Audio System and Head Unit Photos

[DanQ]

I have another theory on your speed problem. The parking brake sensor needs to think the parking brake is off before the speed sensor will work. Are you sure the defrost isn't defaulting to on and messing up the parking brake sensor? There was a guy that just grounded the parking brake sensor and needed to put a switch in to "open" the brake sensor to get the speed to work.

OK I'm done guessing...

 

[ENZO BTR]

Both are good ideas. I thought the same things and tried both ideas. I drove over 30 mph and I made sure the rear defrost was "on" (which makes the parking brake signal think its "off"). Still nothing, but I have yet to do more than a five minute drive, and I probably only got up to about 40 mph. Maybe I'll try one more time with the rear defrost on the entire time and I'll get on the freeway and drive for like 20 minutes. Otherwise I can only think of one other option -- I've located the plug on the transmission where the speed signal originates. If I'm willing to route the speed signal lead ALL THE WAY BACK THERE (and there's enough wire to do it) I'll try that.

Then I'm out of ideas.

 

[Shadowman]

Both are good ideas. I thought the same things and tried both ideas. I drove over 30 mph and I made sure the rear defrost was "on" (which makes the parking brake signal think its "off"). Still nothing, but I have yet to do more than a five minute drive, and I probably only got up to about 40 mph. Maybe I'll try one more time with the rear defrost on the entire time and I'll get on the freeway and drive for like 20 minutes. Otherwise I can only think of one other option -- I've located the plug on the transmission where the speed signal originates. If I'm willing to route the speed signal lead ALL THE WAY BACK THERE (and there's enough wire to do it) I'll try that.

Then I'm out of ideas.

My suggestion would be to contact the other Forum member that installed (I think) this same system several months ago; there are pictures on this site some where and ask them what they did. As I recall once up and running they had full functions.

Takes care

Shadowman

 

[ENZO BTR]

Just found the thread and PM'd the installer.

I had no idea this was covered already or I probably wouldn't have cluttered up the forum with so many photos and posts (thought I was actually blazing a trail here :lol ).

Thanks for the call out Shadowman. Hopefully my photos and comments still prove useful for folks. :wink

 

[Shadowman]

Just found the thread and PM'd the installer.

I had no idea this was covered already or I probably wouldn't have cluttered up the forum with so many photos and posts (thought I was actually blazing a trail here :lol ).

Thanks for the call out Shadowman. Hopefully my photos and comments still prove useful for folks. :wink

You are welcome

Your pictures and post are wonderful; as for garnering help from the other installer I suspect that soon you will be smiles. The hard part is behind you.

FYI: I have installed systems and FYI the VSS wire is more than a simple signal pick up point but also must send out a signal with a certain pulse range. I have had to put a pulse modifier in line before so as to bring the pulse rate into the range in which the unit can self calibrate. I do not know that this is required for these gals nevertheless I wanted to share some past experience.

Keep us updated

Regards

Shadowman

 

[DanQ]

ENZO BTR, Did you use a special harness adapter for the speaker, power etc? If so what is the part number? I don't have much luck finding the GT with the std radio in any conversion charts.

 

[Neilda]

Karl - I'm amazed! You're a brave man - I would not approach my GT with anything sharper than a soft sponge.....

A very useful collection of photographs for our archive - thanks for taking the time to write up and document this so thoroughly.

 

[Beach-GT]

I tried removing the unit myself after reading some of the various threads here, but I couldn't get it out and was starting to really scratch the side of the factory head unit. I'd even ordered the "removal tool" kit (part number 415-003), but that proved worthless. Maybe it works with the MAC unit...



This audio removal tool was no help.[/QUOTE]



It is not clear to me how the radio releases. It looks like you have to pull the black trim off and expose the latch area. The latches appear down on the right side and up on the left side in your pictures. The tool looks like it should be slipped over the center tab and then pushed into the slot which would force the latches down and that does not look like the way they want to go. It looks like up releases rather than down. Can you explain? Maybe this is not the correct tool for the non-mac?

 

[Beach-GT]

I tried removing the unit myself after reading some of the various threads here, but I couldn't get it out and was starting to really scratch the side of the factory head unit. I'd even ordered the "removal tool" kit (part number 415-003), but that proved worthless. Maybe it works with the MAC unit...



