Radio Install in 200

["Al Powell" <APOWELL@agcom.tamu.edu>]

Tonight I started installing a Sony pull-out radio in my 200 with 
Bose system.  I ordered conversion stuff from Crutchfield you folks 
might be interested in:

1)  Antenna converter allows you to select one of the two antennas 
and connect to ingoing radio.  The radio-end of the cable is not the 
screw-on type, but it is a non-standard (aka: Deutsch) connector.  
The converter itself is a six-inch piece of cable with connectors on 
both ends.  Pricey at $9 but why make one myself?????  It could take 
HOURS!

2)  They provided a matching transformer which converts the amplified 
output of the replacement radio to line-level for the Bose amps at 
the speakers.  BTW - on the radio, the pinouts are clearly identifeid 
by a sticker as "Line level out".  This confirms what everyone has 
said about the amps being outboard of the radio.  ($30)

3)  They carry conversion connectors which accept the factory 
harness connectors - and provide a color coded harness out the other 
side. ($10)

This last is where my problem occurred.  The connectors in the car 
didn't match the connector conversion kit they sent.  

BUT - listen to this - I called their tech line, the gent there asked 
me if I could fax him a drawing of the pinouts on the radio and car 
harness, and in less than an hour he called back and told me he had 
found a connector kit which should work - and which he was shipping 
immmediately, at no charge.

What I actually did was to use my word processor to create a 
document with a full ASCII drawing of the radio pinouts and of 
both the harnesses in the car....then used good old Winfax to zap it 
to Crutchfield at an 800 fax number.  The tech gent (Dave) said he 
would add it to their files for reference, so perhaps none of the 
rest of you will be invconvenienced!

I call this pretty sharp technical service, so I had reason to cite 
the vendor twice.  Flame me if you gotta problem with it.

One more note - and THIS, you won't find out many places - I also 
checked the Bentley for radio circuits.  There is ONE WIRE on the 
radio not accounted for in the standard harnesses - it's a Brown wire 
with White trace which connects to a tab of metal sticking out of the 
radio.  The Bentley identifies it as connected to the anti-theft 
system!  It looks to me like a simple ground circuit, which (if 
broken by disconnecting it) would set off the alarm.  If you replace 
the Bose radio with a standard unit, I suggest you find a place to re-
connect this wire!!  Since I will install a pull-out radio, I 
will not mess with it.

One more note - the coat-hangar tools to remove the radio do work.  
Use a large diameter coat hanger, and do NOT bend the ends.  Push the 
wires in at least 3/4" to trip the catches - they just depress by 
having the tool inserted in a straight line.  Failure to trip the 
catch might be due to using wire with too small a diamater.  Ideally, 
the wire should be as large as the access holes.

Once coat hanger "U" hooks are inserted, wiggle them and pull gently 
outwards using the cassette loading hole as a grip point.  You should 
get the feel quickly.  I made the mistake of bending the wire tips 
outward at first - when I made them straight, it took less than a 
minute.  And contrary to my expectations, there was NO "hanger strap" 
in back with a rubber nut pushed on over the stud sticking out of the 
radio's rear panel.

Have a great weekend, folks.  

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Al Powell                           Voice:  409/845-2807
Ag Communications                   Fax:    409/862-1202
107 Reed McDonald Bldg.             Email:  a-powell1@tamu.edu 
College Station, TX  77843-2112
W3 page - http://agcomwww.tamu.edu/agcom/satellit/rpe/alpage.htm

"These are not my figures I'm quoting.  They're from someone who
knows what he's talking about."  
                        Anonymous US Congressman.

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