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Can someone help me identify the correct power wire for the radio? According to the diagram in the CSM it should be yellow, but I cannot find a yellow wire going to the stereo that would be providing power. It looks like someone used the red wire from the electronic kickdown connector to provide power, but I'd like to find the correct one if I can. Here are some photos of the current situation.
The red kickdown cable was connected to the red wire from the stereo harness. The yellow wire that can be seen in the picture of the stereo harness appears to go to a speaker. Unsure if the radio is factory or not.
Last edited by ProfVanNostrand; Mar 24, 2023 at 03:31 PM.
That certainly does not look like a factory 1969 Cutlass radio.
AM / FM cassette radios didn’t become widely available until around the 1970s. And an integrated graphic equalizer? More like 1980s technology.
I agree w/ Kenneth - not an Oldsmobile radio/cassette unit. Additionally, I HIGHLY suspect that radio came w/ the RED wire w/ the in-line fuse contained in the wire - as pictured in your image. Therefore, suspect that RED wire is NON-factory and is spliced into the factory wiring "somewhere". SUGGESTION: Completely remove the entire radio/cassette unit including all of the wiring connected to the radio/cassette unit. Then, at this point, employ the 1969 Oldsmobile CSM wiring diagram to "properly" hookup the stock OEM wiring matching that wiring to the 1969 wiring/schematic diagram. Please, employ proper slices and correctly sized wires (as depicted in the OEM wiring diagram) with heat shrink protective insulation. At this point you can satisfy yourself the wiring is OEM standard wiring. Then, hookup (wire-in) the radio/cassette unit. This will save you tons of guessing and end any mal-aligned wiring dilemmas.
Let's evaluate this w/ some degree of logic.
You have an aftermarket radio/cassette player someone installed - you very likely don't have the wiring diagram for that model unit but it most likely can be found on-line searching for the model number;
Regarding the image (below):
A = the plug emanating from the back of the radio/cassette unit. It came w/ the radio cassette unit;
B = the plug associated w/ the wiring harness which most likely also came with the aftermarket radio/cassette unit;
C = the most likely candidates (are): (a) aftermarket speaker wires to aftermarket speakers located (or removed) from the vehicle (they're either there or they're not [currently]); and/or one or more of those wires may or may not be associated with an aftermarket power amplifier/booster, bass boom box or whatever. Since they all appear to run under the carpet - I suspect ancillary devices such as speakers, amplifier(s), etc.
As previously suggested, get the original OEM wiring established as per the CSM wiring diagram. Remove the wiring, label the wiring, remove the radio/cassette and get to BASE CAMP NUMBER ONE (original CSM wiring) - THEN, hookup the radio/cassette properly. Currently, it's almost impossible to ascertain what goes where because it looks like a crow's nest.
NOTE: I'll point out what may or may not be obvious. Assuming (with near 99.9% confidence) that RED wire with the in-line fuse is attached to PLUG B (part of the aftermarket radio/cassette wiring harness), you can/will/need to make a decision on how you want to wire that RED wire w/ the in-line fuse: (A) direct to the fuse box in an open space e.g. BATT or otherwise. This means the radio can be turned ON and will remain ON even without the IGN SW in the ON or ACC position; (B) Switched position, as in the radio only turns ON when the IGN SW is in the ON position or (C) the radio/cassette is ON when the IGN SW is either in the ACC or ON position. So, again, get to base camp number one, hookup the OEM wiring to match the CSM wiring diagram and then wire-up the aftermarket radio/cassette player and speakers.
Sorry not sorry to step in. Those kind of Junk radios and junk installs were way too common. Hack job anyone?
Yes the factory wire color is yellow. No you don't need to go all the way to the brake pedal. There is absolutely a factory yellow wire behind that deck aka radio. Guarantee you. Probably in a factory plug with a grey (reostat / dash lights) and possibly a black wire which is the ground. That looks like a Craig or possibly a Tomachie or whatever after market radio. Above it will be an orange and black for the cigarette lighter.
Let's evaluate this w/ some degree of logic.
You have an aftermarket radio/cassette player someone installed - you very likely don't have the wiring diagram for that model unit but it most likely can be found on-line searching for the model number;
Regarding the image (below):
A = the plug emanating from the back of the radio/cassette unit. It came w/ the radio cassette unit;
B = the plug associated w/ the wiring harness which most likely also came with the aftermarket radio/cassette unit;
C = the most likely candidates (are): (a) aftermarket speaker wires to aftermarket speakers located (or removed) from the vehicle (they're either there or they're not [currently]); and/or one or more of those wires may or may not be associated with an aftermarket power amplifier/booster, bass boom box or whatever. Since they all appear to run under the carpet - I suspect ancillary devices such as speakers, amplifier(s), etc.
As previously suggested, get the original OEM wiring established as per the CSM wiring diagram. Remove the wiring, label the wiring, remove the radio/cassette and get to BASE CAMP NUMBER ONE (original CSM wiring) - THEN, hookup the radio/cassette properly. Currently, it's almost impossible to ascertain what goes where because it looks like a crow's nest.
This is exactly what I'm trying to do by finding the factory yellow wire, get back to square one. I am very familiar with stereo wiring as I've been doing my own, in more modern vehicles, for a while.
The red wire with the inline fuse is coming out of the stereo harness. This was hooked to the red wire belonging to the kickdown harness to provide power to the stereo with key on (AAC).
