Want to install aftermarket stereo myself

[mostwired]

I am not proficient in the area of auto audio. So any pointers will be appreciated. I have a '96 E36 right now with a Kenwood CD player. I never took it out ('cause I don't know how - any screws holding it there?).

I have bought a Clarion headunit, and want to install it myself. There is a wiring harness with all wires cut (no connectors). I only have a hand-drawn diagram of where each color wire is going to. Now - I have a 6-speaker Hardon system (Harman Kardon abbreviated ) but only 4 wires in the harness for front-rear left-right speakers. How should I wire it? E36 has a factory AMP, and there's one wire labeled "Amp turn-on". I assume these are a match then?

Any other issues I should be worried about? BTW, the model is Clarion AutoPC 310C.

Thanks

P.S.: I found a 20$ BMW Receiver wiring harness on Crutchfield - is it worth buying? (the headunit's wires are already cut anyway...)

[jllphan]

IF you have a Clarion AutoPC and your skills, I would go and have it professionally installed.

If you want to teach yourself, here is the manual and yes if the harness look like the picture below, go right ahead.. :wink
{CLICK HERE}

[jllphan]

Oh, and here is a wiring schematic for the car...

[wowzor]

I personally think its easier to just cut the wires and solder them all together, you can find the wire diagrams anywhere on the internet or just start unplugging stuff like I did. Trust me, once ur start you find its easy.

[007ben]

but using a harnes makes change out back to factory and removal of deck if nessary a bit easier.

[wowzor]

Take anything skinney (like a butter knife) (with the faceplate removed if possable) and slide it into the left and right sides of the cd player. that should release the Headunit from the Mounting bracket. And since you already have an aftermarket unit in there it should be HELLA EASY. The wires should be standard across all aftermarket units so as long as you disconnect 1 at a time and hook it back up 1 at a time you shouldnbt be able to screw it up. And on top of that the Mounting bracket, the silver thing around the outside of your new unit should be the same as the one already in ur car, you can just take that off, or better yet practice taking it off with a knife from the font. After you reconnect the wires, slide it back in and it should lock in there. Reading this probably wont help you much but once you get started ull see what im talking about. Good luck

[wowzor]

and if you have a kenwood unit in there right now, my guess is the headunit had the amp in there so whoever installed it had to take out the amp thats in the car (thats what i had to do-and its a PAIN ill tell you). If your new one doesnt have MOFSET or whatever that means youll have to reinstall the stock amp or connect your own. I can tell you its a huge pain because my amp was behind my rear seat, and its just a 1st class pain taking the seat off and getting to it. Oh and never, under any circumstances, go to best buy. They know nothing about car audio. Thats where i started 2 years ago and tey are clueless. Best quote ever by best buy, "OH theres no amp in that car "

If you must go there just go straight to the instillation center, but i went there and they tell me the bull about they have to charge to give information. so save urself a pain

[wowzor]

and people say you put the brain or whatever under the dash but I think there should be plenty of space behind the centerconsole, i dropped a maglite down in there and it seemed to fit so there should be enough space, and less you have to take apart

[jllphan]

Originally posted by wowzor@May 6 2004, 02:57 PM
I personally think its easier to just cut the wires and solder them all together, you can find the wire diagrams anywhere on the internet or just start unplugging stuff like I did.* Trust me, once ur start you find its easy.

Are you kidding me....

He has a Clarion Auto PC, this is not a standard deck. It has a seperate brain and GPS unit. Yes the main deck is DIN sized but installation is significantly more involved than a stabdard deck, and in an e36 there is no way you can fit the GPS unit behind the deck in the DIN slot. It is pretty cramped in there, if the DIN cable between the head unit and the control module is long enough i would try underneath the passenger seat.

Like i said if you have little experience with such, this is not a good beginner project, have it pro-installed or buy a regular deck and I will help you...

BTW, MOSFET is a type of amplifier that utilizes a torroidial power supply.

[mostwired]

Thanks for your input, y'all!

I've done the installation on Saturday, spent 5 hours total. Everything works just fine - audio, computer and navigation. Saved myself 200$ off a quoted installation. Routing of wires was hard - practically no space at all behind instrument cluster and glovebox. Had to take temperature controls and computer out. I have mounted both the main unit and the GPS unit under glovebox - it's tight quarters there, next to the alarm system. The BMW connector I bought from Crutchfield, and their tech support is great. This Clarion AutoPC has a built-in amp, so together with the factory amp it produces awesome sound.

Has anyone actually found some useful software for these AutoPCs? Since they stopped production in 2000, the number of related sites has declines almost to 0.

[spiff325is]

my dad and I installed the Head Unit for my car, and it was the biggest bitch ever...

Id rather get it professionally installed.