First...this is not about bragging and this is not for anyone that wants to create a rolling concert hall. This post is to help out anyone with a Pathfinder that doesn't want to get ripped off and just wants to get thier stuff installed and working with a minimum of fuss and money.

Background: I got a 20GB RioCar and a Sony Xplod head unit. The factory stereo in my 94 Pathfinder was really prety bad. Anyway, there are three things that you need to be aware of when installing an aftermarket head unit in a Pathfinder.

1. Pathfinders have stock power amps. The head unit does not send out any power. (Mine are Clarion)
2. Any installer that tells you that they MUST rewire the car to bypass the amps to install a new head unit is completly full of [censored].
3. Apparently some installer don't know that Pathfinders have factory installed amps and will install POWERED head units by wiring the powered lines to the amp conections...you can tell if this is the case by a simple test...is there a massive volume spike when you go from volume level 1 to to level 2? This is also bad because sending power THROUGH the amps can destroy them...then you have to buy new equipment.

I was told that just to install my new head unit it would cost $100+ and they would have to re-wire the car. Now, I hate being told what I can't do and I'm pretty handy with eletronics. The truth is, the if your head unit has pre-amp outs, you can wire it to the factory power-amps in 15 minutes. I was told that this was impossible and no install shop in town would even talk to me about doing it.

Now the better part. Because the RioCar has pre-amp outs (Front and Rear) you can wire it right to the power amps too just as easily. You do have to trim the console a little for the sled, but that took all of 15 minutes with a good utility knife.

So, for $7 in parts and 1.5 hours later, I have a Sony Xplod head unit AND my RioCar wired in parallel so they operate independently. It sounds great.

But wait, there's more. A friend has a 96 Pathfinder. His head unit was installed as in warning 3 above by a "pro" at Circut City. he was told by more "pros" that that is just the way it is. He had his RioCar installed and was forced to buy and FM modulator to connect it to his head unit.

He went back to a reputable install shop armed with my install details and was told that there is no way that that could work, but they would try it anyway. The tech re0did the head unit as per my instructions and wired in the RioCar and was completely shocked when it worked (remember these are pros we're talking about).

So, moral...Pathfinders are easy to install into and don't let the techs bully you into a $100+ install job. Here is what I did:

I got my head unit from Crutchfield so I got a OEM wiring harnes included, but you can buy one from other places. Get one!!! Then go get yourself some decent RCA cables. Cut the RCA cables so you have RCA->bare wire (you'll need a total of 4 of these "custom" connectors). Strip the wire ends and separate the + and - wires (+ is the wire in the center of the cable). You now have a piece that can attach to the pre-amp out of your head unit and/or RioCar and be wired to the speaker conections in the wiring harness. Make the connections for front and rear, and all other connections (memory, switched ignition, Remote Amp On, power antena, etc.). The Remote Amp On is very important here. You need to connect BOTH head unit and RioCar lines if you want to be able to use the units independantly. Once all the connections are made, plug it in and turn it on. Thats basically it.

It should take you no more than 2 hours to do this yourself, but if your not the handyman type, tell this to an installer, let them laugh at you, then insist that they do it. I'd post pictures, but I think that we all know what a RioCar looks like installed by now.

If I read you correctly (apologies if not) you wired the outputs from your HU and empeg together (in a Y fashion, where the bottom of the Y goes to car harness and the tops to the HU and empeg). From your description it sounds as if the wires in the harness labeled "Speaker" actually connect to your amps inputs. Is that correct?

I don't ever consider it a good idea to wire outputs together - what if one of them wants to be at 0V and the other at 12V? Easy to lets the expensive smoke out in scenarios like this... If I've understood correctly, you could solve this "properly" with an RCA-switch (I think a Sony model number has been posted earlier to the board - and is probably mentioned in the FAQ).

As to your setup, as long as you never have both units on at the same time you're probably OK.

/Michael

Yeah...a switch for the RCA is something I thought about and will probably do. Fo now though, like you said, I only keep one on at a time...never both at the same time. Mostly this post was to tell Pathfinder owners that you can install the RioCar as your head unit if you want VERY easily, unlike what the install shops will tell you.

O.K. I said I wasn't going to post a picture, but I was upgrading the speakers this morning, and figures...I'm here, what the hell...

Here's the pic

Although of absolutely no help what so ever You might find this link interesting...

Thanks for a very informative post. It's nice when the factory stereos have amplifiers, and the Rio Car becomes just a plug-in installation. I'm hoping that my friend Tod's Durango will be like that.

Yeah...a switch for the RCA is something I thought about and will probably do.

There is a FAQ entry on this with the correct part number for the switch in question.

(In response to the "Pathintosh") I've seen this before...totally absurd in my mind.

Just had a neat little experience...Got engine noise in your Pathfinder Empeg install all of the sudden? Check the cigarette lighter connection! Apparently the electrical ground wire for the center console, while it does go to the chasis, is connected to multiple accessories in series. My lighter connection came loose and all of the sudden I had major engine noise in my speakers while using the Empeg. I plugged the lighter connection back in, and...instant silence. I imagine that this would apply to many nissan truck models around the 94-96 timeframe.

Anyone have an experience with the 2001 pathfinders? Im trying to intergrate the bose amp and speakers with my empeg but I have yet to find anyone making a proper wiring harness.

I did however order a PAC SWI-X from crutchfield because i simply could not live without my steering wheel controls.

I'll post some pictures of the SWI-X mounting, etc as soon as i find a proper harness for the unit.

Im trying to intergrate the bose amp and speakers with my empeg but I have yet to find anyone making a proper wiring harness.

Have you looked at the PAC OEM-1? It appears to work with the Nissan Bose systems if you look at their list. This is linked in the FAQ.

Crutchfield doesn't have the OEM-1 but www.tune-town.com does.

The OEM-1 will require 3 part numbers which probably will be:

1)RAD-RCA Universal harness for low level RCA output headunits (4 channel)
2)OEM-1 unit
3)AMP-NIS2 for Nissan Bose 95 & up (give TuneTown your truck info & they'll double check these numbers)

Apparenlty Crutchfield does have it, but ut is on back order....more are expected in Jan 3st.

Sounds great guys thanks for the info. I called PAC a couple weeks ago (upon ordering) but they were unsure about applications with the new pathfinder audio system (2000+). But they have since tested it out and it works.

One more thing does anyone know anywhere else to buy this setup tunetown.com doesn't want to ship to canada.