Whats the difference between these two stock Fiero cassette players?
The one on the left is from my 88 base model coupe. The one on the right is from an 85GT.

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Project Genisis Lo Budget 3800SC swap

88 Coupe under construction

Besides that one on the left is a (likely) plain jane model and the right one is a higher end model (pay a few dollars more for not that much tone difference), the difference is in the controls.

If you use the model numbers off the tags on each radio and do a search, you may get a radio repairer/reseller who has all the specs per unit.

P

Not sure why you're asking but if it's to figure whether you can use either one, they are interchangeable. Just plug and play... no mods needed.

the one from the 85 has the Equalizer and loudness control--both are good for the performance sound system

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Pat Jones

I was just wondering because I got the one with the EQ from the junkyard. I want to do the 1/8" stereo plug mod like mmeyer86gt/gtp sells on Ebay. I wasn't sure if one was better than the other or if they were interchangeable.

Are the plugs on the back the same? I had a hard time finding the old 3 plug radio for my 85. All I found was the 1 plug radio's. Not sure what year they switched but that could be a difference.

I just took this pic tonight. The one one the right is still from the 85GT. They definitely have the same plugs. I didn't take the time to look before I asked. I did look for the thread on how to install a 1/8" stereo plug on the face, but I can't find it. I saw one a while back.

Not that it matters but just in case, the one on the right with the EQ is actually from an 88 model GM vehicle. The difference is the "Delco" on the face plate. Up to and through the 87 model year, the faceplate would have read "Delco/GM" Being an all black face plate means it's from an Astro van, S-10, camaro or full size van. Like everyone said, it will work fine in a Fiero. You may want to replace the casette drive belts before you install.

Externally... Radios are same plugs.

Internally are different.
MP3 Plug rewires radio output to main amp on inside of the unit. Adding MP3 etc plug does work on each unit but I'm guessing different instructions.

Equalizer unit... use search here and archive TD&Q

If you have other instructions, No tape or tape w/o Equalizer, Post them!
People here can fill the blanks if needed.

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Dr. Ian Malcolm: Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should.
(Jurassic Park)

The Ogre's Fiero Cave (It's also at the top and bottom of every forum page...)

quote Originally posted by donuteater306: Not that it matters but just in case, the one on the right with the EQ is actually from an 88 model GM vehicle. The difference is the "Delco" on the face plate. Up to and through the 87 model year, the faceplate would have read "Delco/GM" Being an all black face plate means it's from an Astro van, S-10, camaro or full size van. Like everyone said, it will work fine in a Fiero. You may want to replace the casette drive belts before you install.

and....If the backlight is Red..it's from a Pontiac...

quote Originally posted by donuteater306: Not that it matters but just in case, the one on the right with the EQ is actually from an 88 model GM vehicle. The difference is the "Delco" on the face plate. Up to and through the 87 model year, the faceplate would have read "Delco/GM" Being an all black face plate means it's from an Astro van, S-10, camaro or full size van. Like everyone said, it will work fine in a Fiero. You may want to replace the casette drive belts before you install.

I did pull the one on the right from an 85GT. They may have swapped it out at some point.
There is damage to the two wire plug on the back of it. It looks as if it had shorted out to ground, the connector is partially melted.
Is that the clock power input?

Best swap is a CD deck out of an early 90s Firebird - looks identical to the original tape deck and no one will steal it!

The two wire plug is for the clock and the back lighting when the park/headlights are on. I forget which is which. I think Brown is 12v constant and orange is headlamp. Better double check with a test light tho.

quote Originally posted by BillS: Best swap is a CD deck out of an early 90s Firebird - looks identical to the original tape deck and no one will steal it!

Is this the one you're talking about? This is the one that I have... exactly the same. Came out of a 1990 Bonneville.



EDIT: duh... tried to attach an image with youtube tags... heh.

[This message has been edited by 82-T/A [At Work] (edited 01-16-2013).]

quote Originally posted by hercimer01: Whats the difference between these two stock Fiero cassette players? The one on the left is from my 88 base model coupe. The one on the right is from an 85GT.

Since they are both Delco, I am sure both probably have one or more functions that stopped working in 1995.

quote Originally posted by DimeMachine: Since they are both Delco, I am sure both probably have one or more functions that stopped working in 1995.

What do you mean? 1995?

