Anyone running aftermarket amp with OEM head unit?

PeterMJ

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Looking for someone who has done it. I do not really want to ditch RB1 but would like to add more power. I hope someone has done it and there will be some responses unlike with my speaker thread. Mark Jorgensen was kind enough to let me have the wiring diagram so I get a bit of idea how the system is set up.
 

dester243

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When I bought my car it came like that. They cut into the factory amp wiring, put in RCA line converters and put an amp back there. Power wire was simple as the battery is right by the trunk. Then under the passenger seat they mounted the cross overs for the front speakers there.
 
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PeterMJ

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When I bought my car it came like that. They cut into the factory amp wiring, put in RCA line converters and put an amp back there. Power wire was simple as the battery is right by the trunk. Then under the passenger seat they mounted the cross overs for the front speakers there.
Factory amp has two plugs, input and output. Just trying to avoid hacking up the wiring in case it ever goes up to stock. I have seen amp bypass harnesses, unfortunately cannot find one that would fit this car, LOL.
 

MoparMap

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I think that would be your big challenge. One thing I've done in the past is cut off the stock connector and put in standard wire connectors like spades or bullet terminals on the new ends. That way you can tip the bare wires on the stock connector and hook it back up (kind of like a pigtail harness) if you want to go back to stock, though it makes for a pretty bulky setup. I did it in my dad's Stealth when we swapped the head unit. Has actually been pretty handy because we've had a few head units in the car over time. I just tip the new radio connector with spades/bullets and plug it into the wiring left in the car. I have a nice little 4 channel Alpine where the stock unit goes in my car now that I've been pretty happy with. It pushes the Kickers in the door pretty well and I bridged the rear channels to drive my little sub in the enclosure I made. I didn't have the rear speakers behind the headrests when I bought the car anyway, so I didn't need the extra channels.
 
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PeterMJ

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I think that would be your big challenge. One thing I've done in the past is cut off the stock connector and put in standard wire connectors like spades or bullet terminals on the new ends. That way you can tip the bare wires on the stock connector and hook it back up (kind of like a pigtail harness) if you want to go back to stock, though it makes for a pretty bulky setup. I did it in my dad's Stealth when we swapped the head unit. Has actually been pretty handy because we've had a few head units in the car over time. I just tip the new radio connector with spades/bullets and plug it into the wiring left in the car. I have a nice little 4 channel Alpine where the stock unit goes in my car now that I've been pretty happy with. It pushes the Kickers in the door pretty well and I bridged the rear channels to drive my little sub in the enclosure I made. I didn't have the rear speakers behind the headrests when I bought the car anyway, so I didn't need the extra channels.
I guess I will keep looking until something works. So far I have found the part with the fourteen pin connection, not sure about sixteen pin plug though. I cannot tell if on the OEM amp, all inputs are on one plug and outputs are on the other. The actual pinout of connections on the plugs instead of system diagram would be real nice but this does not seem to exist.
 

ACRucrazy

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C1 Connector Lt. Gray

Pin Circuit AWG Color Description

01 Z917 16 BK GROUND
02 X53_ 20 DG LEFT FRONT SPEAKER (+)
03 X51_ 20 DG/DB LEFT REAR SPEAKER (+)
04 X52_ 20 GY/DB RIGHT REAR SPEAKER (+)
05 X54_ 20 VT RIGHT FRONT SPEAKER (+)
06 X60_ 20 DG/RD POWER ANTENNA SIGNAL
07 A116 14 YL/RD FUSED B(+)
08 Z947 16 BK GROUND
09 X55_ 20 DG/BR LEFT FRONT SPEAKER (-)
10 X57_ 20 DG/OR LEFT REAR SPEAKER (-)
11 X58_ 20 DB/OR RIGHT REAR SPEAKER (-)
12 X56_ 20 GY/BR RIGHT FRONT SPEAKER (-)
13 - -
14 A116 14 YL/RD FUSED B(+)

