I am attempting to install my empeg - Kenwood head unit setup into my new 2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse and I have run into a snag. Not really a problem installing the empeg itself...problems with hooking up the Kenwood head unit to the factory connectors. Any help would truely be welcomed!!

I think the problem is that the factory system is an Infinity system (7 speakers with a seperate amplifier). The factory head unit has 5 connections going to it - 2 antenea wires (one regular sized, the other smaller), the normal factory connector, a round 6 pin DIN(?) connector (looks like a CD changer plug but there is no CD changer installed - I think this is the connector that goes to the factory amp possibly), and one small 4 wire connector which operates the remote status screen (radio frequency, clock, CD track, etc.). All aftermarket harness adapters I can locate physically fit the main factory connector - this is the connector that is suppose to supply power, speakers, etc. *BUT* the factory connector in my car only has wires supplying power, ground and 3 other wires. The wires that are suppose to be for the speakers are missing! I am pretty sure thats what the round 6 pin connector is for - line level out to the factory amp. As far as I can find there is no adapter for that connector to allow me to connect my Kenwood head unit's RCA outs to it. All this mess is because it is the "Infinity" system and not the regular system!

Does anyone have any ideas? I wanted to just connect the factory speakers to the Kenwood's internal amplifier but now it looks like I'll have to use the line outs and interface with that factory amp somehow. I think the newer Dodge vehicles (Intrepid, Stratus, etc.) have similar Infinity systems also.

If I could get the pin configuration of that plug for the amp I could splice togther my own connectors. Anyone? Please? I want my MP3!! :)




Scott (00342)

Have you called Crutchfield and asked them? (Actually called, not just looked at their web site.)

___________
Tony Fabris

Crutchfield was my first stop. I called them and spoke with a tech. He said the only adapter they had was the same one I already picked up. They don't have any detailed info on model 2001 autos yet. My next stop will be the Mitsubishi dealership. Maybe their service dept. has a manual with detailed info on the radio system.

Actually, I was thinking about keeping the stock head unit because it actually sounds pretty good (the best OEM car stereo system I've heard yet). The unit has a CD changer plug on the rear which matched my Kenwood CD changer-to-AUX adapter...I tried plugging it in with hopes of using the empeg with the stock head unit but it is incompatible. So now I definetly want to swap it out.



Scott (00342)

Do you have any more info on this? I have a 2001 eclipse as well, and an empeg mk.2.

seeing that you posted this a month ago, you may have gotten past this, but anyway:
Here is some info on those harnesses:
from left to right on the back of the head unit:
small 8-pin connector with 4 wires: control of display pod as you know
13-pin cd-changer input. this must be a standard port on the back of these mass produced cd players, because it is non functional.
14-pin connector with 5 wires: orange/black is constant power, white/black is ignition sense, black/yellow is ground, green/white is illumination, pink is (i think) power antenna control.
6-pin amp control and outputs
the last two are antenna: right is for power antenna, both are used it you have one of those antennas wired into the frame (or so i've heard).

as for the amp pinouts, here you go:
http://www.neweclipseforums.org/ubb/Forum3/HTML/000190.html
this message board is very useful, if you haven't seen it. that post i linked to has some good info, and its a good place to address any specific 2000+ eclipse technical questions.

Did you get this wrapped up?

I have a 2001 Eclipse, I replaced the WHOLE stereo, my current problem though is cosmetics. The Empeg is about 1/8" too big for the dash, and has nothing for those bendy tabs to attach to. Do you have any pictures of how you set yours up?

Sell the Kenwood. hehe

I noticed that there are many new members on here that either want a tuner or want to keep their headunit for its tuner or CD player.

Many long time owners of empegs end up pulling their head units out after a year of having both it and an empeg installed. This is after going through hell to install both! The fact is, I've had my empeg for a year and havn't missed FM radio at all (okay, I missed NPR for about a week or so). After having my empeg for about 8 months, I was forced to use a factory system on my new car. Even with a cool in-dash 6 disk player and FM, the novelty of a radio wore off after about 15 minutes (comercials and bad sound quality) and I hated only having 6-cd's to choose from. (Some people were amazed that I had a six disc changer in my dash and I was appauled!) Even some members like Drakino posted recently that they have tuners attached to their empegs but rarely use them.

The only use I see for a radio is to discover new music. But MTV2 and audio only satellite TV channels do pretty good too.

Anyway, I hope I didn't stray from your post too much. i just wanted to say that if you can't install both - it is no big loss. I'm a DSM fan, so I thought I'd check out your install. Good luck on whatever approach you take.

I'm not sure if you've gotten your install squared away yet, but it sounds like you might need a MITAH box. Check out the Club 3G fourms at www.neweclipse.org if you haven't already for more info.

I have some pictures of my dual head unit install in my 2k GT on yahoo at http://photos.yahoo.com/kryworuka I have none of the factory stereo though, so it's not really the same situation as yours.

Steve

Wow....thanks for the reply. Yes, actually I did finish my install some time ago. I actually went about it the hard way. I reverse engineered the factory wiring harness and I fabricated my own female RCA connections. Everything went well. Thanks for those pictures too!