[WhiteRice]

Newbie. Pre-out questions (and answers)

Hello, all. Just bought my '03 ZX5 and love it after a month. I have the factory Blau MP3 HU and think it's great. I want to keep the HU, replace the factory speakers, and add an amp and aftermarket sub (JL Audio Stealthbox).

I had several questions, so I searched through the FAQs and previous threads and got some good info, especially DidHeFocus?'s wiring diagrams.

After downloading some manuals on Blau's website, I have a little more info and a couple more questions.

The aftermarket Blaupunkt radios come with a six-pin connector (the yellow one) with 4 preamp outs and a amplifier-on lead.

Click here for a PDF manual for one of Blau's HU's with the same connectors. Look at pages 80 through 83.

The connector looks like this.

I have sent an email to the company that exclusively handles Blaupunkt's spare parts distribution in the US, to ask for a part number and price and availability, which I will post here as soon as I get a reply.

Blaupunkt lists the pinout of the yellow connector as follows:

Pin 1-Line Out LR
Pin 2-Line Out RR
Pin 3-Ground
Pin 4-Line Out LF
Pin 5-Line Out RF
Pin 6-+12V Amplifier

Looking at the back of the stock HU, the pins are as follows:

1 4
- -
3 6
- -
2 5
- -

It also lists pin 3 of the bottom connector as a Sub Out. Pin 3 is the second pin from the left on the top row of pins on the bottom connector (viewed again from the back of the HU).

I removed my HU, and found that the yellow connector is prewired (all six connectors) and goes somewhere. I lost track of it in the harness over the heater blower behind the glovebox.

My new question is this: does anyone know where that harness from the yellow connector ends up? Where is the amp for the audiophile system?

Any more help would be appreciated. Thanks, all. []

 

[DidHeFocus?]

I too tried to follow the yellow sub-out connector cable and had the same result as you.
I don't think the Blaupunkt MP3 player was available with the sub/amp, only the Visteon 9006 (Audiophile) as far as I know. The amp would be inside the woofer enclosure.
The yellow connector is only sub out, 2 grounds, sub enable/clip detect. I tried using the sub enable line to activate my sub amp but it didn't work. The amps' light came on but no sound.
I am using conn. A pin 5 to enable my amp but it pops loudly when turning on the radio.
I admit I haven't tested every unknown pin on the back of the HU but I'm pretty sure there are no regular pre-outs.

 

[sa_pyro_ne]

A pin 5 to enable my amp but it pops loudly when turning on the radio.

if you wanted to get rid of the popping noise you can do so with a relay. if you want to know how to just ask me.

- Scott

 

[DidHeFocus?]

sa_pyro_ne,
I have been shutting the amp off manually if I remember to. I really didn't think it was bad enough to be worth the effort, but the pop is starting to get on my nerves. Please tell me about your relay circuit. Thanks

 

[sa_pyro_ne]

get a SPDT (single pole double throw) 12v relay and wire it like so:

Pin 85 ground
Pin 30 constant 12v wire that can handle another .5 amps, you can use the one form the radio or tape into virtualy any wire.
Pin 86 remote turn coming from HU
Pin 87 remote turn on going to amp(s)
And you don't use Pin 87a

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/show...21&St3=79434715&DS_ID=3&Product_ID=9682&DID=7

hope that helps.

- Scott

 

[WhiteRice]

I got the part number for the preout harness. You can order it from Midwest Electronics. The part number is F00E500014, and the price is 10.95 plus shipping and handling.

Bear in mind that I'm not sure that it will work yet. I am going to order one and try it out. In the meantime, I am still trying to find out where that harness from the yellow connector ends up. A local stereo installation place didn't know, so I'll keep searching. I am going to fire off an email to JL Audio, and see if they can help.

I'll post any new info.

 

[DidHeFocus?]

I found out why the sub enable signal won't turn on my amp. It is only 4.5 vdc and it is active only when an audio signal is present. If you turn the volume all the way down but leave the HU on, the amp signal goes off. I can probably utilize this signal with a 5 volt relay to activate my amp.

Thanks sa_pyro_ne for the relay info. I tried it but the amp is activated too soon and the pop is still heard. It happens at power off also. I'll pick up a 5 volt relay and see how that works, I'll report back with the results.

WhiteRice,
As far as other signals at the yellow connector, there aren't enough pins left for main pre-amp outs.
After you account for the sub + and -, 2 grounds and the sub enable, there are only 2 pins left. As you can see, each output needs both a + and a - lead and 4 more would be required for stereo pre-outs. Forget about front AND rear.
The Ford Blaupunkt is definitely NOT a standard Blau. The CD changer signal is not Blau compatible either, it uses a Ford protocol.

