My baby turned 300 at last (pic heavy)

[discostig]

I decided I'd finally get around to installing the mp3 deck from my EA (lol) into my trusty pov pack 11 second daily driver falcon. Reading a whole lot of the stereo threads I came across a post on AFF about using relays to switch the audio signals from the stock ICC to an aftermarket deck when the deck powers up. I thought it would be useful to have the inherently lower quality FM radio signal retain wheel button controls (as well as keyless listening while parked), and use mp3 deck for all CDs. If I had an Alpine deck apparently I could wire in the wheel controls but the mp3 deck in question is an old Kenwood so no go.

I spent an evening self educating on about relays and decided I needed Single Pole, Dual Throw (SPDT) style relays. My mp3 deck has a power signal to amp output line which I planned to use to activate the relays, moving the internal connector pole from the ICC circuits to the mp3 deck. Some suggestions from those more experienced in these matters reminded me that an electromagnet (relay) right next to the signal wires might induce noise but I decided to give it a go anyway. Off to Jaycar and the bloke there sorted me out with a slight improvement, 2x 4PDT relays - one relay to switch 4 wires at once. I figured possibly less noise too. Here's one of them above its easy connector block ( I note it is rated 5A when I told him my deck was 10A, maybe it would be OK due to DC being 12v not 30v as printed. I'm no sparky.).

I tested one out by connecting my mp3 deck very dodgy bros style (exposed wire ends right into power sockets unplugged from under ICC/ciggy lighter). It worked as expected, when the deck came out of standby, CLICK...the relay switched over. I wouldn't realise until getting behind the kick panels many hours later that I had another problem.

So after taking the ICC out (just as much of a pain to unplug underneath as I remember) I tried to find the speaker wires on the bottom plugs (heh) by colours noted in other threads but they weren't there. 45 mins of dicking around looking at all the wires I could while upside down (at midnight) and I was annoyed. Time to attack the bloody passenger door trim to eyeball the speaker wires in case my ex cop car had some rewiring done. I had to stop 3 times and re-read door trim removal instructions as I was sure I was going to break something...but no, the white push plugs are just FARKING HARD to remove (screws came out fine, in fact one was already gone, I suspect from the lovely instant windscreens people ages ago).

With the trim off I confirmed the front left speaker wires were indeed the factory items - orange with light green trace and orange with black trace. Grr.

Bit more reading while I confirmed I should use resistance setting to trace circuit connections with my new multimeter. As I poked all the plugs twice over I noticed the white plugs at the top which I totally forgot about. So yeah turns out the speaker plugs into the ICC are there. As you can see there's no way to get at the wires. Definitely no space for 2x 4PDT relays with mounting blocks.

I read some more (probably about 2am now) and decided to use the tried and tested kick panel locations. I thought it would be fairly straight forward to get into them. Bzzt. It took me a while to find a how to but finally I read that you have to start at head height B pillar panels. LOLWUT FORD. Very well. I was feeling fairly disgruntled by now so ripping barb plugs out of the car was no big deal. So off came the 2 B pillar trim items and all the scuff plate holders/seat base covers/side trim bits and finally the massive kick panel that runs the entire length of the farking cabin. With that done I could see the orange plugs with the right wires (YES), so I unplugged the looms and some more multimetering confirmed the speaker side is into cabin on the orange plugs. 3am now so time for sleep... but not before I realised I only had enough connectors on one 4PDT replay to do 2x speakers (14 points - 4 wires for the 2 speakers, 2 dedicated to activation circuit, and 4 per audio deck ). Problem being 3 of the speaker wires were accessible in passenger side, one in driver's side. If I wanted to use the relays I'd have to locate them on passenger side, run wire from signal of mp3 deck to passenger side, and more wires from driver's side speaker wires back to relays.

The offending orange loom carrying 3 speaker wire sets (FL, RL, RR) among other things.

Trim removal required to remove kick panels. WHY FORD, WHY!?!?!?!? You can see the kick panel leaning against the wall out the rear door.

Come the morning I was shat off about the relay situation and decided the risks (noise, relay failure later) and effort (wiring) were not worth the reward (steering wheel controls for FM radio and original crappy CD player). I was now going to wire mp3 deck directly to speakers like so many others. Boring but practical.

I started running my own wires:

I have to say cutting the wires off on the foot well was a little scary, but I now trusted the wire colour posts on the forums (as well as the Audio system circuit diagram PDF posted by Luke/Wiggum).

Exposing the ends was a royal PITA, I was actually working upside down at one point laying on the fully reclined passenger seat, scalpel in hand working on the tiny wires.

Got my soldering hat on and after a little while the wiring loom for my mp3 deck was connected to the speakers and power wires (same ones I used for my gauges ages ago, cig lighter for ground and acc, one wire from leftmost white bottom plug of ICC for constant). Only had to unsolder/resolder one set of wires to slip the forgotten heat shrink onto it , not bad

Hooked the deck up and reconnected negative battery terminal to test it out before going any further. Also I started the car and tried to hear the dreaded engine RPM electrical whine some get from the cig lighter ground wire...none for me, possibly due to not having an external amp, just the deck? No line levels to get noisy.

