Project: Ipod/cd Aux Plug-in For Early 90's Gmc

bill190 · April 22, 2009

My 1992 GMC Sierra came with a factory radio/tape deck and nowhere is there a CD player which will fit into this spot.

So I just added an "AUX" jack to the tape deck which uses the factory amplifier and tape deck wiring. Also there is a switch to bypass the tape deck and switch the inputs to the plug-in jack (activates two relays). Also a green light indicating the AUX jack is enabled.

So I just use a stereo to stereo wire (has plugs on both ends like the plug on a headphone for a CD player) and can connect a CD player or iPod connecting to the headphone jack. Works great! The equalizer works as well, so I can use that to adjust the sound.

Here is a picture of my modification...

(Switch, green light, and stereo plug above equalizer "+" switches)

bill190 · April 22, 2009

In the following picture, I have the tape deck torn apart and am wiring the bypass relays. I use +12V and ground for the switch, light, and two DPDT relays (hanging to left of tape deck). Activating the switch sends +12V to the light and relays.

One relay disconnects the +5V "tape on" signal from the tape deck to the amp and sends +5V to the amp so it will think the tape deck is playing. This cuts off the radio and connects the left and right audio wires from the tape deck.

The second relay disconnects the left and right audio wires from the tape deck and redirects them to the stereo jack on the front of the tape deck.

Here I have all the wires connected to the relays, etc. and have everything placed into the tape deck ready to put the cover back on...

GARB55 · April 23, 2009

Cool!

ScottyBoy · April 23, 2009

I bet that took some time to figure out all that wiring. And you said "nowhere is there a CD player which will fit into this spot". Actually, you can put one there. They make aftermarket mounting kits that replace that whole panel with the two AC vents just above it and you can then mount a single DIN cd player there. They also make a "storage pocket" to replace the radio portion on the left part of the dash just to the right of the steering wheel. They also come in several colors to match the factory dash color. But now that you did all that work to modify the factory stereo, you have no need to replace it now.

bill190 · April 23, 2009

I've seen the storage pocket, but not the mounting kit. (Although I was looking for CD's and not mounting kits!)

I'm kind of thinking I like the iPod idea better than the CD thing, so I think I'll stick with my plug-in jack for now.

As to the wiring, not a big deal for me as I've been in electronics for years. The only question was if the direct earphone output from an iPod/CD would work with the tape input connections or not, and this worked fine.