 

[WhiteRice]

But preamp outputs don't need separate (-) signals. They can share a common ground. The aftermarket Blau's obviously use only 6 pins as I detailed in the OP. That info was directly from a Blau installation manual.

Now, that doesn't mean that the Ford OEM HU is set up the same as the aftermarket Blau, but it is possible to do it with 6 pins.

 

[DidHeFocus?]

I was going with how the Ford yellow connector is. Sub out has a (+) and a (-) terminal and 2 grounds.
The (-) sub signal is not ground. Then there is the sub enable signal. I actually goofed by saying in my last post that there are 2 pins left there is only ONE!
So I still believe that there is no way the Ford yellow connector has stereo low level and sub outs.

 

[WhiteRice]

I ordered the harness today from Midwest Electronics. I should have it Friday or Monday, which means I'll probably be posting Tuesday asking advice on good aftermarket headunits after smoking my stock HU. LOL.

P.S. I think that harness from the yellow connector ends up behind the left side panel in the cargo area. There is a shielded wire back there that I'm going to investigate tomorrow.

 

[WhiteRice]

I found this tonight. It is copied from the '03 Focus Factory Service Manual.

Click me.

Check it out.

 

[DidHeFocus?]

Hey WhiteRice,
Which service manual do you have specifically? I have one on DVD which is supposed to be the "Ford Factory" '03 manual but it has no PZEV engine info. The Bosch radio is there but the diagrams are crap. Luckily I didn't have to pay for it!

 

[WhiteRice]

Actually, that's not my link, so I can't tell you for sure. My feeling is that it was copied from Vincent, Ford's dealership service information system. I got the link from another Focus site's forums (I read through 57 pages of I.C.E. posts last night).

I will try to find the post and ask the poster where it came from.

I assume that you know that Ford's Service Manuals are available direct from www.helminc.com

 

[DidHeFocus?]

Yes I know about the Helm manuals. The dealer referred me to them. They are fairly expensive so I looked for alternatives. What I have is supposed to be what the service techs use at the Ford Dealer. It has links to ford and asks for a dealer code and password for on-line stuff which I can't access. I'm not impressed with it at all. If this is what they use, it's understandable why they have a hard time fixing things right!
I ordered it on ebay here:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2462572880&category=6759

When I didn't receive it, I emailed the guy many times, I got no response. I opened a claim with PayPal and eventually got my money back. The DVD arrived shortly thereafter.

 

[sprstu]

OK, here is my take on this.

I have an after market Blus unit, and it came (as im sure all blua after market units do) with removable pre-outs. They come with 2 sets of RCA's connected to a yellow plug. Now i did not have my head unit hooked up in the car while doing this, but i plugged the After market pre-out into the Stock Blua head unit, and it fit like it was designed to be there. So what im saying is that when you get your pre-outs Whiterice, they should fit perfectly into the back of the Stock head unit and work as if they were meant to be there in the first place. 2 sets of RCA's and one yellow harness. I cannot say for sure, bc i never tried the RCA's in the stock unit while it was in the car, but i can say that on the back of the stock blua unit there is a place for the after market RCA's. If someone would care to prove or disprove i think that would be helpfull. good luck Whiterice, and i hope this answers some questions out there.

stuart

 

[DidHeFocus?]

OK, Lets settle this.
Here are the pin-outs of the YELLOW connector on the Ford/Blaupunkt MP3 Head Unit.

1-Subwoofer, signal + (GY/BK)
2-Subwoofer, signal – (WH/BK)
3-Subwoofer, signal, Shield (BN/YE)
4-Security alarm control (BK/OG)
5-Ground (BK/YE)
6-Subwoofer Amplifier Enable (WH/RD) 4.5vdc when audio is present.

No matter what connector or adapter you use, the only low-level output signal available is SUBWOOFER.

 

[harpy207]

So any Stock Blau yellow will work for sub?

 

[DidHeFocus?]

Yes, when properly wired. Use pin 5 on connector A to enable the amp.

 

[harpy207]

Thanks

Thanks DidHeFocus that clears it up a lot. I ordered an empty Yellow Blaupunkt plug and the pins that go inside and plan to make the harness myself. Will post results.

 

[WhiteRice]

I got the harness last Friday. Even given the special Ford wiring of the connector, the harness still gives me a RCA plug for the Sub Out.

Incidentally, did you measure 4.5 vdc from the Sub Enable to the ground on the connector, or to a chassis ground? Just wondering. It just seems pretty inane of Ford to only power the amp when there is an audio signal. I mean, you wouldn't want the amp constantly turning on and off between CD tracks, etc.