Great success..and the sound is noticeably better! Not great as I still have stock speakers but the factory items will do for now. I already have damaged hearing anyway so they can be a kind of ear fuse

With the new deck wiring done it was time to fit it in properly. I had started this whole ordeal last week by ordering this on flea bay. Most importantly I got one that was 100% DNA certified.

A little bit of RTFM and it was together. A minor issue is that I long since lost the side mounting screws from my MP3 deck - I used a cradle pop riveted to rails that jammed into the EA. Wasn't pretty but you couldn't tell! Anyway it doesn't slide much once in so I chucked it all together, reconnected the cig lighter ( I mean power source) and put the ICC back in.

It turned out that it was a bit of a tight fit to get the screw holes to line up, but I've watched a lot of episodes of MacGyver, so, ya know...

With it finally mounted I was done and it was time to eat. Big thanks to Jen for keeping me fed and watered during my horrible ordeal.

While I was messing around I came to an epiphany. The relays would have been cool and all, but why not take the ICC side of the snipped wires, extend them another foot and a half and leave it like that...I can then pick up some crappy speakers from Jaycar and mount them who gives a fark where under the dash. I can still have (front channel) stereo ICC audio playback that way, with zero chance of noise or relay failure/blowing up the expen$ive ICC. I can still have sound with no key in ignition, as well as use wheel controls. Ha ha! For now the wires will be covered and left hanging out of kick panels - not keen on taking those out again.

Final pic showing the 100% certified fascia mounting as well as the dodgy spare wires.

It's now almost 1am the day after I started (these updates take ages to write) , I have work tomorrow and the door trims/seat belt anchor bolts are still out, but I'm a happy camper! I have once again joined the early 2000's era mp3 playback enjoyed by prestigious cars (from factory) such as my gf's goddam '07 Yaris that cost half as much as my Falcon did.

Just need to replace the speakers now...and the suspension. And valve springs.........cars eh. <3

Edited 20/01/13 05:04 PM by -SteveR-

[Panda Eyes]

/\ this guy

knows how to write up n instructional thread.......

[Panda Eyes]

he steve, just going through this thread and reading the earlier posts.

just wanted to say that a couple of years on I hope you and your family are doing ok and coping through.

all the best.

[Ralph Wiggum]

nice write up steve, any plans to paint the car in the near future?

[tab]

Got him with an original one

Excellent pictorial as always Steve. But what exactly is the DNA certification process?

[discostig]

Luke you sonofa b¡tch, LOL. Thought I had skipped to old part of the thread!

Thanks Panda Eyes. The family are going well, time heals all wounds as I may have said before so the rawness is gone. Grandma still gets teary when we go through photos/stories of course (gave her a digital photo frame for xmas pre loaded with shots of dad and I). Every time I'm messing with the car like this I break open dad's red toolbox to get the job done too which is nice. Everything is engraved with his initials, hahaha.

Tab I think the 100% DNA certified label means it will fit to 90% of factory position then require excessive amounts of force to go the extra 9%. That leaves 1% to remind you that you bought a cheap ebay fascia kit. Think it was like $35.

Wait I found a picture of them certifying my fascia kit:

Works well though and the power source is retained which is good, I can still use my USB charging plugin to run phone when doing GPS or whatever. Winning!

Edited 21/01/13 12:17 AM by -SteveR-

[Panda Eyes]

your a funny bugger, I'll give you that...

[#96]

nice... its always very rewarding getting it done yourself (because lets face it, the job in itself is far from enjoyable!)

using the powersource (any one else thinking of the simpsons right now) for your acc, and constant is obviously such a small load that its not going to trip the fuse when you try and plug your phone/gps into it?

[Panda Eyes]

Edited 21/01/13 09:41 AM by Panda Eyes

[discostig]

LOL, excellent shopping ^^

Agree #96, glad I DIYed it. Had the time, saved the cash!

I am running the gauges off the same wires too, so if it trips I'll know I need a new source and a new fuse haha. I have an additional inline fuse wired into the stereo constant, and the stereo itself has a 10A fuse built into the back. Hopefully one of those goes instead of...actually I just realised I'd prefer the fuse panel or engine bay fuse box to go as those are piss easy to access. I'm so over taking out trim!

I put it all back together tonight and lost a goddamn screw for rear scuff plates down the side of the passenger seat by the belt buckle. I ended up taking the whole seat off and then the right slide rail out to look for it, took a couple hours. Shook the seat rail...bloody thing is GONE. I even stuck my telescopic magnet under the carpet trim where it bolts in but nothing. It's not in the slide rail so now I'm wondering if I hallucinated it all... @_@

Still short a screw though.