Delco Radio Experts - Add MP3 Jack?
 

'99 Sunfire with factory AM/FM/Single CD & 7 Band Equalizer. Used in many Pontiac models mid '90s until at least '02 in some.

My son wants to add an Aux Jack for Ipod (has used a transmitter, but would prefer a jack). Searched all around, at least two guys have sold same radio they convert to add a jack. They get pretty good money for them but I'm trying to work with my existing unit to save $$$.

Found an adapter (GM9-AUX) that seemed perfect but seller says won't work with my radio, even though I believe it has a 9 pin connector at the back. Supposedly doesn't work with '95-'99 Radio with single play CD, something about the 9 pin jack used to control an external Cassette slave unit. Over my head. If somebody knows of one that will work with my radio, that would be great.

The guys adding the jacks to this same unit say it works without having a CD playing. In fact, I was told the CD is not on when the Ipod is in use. Of course, they don't want to tell me how to do it myself.

The proper way seems to wire the jack into the preamp somehow. When the Ipod is plugged in, it overrides the radio. No toggle switches, simple plug and play. All functions work normally, if a CD is inserted, it overrides the radio or if the Ipod is plugged in, will override that too.

I've searched all over but haven't found any instructions for doing this on a factory radio. I found an LS1 site, guys adding a jack to the connector between the radio and CD Player, but it requires the CD to play a blank CD to make it work. Gotta be a better way. Does anybody know how to wire a jack into this radio to work without needing a CD playing?

You can try hacking into the factory AM/FM/CD player similar to what theses people did on non GM cars:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Coro...ux-input-hack/

http://www.instructables.com/id/MP3-input/

Not wanting to screw up the factory radio in my daily driver I bought an FM transmitter and did this hack to remove the inductor and put an antenna on it. It made a world of difference. I live a mile from the radio towers with the strongest signal in my area. When I have this FM transmitter set to that station number it completely blocks out that station and all I hear is my mp3 player.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Belk...ansmitter-Mod/

I have successfully used this company's prodcts when retrofitting MP3/AUX into other vehicles...http://www.logjamelectronics.com/auxgm.html. Blitzsafe, Soundgate, and P.I.E are all good vendors and have been doing this for awhile. An adapter that sits inline with your existing eqipment will give you superior sound to an FM transmitter. Good luck.

Greg, thanks. But Logjam are the guys who told me their GM9-Aux won't work with my radio "because of the limitations of the factory radio itself". That is all they told me. Their Application Guide indicates that the 9-Pin Data Port at the rear of the factory AM/FM/SINGLE CD Headunit (that describes my radio) is used for an OEM Cassette Deck and not compatible. I don't have such a Cassette Deck installed and I'm unaware that any such thing was offered, but I figure they know and I simply don't understand.

I emailed another outfit offering what is probably the same type device hoping they'll know more, hasn't replied.

I'm baffled because this was such a common Pontiac Radio option in the Sunfire, TA, Grand Am, GP, Montana, etc. for several years, I figured somebody would have developed a solution.

Jason, thanks also. I had been to the Instructables site, found numerous examples. But all indicate that you either need a blank tape in the Cassette Player or a Blank CD in the CD Player. That sounds like a nuisance, especially since the converted units being sold don't require that. But more than anything, not being an electronics wiz, I wouldn't know how to mimic in my Pontiac radio what's been done in some other brand. Really need somebody that can tell me exactly what I need to do or at least provide a schematic for my radio to work from. Closest I found was a guy that converted a TA Radio, same Radio as mine except his had the Tape Player instead of the CD Player.

Perhaps the conversions that are being done are more complicated than I imagine.

I figure it is just a matter of having the proper Radio Shack Jack and then knowing where to solder it to the Board. Maybe cut a trace or two. If it is more than that, like requires special electronics be added to the circuit, then it is over my head anyway.

I'll keep searching. Thanks again.

There are two versions, right: one for pre-wired CD and the other for single play, no?


Does this one work? http://www.logjamelectronics.com/piegm10aux.html

Greg, I don't think so. Logjam didn't suggest offer anything to work for me. I don't have a connector for a CD Changer in the Trunk as far as I know, the Sunfire is not listed as an application for this, and they include the same note that this device is not compatible for the '95-'00 AM/FM/CD because they are not CD Changer capable.

I found a nice write-up on hard wiring a aux jack to the radio in an -04-'06 GTO. But it still required to run a blank CD to operate.