Head Unit Help - Frankenstein's Monster...

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50ShadesOfRed
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Head Unit Help - Frankenstein's Monster...

Post by 50ShadesOfRed »

Oh lordy lordy.

So, my existing aftermarket head unit was:

1. Rubbish
2. Broken

So needed replacing.
I noticed that only 2 speakers (doors) were actually working also.
My car is a 1995 UK rev3, and has the 8 speaker system (2 subs behind seats).

So, off I went to buy a shiny new head unit, and merrily removed the old one...

To find this spaghetti 😳
IMG_20210815_190847.jpg
IMG_20210815_190836.jpg
IMG_20210815_190822.jpg
The car has a tiny amplifier behind the glovebox, with two RCA cables (copper in the picture) feeding into it.

The rear of the new unit looks like this (cable supplied doesn't fit AT ALL)
IMG_20210815_191142.jpg
IMG_20210815_191151.jpg
IMG_20210815_190916.jpg
So no nee soundsystem for me today, and this is likely way beyond my understanding... It looks like a case of hitting up MR2 Ben (again) for an adapter I'm guessing, but really don't know where to start 😑

Any help that can be offered for a man with no tunes?
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Re: Head Unit Help - Frankenstein's Monster...

Post by jeff »

what i did was buy one of these
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/303239467962 ... SwuB1gJqJr

then connect each wire to the above

cant find the wiring mr2 wiring diagram atm, but JImi sent it over for me
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Re: Head Unit Help - Frankenstein's Monster...

Post by 50ShadesOfRed »

Ok, thank you - definitely an option at present, hadn't thought of that!

It looks like the person who installed the previous head unit only hacked up one of the two MR2 sound system connectors though (they have two, right?) As there's a "spare" one just sitting there inside the dash currently (the smaller one of the two)

I would ideally like to put things back to "stock" wiring-wise and then use an ISO adapter to make the new head unit fit, so that I can retain the original wiring (that's left) and be able to install an OEM head unit in the future if I decide to put thi GS back to factory again....

.... but I lack the ability and technical knowledge to know how to do the above 🤣

(If thats even a workable idea?!)
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Re: Head Unit Help - Frankenstein's Monster...

Post by jeff »

50ShadesOfRed wrote: 15/08/21 20:31

I would ideally like to put things back to "stock" wiring-wise and then use an ISO adapter to make the new head unit fit, so that I can retain the original wiring (that's left) and be able to install an OEM head unit in the future if I decide to put thi GS back to factory again....

.... but I lack the ability and technical knowledge to know how to do the above 🤣

(If thats even a workable idea?!)
possible if you can get the correct adapter
but why bother, this way it will be suitable for all new head units, who would ever want to fit an original unit these days ? and if they do let them worry about it
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Re: Head Unit Help - Frankenstein's Monster...

Post by jimi »

Stock wiring & connectors are Toyota specific, most (if not all) modern headunits use ISO standard connectors, so you will always need an adapter to use an aftermarket head unit, If you go the route Jeff went you end up with ISO connectors that should suit any modern headunit and eliminates an adapter.
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Re: Head Unit Help - Frankenstein's Monster...

Post by 50ShadesOfRed »

Fair points both!

Ok - sounds like a plan then.
I will have a search and find the wiring diagrams once the part arrives!

How would this work with 8 speakers however? Or are they all on the same "circuit" for left/right? The Adapter says "4 speakers" in the listing

(Probably a stupid question, but I'm out of my depth here 😅)
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Re: Head Unit Help - Frankenstein's Monster...

Post by jimi »

Black is not a colour ! .... Its the absence of colour
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Re: Head Unit Help - Frankenstein's Monster...

Post by jeff »

50ShadesOfRed wrote: 15/08/21 22:35 Fair points both!

Ok - sounds like a plan then.
I will have a search and find the wiring diagrams once the part arrives!

How would this work with 8 speakers however? Or are they all on the same "circuit" for left/right? The Adapter says "4 speakers" in the listing

(Probably a stupid question, but I'm out of my depth here 😅)
8 speakers ? not familiar with the subwoofer layout on the 2 as mine is the standard 4 speaker setup

does the head unit have any provision for sub out ? if so that that might be able to output direct to the subs if you can ascertain the correct wires behind the dash cant quite make it out from the picture, but doesn't it say sw on the right hand connectors ?

i know my android head unit has this and a setting in the unit for controlling the subs
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Re: Head Unit Help - Frankenstein's Monster...

Post by 50ShadesOfRed »

There are 8 in total: 2 behind the wing mirrors, 2 in the doors, 2 at shoulder-level under the quarter windows and 2 in the storage boxes behind the seats.
They are all OEM by the look of it 🤔

The head unit (new one) has RCA outs for subwoofers and RCA outs for an amplifier by the look of it - quite hard to see what's gone on with the wiring however, as it's pretty butchered 😅
There looks to be a direct power cable going straight to the positive terminal of the battery (disconnected of course), but as the car has a TOAD alarm, im not quite sure if that's part of all the spaghetti too...


There's a toad alarm in there too, so unsure if that's part of it all,
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Re: Head Unit Help - Frankenstein's Monster...

Post by jeff »

dont see why the toad would have anything to do with the wiring, i have a toad and wiring isnt in that area

ok 8 speakers but 4 channels, left right front and back and sub

have you tried checking the existing wiring against the diagram ?
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Re: Head Unit Help - Frankenstein's Monster...

Post by benckj »

Never heard of duel subs in a Mr2. Most premium systems only have one behind passenger seat. May also find the amplifier there as well.
Can be a nightmare to wire up as per OEM and generally not a good idea due to external amp, small speaker wires and crap speakers. In my experience it’s best to install new speakers and cabling to suit.
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Re: Head Unit Help - Frankenstein's Monster...

Post by jeff »

benckj wrote: 16/08/21 11:20 Never heard of duel subs
41zir89FVzL._SX331_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg
i think you mean dual
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Re: Head Unit Help - Frankenstein's Monster...

Post by benckj »

My apologies, yes dual, unless you care to draw pistols at dawn.

Thank you for the correction.
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Re: Head Unit Help - Frankenstein's Monster...

Post by mr2-man »

Finally managed to get mine working with this adapter albeit it had to be butchered because someone had previously cut off the old 14 pin toyota plug: http://stephenmason.com/cars/mr2pc9406.html

if you still have the toyota plug this might be much easier. loads of information on the colours of the wires available across this and mr2oc.com

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