Well I was wrong! I've never seen a delco radio past 1988 with the individual blue, white, black plug style and separate clock/lamp lead. Interesting. I wonder what that came out of.

quote Originally posted by hercimer01: What do you mean? 1995?

Your right. Stopped working in 1988.

I have a readio / tape deck from a later GM car, which supposedly fits the Fiero. However, it didn't fit, and I could never find an adapter to make the wiring mate, pardon the expression.
Caveat emptor!!

I did the MP3 input MOD from the How To section to the 88 generic radio. The OP never got it to work and fried his radio in the process. I had the same results except my fuse blew and the radio is OK but now I have a hole in the face of my radio.

The EQ radio sounds a lot than the generic one. The faceplate is blue and I think it may have come out of a 91 Blazer.

quote Originally posted by 82-T/A [At Work]: Is this the one you're talking about? This is the one that I have... exactly the same. Came out of a 1990 Bonneville. EDIT: duh... tried to attach an image with youtube tags... heh.

Yup, that's the one. No one is going to try and swipe what appears to be a stock GM tape deck!

I found MOD this thread on another forum. It removes the tuner pcb from the radio and replaces it with a USB/SD/AUX/FM module. It addresses where to connect the audio in the EQ version radio and i assume it could be modded with the 1/8" min stereo interrupter jack also.
If anything I will just put the interrupter jack in where the USB module connects to.

http://www.thirdgen.org/tec...delco-radio-mp3.html

No one has mentioned yet about the AM stereo button (no AM stations in stereo anymore if I'm not mistaken) and the CrO2 button for the tape player. Not that it matters anymore with very few people still playing tapes.

I did notice that the Loud function didn't work.
Also I forgot to put capacitors (.1uF) in series with the phone L/R to protect it from damage or loading. I think it may be loading because the audio sounds weak from the phone. I do have to put the capacitors in when i wire up a cell phone to aircraft audio systems.

I haven't seen this MOD on Pennocks anywhere yet.

quote Originally posted by hercimer01: It has a little bleed over from the FM circuit with the jack plugged in. It's not the best sounding but I don't have my front speakers in.

Try to find some shielded alarm wire it will get rid of the bleed over. http://homeavcables.com/22108.html

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--Jeff aka mrfred8 aka (Hat tip to Mr. J. Jones!)
http://jalopnik.com/5901950...or-her-sweet-sixteen
- 88 Yellow GT
- 86 Silver SE

I have 22AWG shielded 2 and 3 conductor at work I could use.
Also I was wondering if I should just run the audio through a switch to a regular jack with one of these MTA 206D.

quote Originally posted by hercimer01: I did notice that the Loud function didn't work. Also I forgot to put capacitors (.1uF) in series with the phone L/R to protect it from damage or loading. I think it may be loading because the audio sounds weak from the phone. I do have to put the capacitors in when i wire up a cell phone to aircraft audio systems. I haven't seen this MOD on Pennocks anywhere yet.

AM/FM/Cassette will still work properly.

Loud works too. It's just not as noticeable

I put the .1uF caps in and the audio was alot louder. The radio was loading down the phone output, however the highs are not coming through very well now. Levy in the GM thread said he was using 1uF caps. I will try that, It will be tomorrow night before I can work on it again.

Edit; I am going to replace the interrupter jack with a switch going to a plain 1/8" stereo jack also. I think thats what is causing the bleed over. I use the switch with a jack at work all the time and never have any problems. And yes I will use shielded wire too.

[This message has been edited by hercimer01 (edited 01-21-2013).]

I ran the audio out from the tuner board to the DPDT switch feeding the amp board. I switched the audio to a regular 1/8" stereo jack.
I couldn't find 1uF capacitors so I used better .1uf caps in series with the jack input to the switch.
Still the audio has weak mid to treble. I tried it without the caps too. Not much difference.
My DroidX works in my other car plugged into the aux audio and my computer speakers too.

I'm out of ideas. Anyone have any info here?

I got my new phone and it sounds the same. This MOD does work but it sounds bad.

Is the objective to look stock?

Where can I buy an adapter for the later GM radios with tape players. I purchased one a while ago, but the stock connector is the wrong size.
Thanks!
bb

Wouldn't it just have been a lot easier to buy on of these?

http://www.walmart.com/ip/P...ette-Adapter/9917088

I tried an CD adapter, but the stock radio / tape player rejects it.

quote Originally posted by 2.5: Is the objective to look stock?

Yes. I am just trying to do a cheap permanent simple fix.