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C2 Connector Green

Pin Circuit AWG Color Description

01 X298 18 GY/LG AMPLIFIED RIGHT I/P SPEAKER (-)
02 X208 18 GY/DG AMPLIFIED RIGHT I/P SPEAKER (+)
03 X390 18 DG/BR AMPLIFIED SUBWOOFER 1 (-)
04 X300 18 GY/BR AMPLIFIED SUBWOOFER 1 (+)
05 X303 18 DG/TN AMPLIFIED LEFT REAR SPEAKER (+)
06 X393 18 DG/GY AMPLIFIED LEFT REAR SPEAKER (-)
07 X394 18 YL/GY AMPLIFIED RIGHT REAR SPEAKER (-)
08 X304 18 DG/OR AMPLIFIED RIGHT REAR SPEAKER (+)
09 X299 18 GY AMPLIFIED LEFT I/P SPEAKER (-)
10 X209 18 GY/OR AMPLIFIED LEFT I/P SPEAKER (+)
11 X391 18 DG/WT AMPLIFIED SUBWOOFER 2 (-)
12 X301 18 GY/WT AMPLIFIED SUBWOOFER 2 (+)
13 X201 18 GY/VT AMPLIFIED LEFT DOOR SPEAKER (+)
14 X291 18 GY/YL AMPLIFIED LEFT DOOR SPEAKER (-)
15 X292 18 DG/YL AMPLIFIED RIGHT DOOR SPEAKER (-)
16 X202 18 DG/VT AMPLIFIED RIGHT DOOR SPEAKER (+)

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PeterMJ

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C1

Pin Circuit Description
1 Z917 16BK GROUND
2 X53 20DG LEFT FRONT SPEAKER (+)
3 X51 20DG/DB LEFT REAR SPEAKER (+)
4 X52 20GY/DB RIGHT REAR SPEAKER (+)
5 X54 20VT RIGHT FRONT SPEAKER (+)
6 X60 20DG/RD POWER ANTENNA SIGNAL
7 A116 14YL/RD FUSED B(+)
8 Z947 16BK GROUND
9 X55 20DG/BR LEFT FRONT SPEAKER (-)
10 X57 20DG/OR LEFT REAR SPEAKER (-)
11 X58 20DB/OR RIGHT REAR SPEAKER (-)
12 X56 20GY/BR RIGHT FRONT SPEAKER (-)
13 - -
14 A116 14YL/RD FUSED B(+)

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C2

Pin Circuit Description
1 X298 18GY/LG AMPLIFIED RIGHT I/P SPEAKER (-)
2 X208 18GY/DG AMPLIFIED RIGHT I/P SPEAKER (+)
3 X390 18DG/BR AMPLIFIED SUBWOOFER 1 (-)
4 X300 18GY/BR AMPLIFIED SUBWOOFER 1 (+)
5 X303 18DG/TN AMPLIFIED LEFT REAR SPEAKER (+)
6 X393 18DG/GY AMPLIFIED LEFT REAR SPEAKER (-)
7 X394 18YL/GY AMPLIFIED RIGHT REAR SPEAKER (-)
8 X304 18DG/OR AMPLIFIED RIGHT REAR SPEAKER (+)
9 X299 18GY AMPLIFIED LEFT I/P SPEAKER (-)
10 X209 18GY/OR AMPLIFIED LEFT I/P SPEAKER (+)
11 X391 18DG/WT AMPLIFIED SUBWOOFER 2 (-)
12 X301 18GY/WT AMPLIFIED SUBWOOFER 2 (+)
13 X201 18GY/VT AMPLIFIED LEFT DOOR SPEAKER (+)
14 X291 18GY/YL AMPLIFIED LEFT DOOR SPEAKER (-)
15 X292 18DG/YL AMPLIFIED RIGHT DOOR SPEAKER (-)
16 X202 18DG/VT AMPLIFIED RIGHT DOOR SPEAKER (+)

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Wait... 2 sub channels? there is only one pair going to the sub (black and black-green), are you sure this is for that amp?
 
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ACRucrazy

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Yes I'm sure those are the amp connectors. These are for the Gen IV. DVC Sub?

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PeterMJ

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Yes I'm sure those are the amp connectors. These are for the Gen IV. DVC Sub.

