12v - side of the bluetooth adapter. If you have a switch with a ground like I did(because I have a light), it will also tie into the switch there.


On the audio side of things I used female solder-on connectors to plug my RCA's into to make it a lot cleaner look to me.

I had found that the Ground inside the Bluetooth adapter was already bonded together internally so I didn't have to solder a jumper from the female RCA ground jack to the other ground-side jack.


My truck did not come with a tape deck so I had to get creative here as well.

I found that in 95'-98' the Cd decks had the same 9 pin connector with an actual removable wiring harnesses and with this I was able to pick one of these up off of eBay really cheap ($12.99).

The Tape decks for these years are still the same 9 pin black connector.

This is a blessing because you will now own two connector plugs - Have one for spare for the next truck!

Instead of buying a whole tape deck just to rob the harness off of, the connectors are the same as the connector used in 88'-94'

I no longer have any junk yards in my area and old tape decks just to rob a harness off will now cost $50 to $200 bucks.

**Disclaimer** The colors in the wiring harness from 95'-98' are different but you will have to just transpose the colors over like I did.

Sorry these are written on the cardboard box that my bluetooth receiver came in.

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Here is the final product

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You must be registered for see images attach

The other switches are for future items - Backup Camera and Led-Strip lights for the Bed at night.

I used a blue light for Bluetooth but do not recommend.

Blue is too piercing at night and too bright, It will shine in your face.

You must be registered for see images attach

But other than not having hands-free calling...**yet**!

This absolutely works phenomenally and Lance...I bow to you sir!

You are a gentleman and a scholar and their are only a few of us left.

 

[DerekTheGreat]

'95 to '98 trucks with tape decks had removable harnesses for the deck? I'm cornfuzzled, pics? These also play nice with the '94 and under stuff?

 

[Nad_Yvalhosert]

'95 to '98 trucks with tape decks had removable harnesses for the deck? I'm cornfuzzled, pics? These also play nice with the '94 and under stuff?

I'm sure he meant the...

"'95 to '98 trucks with tape decks had removable harnesses for the"

separate single CD

Unless there was an AM/FM headunit with a separate tape deck that I've never seen...

 

[AK49BWL]

The factory CD/AM/FM players had external cassette decks, but most of those were in the 2000-02 S-Series trucks. I had a set like that in my Sierra for the longest time.

 

[David Enriquez]

Awesome! I actually put mine in yesterday 02/20/2021 and everything works great thanks to you!

I will add a little of my personal insight to what I did and hopefully it helps as well.

I'll start by adding your diagram with the added bluetooth adapter.

I used the Millennia MIL-BTREC and bought it from Crutchfield.

But I also see your JL MBT-RX there as well, both will work just fine.

**Please note** Most of these 12v add on bluetooth receivers I see "do not" have the hands-free cell phone talk options on them.

This was a bummer because I really wanted that feature as well but guess these inexpensive units do not have that feature on them yet.

If anyone is reading this in the future, please let me know if they ever use/find one that does have the additional hands-free option added.

I will probably take mine back out and put that unit in instead.

You must be registered for see images attach

What I did with my set up is I added a single throw 12v switch that has a light in it so I could pick up a ground there, plus it will illuminate when on.

My switch has three contacts/poles on it. 12v+ Line in-----12v+ Load/Line out-----12v- Ground

Battery - Orange goes to the Line side of the Switch making it hot all the time.

Tape-On - I wired in the 12v + of the bluetooth adapter/Dk Blue to the Load side of the switch. - This allows me to turn the bluetooth on or off when I want.

H-GRD - goes to Black/12v - side of the bluetooth adapter. If you have a switch with a ground like I did(because I have a light), it will also tie into the switch there.


On the audio side of things I used female solder-on connectors to plug my RCA's into to make it a lot cleaner look to me.

I had found that the Ground inside the Bluetooth adapter was already bonded together internally so I didn't have to solder a jumper from the female RCA ground jack to the other ground-side jack.


My truck did not come with a tape deck so I had to get creative here as well.

I found that in 95'-98' the Cd decks had the same 9 pin connector with an actual removable wiring harnesses and with this I was able to pick one of these up off of eBay really cheap ($12.99).

The Tape decks for these years are still the same 9 pin black connector.

This is a blessing because you will now own two connector plugs - Have one for spare for the next truck!

Instead of buying a whole tape deck just to rob the harness off of, the connectors are the same as the connector used in 88'-94'

I no longer have any junk yards in my area and old tape decks just to rob a harness off will now cost $50 to $200 bucks.

**Disclaimer** The colors in the wiring harness from 95'-98' are different but you will have to just transpose the colors over like I did.

Sorry these are written on the cardboard box that my bluetooth receiver came in.

You must be registered for see images attach

Here is the final product

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

The other switches are for future items - Backup Camera and Led-Strip lights for the Bed at night.

I used a blue light for Bluetooth but do not recommend.

Blue is too piercing at night and too bright, It will shine in your face.

You must be registered for see images attach

But other than not having hands-free calling...**yet**!

This absolutely works phenomenally and Lance...I bow to you sir!

You are a gentleman and a scholar and their are only a few of us left.

Thanks for the great info planning on doing this mod on my 94 Z71.

Do you know if your mod kill the ilumination on the EQ/cassette player? Want to have it illuminated even though I'm not using it. Well the cassette lights at least I do want to use the eq.

 

[AK49BWL]

Shouldn't change anything in the illumination circuitry so they should still light up fine.