Choas

Putting the amp in will eliminate most of the harness so you won't even need to but one.

ProfessorP

so to summarize:

looking at this website for 1997 Lexus ES3000 goodies:
http://www.installer.com/cars/by_car.php?carid=3254

I need:

1) Dash Kit 95-8155 Radio Kit Double DIN Mounting Double din kit 1997-2001 LEXUS ES $12.95

2) Into Car Harness 70-8112 amp integration harness 4 new stereo Toyota & Lexus Premium Amplifier Integration Harness 92-99; Integrates aftermarket radio with factory amplifier (15-pin harness), (Power/4-channel), plugs into car harness at radio $28.50

or

2) an after-market amp

sound right?

But what the heck, the same 70-8112 can be found for $7.12 here:

http://www.thetwistergroup.com/store...3539&source=fr

same product, right?

Now that I read this thread more carefully, if I don't go with an after-market amp and just use the nagivation unit as my amp, I can use the existing harness and just bypass the factory amp and connect right to the HU, right? Just trying to be cheap here, don't want to buy stuff that I won't need...

Sorry for me going in circles here, just want to make sure...

kphu

iTrader: (8)

yeah that's definitely the same harness...go for the cheaper one.

I wouldn't recommend that you get a new amp, its just much more work for someone who's not familar with this stuff.

I'm assuming your new head unit has a built in amp? If so then you should by pass the stock amp.

Option 1) bypass factory amp.

So with the new harness you connect it to the manufacturer's harness.

From the new HU to the new harness you connect the power wires to the new harness. Note there is 2 power cables 1 continuous i.e. power always on/constant. The other is non-continuous i.e. it only turns on when you have the key to the iginition. I just use a simple light test to figure out which cable is which.

Next find a metal spot with a screw that you can connect your ground cable from your HU to.

Next figure out which cable is the power antenna cable from the manufacturer's harness. For mine there was 2 wires that had to be connected together. You connect that to the HU power antenna wire.

Lastly, for the speaker cables you connect it to the speaker wires for the amp as mentioned in the thread I posted earlier.

Oops, almost forgot the black rca cable which is the stereo antennae cable, plug that into your head unit.

Assuming your head unit doesn't have a built in amp.

Option 2) Don't by pass the stock amp.

Do the same thing with the power, power antenna, stereo RCA cable and ground. Lastly using the RCA cables from your new HU you connect that to the RCA cables of the new harness (RCA cables if for the speakers).

Option 2 is easier, however if you have a built in amp and you don't by pass the stock amp you'll get RF noise which sounds like a high pitched winding noise that gets louder as your RPM goes higher. Worst at night because 1) its quieter outside and you typically have your windows closed and 2) you have your lights on which draws more power from you battery which in turns causes your alternator to work harder.

Good luck and let us know how you make out.

Ken


Option 2 is soooo much more work so I would just buy pass the amp.

basketthis

If you do take the amp bypass route, just be aware that you can permanently damage your new Pioneer headunit from overheating (as previously said in my earlier post) IF you don't install a 4 channel amp!!!! If you are going to bypass it, buy a 4 channel amp. I wouldn't recommend using the integration harness at all because of all the reasons stated above.

If you are bypassing the amp already (which you should), the wires would run to under the passenger seat (where the amp already exists). As I recommended before, I suggest getting a 4 channel amplifier with a small footprint (physical dimensions) and just put it under the passenger seat where the existing one is. You will not have to run new speaker wire, it will be there already!!! You WILL have to: run at least an 8 gauge 12v power wire from the battery, run an RCA (~6ft cord) from the radio to under the passenger seat (make sure it's 2 2-channel cords or 1 4-channel), a remote wire from the radio, and make a ground directly under the carpet. The hardest part of the install is probably removing the seat and getting the power wire through the firewall (which isn't very hard at all considering the main harness is on the passenger side firewall). After you have these wires to the amp, you will just need to take the existing speaker wire leads and hook them directly to the corresponding channel (output) on your new 4 channel amplifier.

^^^ This "new 4 channel amplifier" option that I have just laid out will be the best option. It will give you the least THD, put little to no stress on the headunit, and best of all your system will be amplified and you can play as loud as you like and not damage any of your new equipment!!!!

ProfessorP

thanks guys! As it turned out, the Circuit City right by my house had the harness in stock for $19.99 plus tax:

http://www.circuitcity.com/ccd/Searc...rchSection=All

Hopefully I can find the 95-8155 dash kit just as easily (SF Bay Area) without the hassle of waiting for many days....