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Gen 4 does not have a DVC sub, I checked this part when I was building the enclosure. If you look at the last pic in that thread, you will see the single pair of wires going to the OEM plug. I think the previous generation, up to 2002 had a DVC sub (2X2 Ohm) though. I gotta look at the OEM sub wires again, maybe they are brown/green and I am just color blind? I gotta figure out how that dual battery pos and negative function too, not sure they were doubled, I guess to compensate for weak wire gauge?
 
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ACRucrazy

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Maybe the amp is mono out on the sub channel and it just used 2 sets of wires for the sub out
I had a 5ch installed in my '08, and I used a pick tool to unpin the OEM sub at the amp when I was using an aftermarket sub in the back. After I pulled the equipment out I just slid the subwoofer pins back into the C2 connector. I recall there being 4 sub wires at the amp.

Maybe those 4 terminate at that 4 pin connector and combine to 2 before the sub? I have never removed the OEM sub and my 09 has the ******** package so there is no amp or speakers.
 

ACRucrazy

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The information I have states 2008/2009 are the same.

Based on that I would assume it was DVC, but I have not pulled a factory sub. If I had an amp under the passenger seat of my '09 I would just slide it forward and unplug the C2 connector, are there wires in pins 3,4,11,&12?

I recall my 2008 had all 4 wires at the OEM amp when I installed an aftermarket headunit, speakrs, 5ch amp and sub in the hatch last year. I just peaked in my 2009 ******** and the plugs are not easily accessible, I am assuming they are taped up and I would have to pull the seat to find them.

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PeterMJ

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The information I have states 2008/2009 are the same.

Based on that I would assume it was DVC, but I have not pulled a factory sub. If I had an amp under the passenger seat of my '09 I would just slide it forward and unplug the C2 connector, are there wires in pins 3,4,11,&12?

I recall my 2008 had all 4 wires at the OEM amp when I installed an aftermarket headunit, speakrs, 5ch amp and sub in the hatch last year. I just peaked in my 2009 ******** and the plugs are not easily accessible, I am assuming they are taped up and I would have to pull the seat to find them.

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Yeah, I peaked too and it seems seat does not move far for me either. I will try to find some plugs first before pulling the seat out, I have an extra amp to help me with this part and avoid cutting the wires. I think Chrysler never bothered to revise the manual to account for SVC sub. I recall when I was swapping the sub boxes, there was no second set of wires going to the sub at all so I guess maybe it is just cut off somewhere by the amp.
 

ACRucrazy

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On my 08 I just slid the seat forward and unplugged the amp, I could see the pins and colors that way.
 

MoparMap

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I know my car was weird with the sub (2004). The pinout shows the 4 pins, but the plug at the sub only had 3 pins, but on top of that I think it only had two pins wired. Granted my whole system was a mess when I bought the car, so I have no idea what has been messed with when they rewired stuff. I think they left the sub alone for the most part and just extended the wires down from behind the headrests for the little fill speakers when they put the dual 6.5's in the sub enclosure.
 
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PeterMJ

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I know my car was weird with the sub (2004). The pinout shows the 4 pins, but the plug at the sub only had 3 pins, but on top of that I think it only had two pins wired. Granted my whole system was a mess when I bought the car, so I have no idea what has been messed with when they rewired stuff. I think they left the sub alone for the most part and just extended the wires down from behind the headrests for the little fill speakers when they put the dual 6.5's in the sub enclosure.
The plug on my sub has only two pins, both the one that I modified and the one that was already in the car. Talking about the connector that mounts to the enclosure using a couple push pins. Still trying to figure how many channels there are really on the OEM amplifier. I should run some test tones through it and figure out how the filters are set up.
 

MoparMap

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And I think you're on the spot with the dual power wires. Pretty sure it's just because it's small gauge wire, so they ran dual wires to supply enough without toasting them. Guessing they maybe couldn't find a connector that had provisions for a big enough gauge in a few locations but stayed small for the rest of them.
 
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PeterMJ

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And I think you're on the spot with the dual power wires. Pretty sure it's just because it's small gauge wire, so they ran dual wires to supply enough without toasting them. Guessing they maybe couldn't find a connector that had provisions for a big enough gauge in a few locations but stayed small for the rest of them.
Agreed. I just hope there is a fuse somewhere to shut off the power to the amp without disconnecting the battery.
 

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