All of the wires that go under the carpet are running to speakers, two in the front doors and two by the rear glass.
Originally Posted by no1oldsfan
Sorry not sorry to step in. Those kind of Junk radios and junk installs were way too common. Hack job anyone?
Yes the factory wire color is yellow. No you don't need to go all the way to the brake pedal. There is absolutely a factory yellow wire behind that deck aka radio. Guarantee you. Probably in a factory plug with a grey (reostat / dash lights) and possibly a black wire which is the ground. That looks like a Craig or possibly a Tomachie or whatever after market radio. Above it will be an orange and black for the cigarette lighter.
So there should be a connector with a yellow wire somewhere near the stereo? I'll have to check again because I didn't see it. I was hoping I could trace it from another location like the fuse box or steering column.
So there should be a connector with a yellow wire somewhere near the stereo? I'll have to check again because I didn't see it. I was hoping I could trace it from another location like the fuse box or steering column.
Yes. As demonstrated in the wiring diagram (you said you owned the CSM). If it is NOT there, that's a different story altogether.
Yes. As demonstrated in the wiring diagram (you said you owned the CSM). If it is NOT there, that's a different story altogether.
Yes, I have a CSM. I will check around the radio again for the yellow wire. Hopefully I just overlooked it. I thought it was odd that whoever installed this other radio didn't use the original power wire.
It's easily traced to the FUSE PANEL w/ a 10A fuse.
EDIT: What any previous owner(s) did to the electrical system of a vehicle can defile all reasoning/logic.
Last edited by Vintage Chief; Mar 24, 2023 at 10:27 PM.
The two wire connector with the pink and orange wires is the trans kickdown switch connector. It is built into every harness, but since this is a TH350 car, it is unused. The pink wire is powered from the GAUGES/TRANS fuse, and apparently someone used it at one point to power something. Why they had to cut the original wire instead of simply using a spade terminal in the connector is sadly typical of OPW (other people's wiring).
Yes. As demonstrated in the wiring diagram (you said you owned the CSM). If it is NOT there, that's a different story altogether.
Found it! It was tucked up under the radio. It isn't getting power though. After testing with a multimeter, I suspect it's a bad fuse. Going to pick one up today and see.
Which "could" be part/parcel as to the reason someone elected to go a different route for the radio power if they continually were blowing fuses - too much power demand of that radio/cassette player, ancillary power booster/amplifier, etc. Ensure you're using the correct amperage fuse rating. Good Luck!
EDIT: Good time to validate amperage rating on all the fuses.
And, yet another EDIT: I'm pretty certain the original speaker wires are the blue wires contained in that plug. Not 100% - maybe one blue to front OEM speaker and one to back OEM speaker or both to one OEM speaker.
Last edited by Vintage Chief; Mar 25, 2023 at 08:59 AM.
After testing with a multimeter, I suspect it's a bad fuse.
Rather than "suspecting", why not just use your multimeter to see if you have power on both sides of the fuse with the key in the RUN position? You can also check the fuse for continuity.
Rather than "suspecting", why not just use your multimeter to see if you have power on both sides of the fuse with the key in the RUN position? You can also check the fuse for continuity.
This is what I did. There is power to one side of the fuse only. I should have stated that with more certainty.
I might have been more clear, as well. There exists the possibility of a shorted wire somewhere in the labyrinth of wires associated with your crow’s nest. You most likely know ANYTHING is suspect. Maybe another reason to yank the radio/cassette player out to get to your fresh OEM wiring.
I might have been more clear, as well. There exists the possibility of a shorted wire somewhere in the labyrinth of wires associated with your crow’s nest. You most likely know ANYTHING is suspect. Maybe another reason to yank the radio/cassette player out to get to your fresh OEM wiring.
It ended up just being the fuse. On to the next thing...
Looks like a 1980s Radio Shack unit. Those were good car stereos; I've had several. But I'll grant not a clean installation here. Some people never learned how to install car stereo. "Ommm, I got find me a hot wahr." Doesn't take much effort to dress the radio opening either.
I had the identical unit in the Toronado for several years. On more than one occasion under the right weather conditions it picked up AM stations in Kansas and Iowa during daylight hours. Its FM and tape sections operated well too. It lives on in a friend's 1980 TransAM.
The Blaupunkt that replaced it never lived up to its reputation and hype.
Found it! It was tucked up under the radio. It isn't getting power though. After testing with a multimeter, I suspect it's a bad fuse. Going to pick one up today and see.
By the way the wires in the radio plug. The blue wire will read as a ground until the lights are turned on. The blue wire is a dashight wire. Do not use it unless you are just plugging in a factory radio. The black wire is a factory ground wire. Always a good idea just to ground the radio separately if it's aftermarket.
By the way the wires in the radio plug. The blue wire will read as a ground until the lights are turned on. The blue wire is a dashight wire. Do not use it unless you are just plugging in a factory radio. The black wire is a factory ground wire. Always a good idea just to ground the radio separately if it's aftermarket.
The blue wire reads "ground" with the lights off because your low-impedance voltmeter is seeing ground through the filaments of the other dash lights. Once the lights are on, you see voltage there. This is why one should use a high-impedance voltmeter or a test light.
The "clean" way to install a radio was to buy it with its pigtail harness, buy a pigtail harness for your car, then make a jumper harness with the two to match the radio to the car. The radio should go, and the jumper harness should go, and the original plug placed back into a factory radio, when sourced.