ProfessorP

the relevant specs for this thread for the Pioneer AVIC-F900BT:

Amplifier
Max Output Power / Channel Qty 50 Watts x 4
Continuous Power / Channel Qty 22 Watts x 4

Crossover
Type 2-way active crossover
Low Pass Frequencies 125 Hz, 63 Hz, 50 Hz, 80 Hz, 100 Hz
High Pass Frequencies 125 Hz, 63 Hz, 50 Hz, 80 Hz, 100 Hz

Connections
Connector Type 1 x composite video/audio input ( RCA phono x 3 ) - rear
1 x USB ( 4 pin USB Type A ) - rear
1 x front channel output ( RCA phono x 2 ) - rear
1 x rear channel output ( RCA phono x 2 ) - rear
1 x subwoofer output ( RCA phono x 2 ) - rear
1 x composite video output ( RCA phono ) - rear
System components control bus - rear
Remote control - rear
1 x composite video/audio input ( mini-phone 3.5 mm ) - front

Choas

He's got a 97 his amp is behind his glovebox not under his seat. As we have all said here buy an amp even if its a cheap one if your gonna spend all that money on a HU and don't use the harness.

ProfessorP

Scosche also has a double DIN kit:

http://www.scosche.com/products/productID/576

this is really splitting hairs, but anyone have an opinion if one is better than the other (the Metra one versus the Scosche one)?

basketthis

prob metra! imo they are, someone else may like the scosche....

paintrain

this just might be stupid ol me. but jus remember to disconnect the stock amps power supply. i forgot this little step in my last install and the battery kept dying if my buddy didnt drive his car for a day of two. yea i know, im a genius

kphu

iTrader: (8)

I think you've really exaggerated the issue so I don't agree with your statment that you can permanently damage your new HU based on his intended use. I looked at the spec of the HU he's buying and it has an internal amp which would be fine for him to just get sound out of his speakers. If the HU he's buying didn't have an internal amp then I would advise that he purchase a 4 channel amp. Don't forget there are many cars that don't come with stock amplifiers.

I would agree that he can damage the HU if he's running an entire stereo system without any external amps. The additional equipment would draw a lot of power which will run his HU hot and would eventually damage/blow the unit.

My point is that I don't think professorp is looking to go waking up his neighbors just yet. If he is then he'll need to do a lot more then just ask for help on replacing his factory stereo.

basketthis

I haven't exaggerated at all. Did you look at the specs enough to see what the recommended ohm load is for the speaker outputs on the aftermarket HU?? It's 4 ohms. Most stock speakers in a Lexus are 2-4 ohms because they are running off a factory amp. The es300 has 8 speakers total. 6 in the front and 2 in the rear. Even if the three front speakers combined equaled an ohm load of only 2, you would still be running the aftermarket HU hot. The internal amplifier is not built to run anything less than 4 ohms. If he were to do what you were suggesting, he would have to eliminate the dash speakers and settle for just the door speakers and the rear deck and would probably just be making it by.... TO PROPERLY ADD THE AFTERMARKET HU, YOU MUST ADD A 4-CHANNEL AMP (nothing big, just anything to handle the low ohm load).

Just to help you nay-sayers out, I will provide this link: http://www.bcae1.com/

Maybe you can brush up on your car audio knowledge and then respond with some kind of informed answer.

Sorry to be so blunt about it, but I don't think everyone is getting the point....

And, what do you mean by "entire stereo system"? lol. We've been talking about the stock speakers the whole time...
We're not talking amp/sub. We're talking 4-channel amp....

basketthis

Here's a quote for you kphu from the site I have referenced above:
And it's for that reason ^ that I say what I say... It's standard knowledge in the industry...

kphu

iTrader: (8)

Honestly, I've done this many times over and over again and never blown a HU so professorp do as you please.


In the interest of peace. Here's my rebuttal.

dcwhite2

Good thread so far. I have a 98 es300 and am about to upgrade to the same HU and from what I've read it looks like bypassing the factory amp and installing an aftermarket is the way to go.

Question though - if I bypass the factory amp and install a small 4 channel for door speakers as has been suggested, then where does the power come from to power the sub and tweeters? Would it be better to buy a larger amp to power these as well or can they run off the factory amp and just have the 4 channel to power the speakers only?

Also if anyone knows where the stock amp on the 98 is located that would be appreciated. From what I see here, the 97 is in the glovebox, but wasn't sure if the 98 is the same.

ProfessorP, have you finished the installation yet? What did you wind up doing?