Last year I installed a factory sub system. The system included everything. The install went flawlessly cable and parts wise. The problem is it either does not work or it just sounds horrible. As I remember, the connection from the factory radio to the original wire harness was pulled apart and then a small, new harness to the sub amp was installed between the two.

In order to by-pass the sub would I just pull the sub harness and reconnect the original connectors between the radio and the original wire harness leading out to the speakers?

[This message has been edited by sjmaye (edited 08-30-2008).]

Yep, exactly as you described. Take the sub harness out and reconnect to the radio. -Jason

Thanks, Jason.

The reason that it sounds bad if one of two:

First, the speaker is ruptured. If so, Rodney sells one that fits in place of it very well.

Second, The power wire to the unit is not good. Remove the power wire from the "power antenna" power wire source and connect it to the yellow "radio power" wire. This way the radio will not be providing the power to the amp, the radio fuse will. The only drawback to doing it this way is that the amp will still have power when the radio is off. I don't know about you, but I can not remember the last time I drove my car with the radoi off, so this is a non-issue.

Replacing the stock speaker with a Tang Band sub, plus an aftermarket amp sounds excellent

If you just want to unplug the sub, there is a two connector plug going just to the sub that is much easier to disconnect that the whole harness.

I would agree that the working sub won't blow the doors off, but it should sound decent.

I agree with Electrathon, you either have a bad speaker or a bad power wire.

The sub speaker is a new Rodney Dickman speaker. I doubt that is the problem. i could however be the power lead. All I know it that I think the stereo sounded better before I put it in.

quote Originally posted by jscott1: If you just want to unplug the sub, there is a two connector plug going just to the sub that is much easier to disconnect that the whole harness. I would agree that the working sub won't blow the doors off, but it should sound decent. I agree with Electrathon, you either have a bad speaker or a bad power wire.

From what I have heard my working sub does nothing and may even detract from the sound coming from the other speakers. The other speakers are just plain muddy sounding and I get about nothing from the sub except when the sldier is in full on position. Even with that the best I get sounds like a burp or something. Wish I could get it working, but got tired of fooling with it last year when i installed it.

I will give the power wire thing a try before giving up all together.

[This message has been edited by sjmaye (edited 08-31-2008).]

quote Originally posted by Electrathon: Remove the power wire from the "power antenna" power wire source and connect it to the yellow "radio power" wire. This way the radio will not be providing the power to the amp, the radio fuse will.

I am FINALLY getting around to this. Wouldn't it make more sense to connect the power antenna wire to the red switched 12v power? That way the sub amp only has power when the key is on?

quote Originally posted by sjmaye: From what I have heard my working sub does nothing and may even detract from the sound coming from the other speakers. The other speakers are just plain muddy sounding and I get about nothing from the sub except when the sldier is in full on position. Even with that the best I get sounds like a burp or something. Wish I could get it working, but got tired of fooling with it last year when i installed it. I will give the power wire thing a try before giving up all together.

The slider up top is a simple sliding potentiometer (variable resistor), but it takes a lot of heat from the roof, so it deteriorates easily. It should provide a gradually increasing volume to the sub, but if it doesn't, then it would provide the muddy burps you are describing. My first step would be to bypass that slider, running the sub wide open, and see if it still sounds horrible. But then again, I'm an electronics junkie, so you might not want to fool with it.

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Journal of a concept: http://southeastfieros.com

Well. I will try that. I just replaced the head unit. I bought the Scosche adapter and wired it in to the plug that came with the radio. The one exception is I ran the wire on the Scosche adapter leading to the power antenna to the yellow, switched 12V supply wire. I did this thinking it would supply enough power to the sub amp.

End result- Still got nothin'. I sense some vibration at the sub when playing music, but no real bass. Even with the slider at max. I sounds just like my other Fiero which has no sub at all. While playing music should I be able to read some voltage readings at the two wires leading to the sub speaker? I am so unsure of what I am doing I am looking for a really basic way to tell if the thing is working or not.

yes you could use the sub out and an new external sub amp. It will definately outperform the stock unit.
I htink Fierosound posted a link to a nice samll amp that will fit in the stock location. You'll have to search on that one tho, I don;t remember whtich thread it is in.
BTW, the stock amp has 2 power leads going in, 2 pink wires, both must have 12v in order for the amp to work. one is actually power, the other is a mute line.

quote Originally posted by tjm4fun: BTW, the stock amp has 2 power leads going in, 2 pink wires, both must have 12v in order for the amp to work. one is actually power, the other is a mute line.

I think I know where the FieroSound post is. As for the 2 wires. If I am using a totally original wiring harnes with the small harness that comes with the subwoofer and amp. I got the whole kit. I can trace the wires, but wouldn't the appropriate wires have been roued to thepower antenna on the OEM radio? I read this needs to be re-routed to +12V source capable of the needed amps. I took that wire and tied it in to the yellow +12V power wire,

quote Originally posted by sjmaye: I think I know where the FieroSound post is. As for the 2 wires. If I am using a totally original wiring harnes with the small harness that comes with the subwoofer and amp. I got the whole kit. I can trace the wires, but wouldn't the appropriate wires have been roued to thepower antenna on the OEM radio? I read this needs to be re-routed to +12V source capable of the needed amps. I took that wire and tied it in to the yellow +12V power wire,

The power antenna wire on aftermarket radios CANNOT run the sub amp. All you will get is that horrible burping sound. The OEM radio had two pink wires that rand the amp. Aftermarket radios cannot do this. You need to run a wire that is capable (say 5A minimum) to run the amp.

You need to find a wire that is (hot at all times) it should work, but your amp will be power all the time and kill your battery. Best to use a relay connected to the power antenna wire.

[This message has been edited by jscott1 (edited 11-22-2008).]

So are you saying the 12V switched yellow lead is incapable of driving the radio AND the amp?

This two pink wires thing is bugging me. At the factory plug as it would have connected to the radio I don't see the two pinks. I will go back to the amp itself and find these wires and try powering them directly.

[This message has been edited by sjmaye (edited 11-23-2008).]

The yellow switched +12V should work okay...just be sure something isn't being lost in the harness somewhere.

I'm guessing that the power in your setup isn't getting to the sub the way it's supposed to. If you can find those pink wires, apply the power directly to them. That should work.

[This message has been edited by jscott1 (edited 11-23-2008).]