This audio removal tool was no help.[/QUOTE]



It is not clear to me how the radio releases. It looks like you have to pull the black trim off and expose the latch area. The latches appear down on the right side and up on the left side in your pictures. The tool looks like it should be slipped over the center tab and then pushed into the slot which would force the latches down and that does not look like the way they want to go. It looks like up releases rather than down. Can you explain? Maybe this is not the correct tool for the non-mac?

 

[ENZO BTR]

I think the latches start in an "up" position and you have to pull them "down" to release it. Mine were both "down" when the unit first came out, but I pushed the one up trying to see how it worked, and it was still up in the photo. I think if you can get a piece of metal that is thin enough to fit through the slits in the back trim piece, and then use that piece of metal to "hook" behind those latches and pull them down, the unit will just slide out. The ease/speed with which the Best Buy guys got it out suggests that's all it takes (it's having the right size/shape tool that's tricky, but I'm sure they did).

I couldn't find an aftermarket plug conversion for the GT, so I ended up just cutting out the factory plug and splicing directly into those wires. It was easy because there are only seven wires to deal with (power, ground, ignition, and four speaker wires). Physically getting the unit in place, and hooking up the basic power/speaker wires probably would have taken me less than two hours (maybe even less than an hour). It's the other TEN connections (and running their associated wires) that were the real female dog on this one.

 

[AMB]

Enzo Btr

Were you able to get the "GPS" to work correctly ??? How did you do it ???

AMB

 

[DanQ]

Beach-GT: take a look at the pdf manual centerpunch posted awhile back. It has pictures of the sanyo FXD-885GD removal tools and some directions.

http://www.fordgtforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3139&highlight=sanyo

ENZO-BTR: I got my radio today and was researching where to pick up the speed connection. I wonder if the problem is the signal from the trans (output shaft speed sensor) isn't working because it is a hall effect sensor.
Have you tried to tap the speed after it comes out of the PCM (goes to the speedometer). It would be converted to a proper voltage by then. The JVC speed pulse converter might be necessary if you feed it a hall effect signal.

 

[ENZO BTR]

Good question Dan. I tried splicing in under the dash at the gauge control module (orange wire with yellow stripe in the top plug of the four gauge control plugs -- I think the official location is pin "A5"). I believe this is "post speedometer" in the signal path, but I can't be certain.

Do you know if the signal would still need the JVC adapter at this location?

Thanks

P.S. I found an excellent system for mounting and securing the GPS and satellite antennas. The JVC unit comes with a small pad that is metallic and both antennas want to stick to it quite strongly. However, to secure the pad you're supposed to peel off the back and stick it down. Yuck! Not doing that to my GT's dash. However, if you trim the pad's size slightly you can wedge it between the base of the windshield and the central defrost vent. I have the pad wedged in this area, so if I ever pull it there will be no residual effect. The cords are both tucked into the gasket at the base of the windshield, and a test drive today confirmed excellent signal reception, no visibility intrusion and relatively effective stealthiness (I'm betting plenty of passengers will never even notice them). I'll try to take a picture and post it tomorrow.

 

[MAD IN NC]

and a test drive today confirmed excellent signal reception, no visibility intrusion and relatively effective stealthiness (I'm betting plenty of passengers will never even notice them). I'll try to take a picture and post it tomorrow.

Karl- sounds like the reverse switch, the GPS and speed control are all working - Is the unit fully functional now?

 

[ENZO BTR]

Everything except the damn speed signal works fine. I need a rear camera before I'll have that feature, but the wires are run and ready (JVC has one coming out, but it's still a few weeks away from being available according to the guys I've spoken with). The Bluetooth, DVD player, Satellite radio and harddrive all work as advertised. I even got the navigation sort of working. It will give me directions and track my movement, but everything related to measuring the vehicle's speed (time to destination, for example) still isn't functioning.

I've got a few ideas to still try to get it connected with the GT's speed signal...

 

[05redrich]

A review on CNet about this unit says:

"Ripping audio discs to the library is a straightforward procedure: An option in the A/V menus allows drivers to copy the current track, all tracks, or a specific track of their choice. The copying process for one track takes about 10 seconds, during which time the playback of the track is paused as the hard drive imports the file."

I know you said that it imported in realtime (they say 10 second a track). They tested a pre-production model, did this not make it to production?

Also to better understand GPS not working, can you still use it to get from point a to b? In other words is it JUST the time estamates as you said or is something else missing? I had been thinking about putting in this unit as well.

thanks.

 

[ENZO BTR]

The navigation works in terms of inputting a destination and getting accurate directions, only the time estimate to destination and its ability to accurately track my direction of travel seem off. In other words, as I drive the icon that represents my car, an arrow, is shown to travel the road(s) I'm driving, but the arrow remains pointed east no matter which direction I'm going, which looks funny when I'm going north, south or west because the arrow moves in these directions but stays pointed east???? I'm also not getting verbal directions but that may be from not having that option set up right. I'm still learning all the system's settings (it's a pretty advanced/complex nav system). I fully intend to stay after the speed signal issue until I get it working right, but even if the system never worked better than it does right now it would be useful (if not fully functional).

As for ripping CDs, I was ripping all tracks on each CD and I was doing it in "high quality" mode, which basically means no compression. i think that's why it had to play in real time. The harddrive has so much room that for really great albums (Dark Side of the Moon, Boston's first album, Cars Greatest Hits) I can't justify compressing the music to save space. I have all my MP3 iTurnes burned onto a 4.7-gig DVD-RAM, and it's less than half full. So basically I can just bring that DVD with me and have EVERY MP3 I've ever collected (and the DVD is less than half full). There are 24 gigs available in the harddrive, and each CD, burned with no compression, takes up about 1/2 a gig. So if I ever get down to less than five gigs of space I could still burn all my MP3 to the harddrive and still have room to spare. As of now, I've burned four CDs, all uncompressed, to the harddrive and I still have 96% space free.

 

[OzGT]

Sorry if I sound somewhat surprised but I'm don't get why you'd DIY to replace the stock head unit on a $150k vehicle. I didn't even replace the stock speakers in my $10k '97 Wrangler myself, even though it's a piece of cake and I could have. Also, as gimmicky as the JVC EXAD headunit is with all the extras, its low point is sound quality. Not that I guess that would really matter if your doing nothing about the stock speaker system and the video and extras were more important. I emailed this thread to my buddy who does all my install work and his reaction was: Three things that should never be in the one sentence "JVC, $150k, Ford GT". Sorry if I sound harsh but I does blow me out that people can spend so much on a limited edition car only do a DIY job 'upgrading' the stereo system.

I'm planning to look at the McIntosh system in mine and evaluate it carefully when my car finally arrives. But if need be, I'll upgrade anything that's sub par. I'm inclined to think the head could(and should) decent as I've owned McIntosh gear before, and like clarion's gear nowadays. If anything the usual culprits for poor performance in even the most expensive vehicles are the speakers. Amazing what manufacturers think they can get away speaker quality-wise by hiding them behind panels.

 

[BlackICE]

The Mac system isn't bad except for the fulgy subwoofer. I did a DIY extraction to a cheap Pioneer cd player and feel good about it. It plays MP3 as well as DVD and I can add sat radio too. I put a Heffner cat back system on and with that you can't hear the sound system that well anyway. With a car like the GT who gives a shi* about the high end sound, it's a driving machine not a concert hall.

 

[OzGT]

The Mac system isn't bad except for the fulgy subwoofer. I did a DIY extraction to a cheap Pioneer cd player and feel good about it. It plays MP3 as well as DVD and I can add sat radio too. I put a Heffner cat back system on and with that you can't hear the sound system that well anyway. With a car like the GT who gives a shi* about the high end sound, it's a driving machine not a concert hall.

Hear what you're saying re performance cars and sound systems. Personally I've had several performance cars including my current '03 Cobra and Lightning both with significant performance exhaust systems yet I've always upgraded the sound(to varying degrees). My truck has a really nice Pioneer DEX/DEQ head/time aligned digital eq,Focal, and RF sub setup. Considering the long tube headers and side exit Bassani exhaust, it's not exactly a recording studio inside. However, I love the sound, it just has to be at a bit louder levels. My mustang isn't far behind in the exhaust sound and hampered even further being a convertible. However again, I'd rather have good sound via Pioneer, Focal, and JL than put up stock sound or just a headunit upgrade. The way I see it, sooner or later as fun as a sports exhaust is, you need to hear something else every now and then, especially on a long drive, as is the case when drive 2.5hrs to my weekender. The noise floor may be higher than normal but good sound is good sound.