Stock Radio Fiasco - '91

[Zap]

I'm being driven crazy trying to get a radio setup working in the '91. I would greatly appreciate if someone has insight as to why none of the radio systems are fully functional.

Right now I've tried a Radio/CD combo from a TBird that looks similar to the stock JBL from the '91, however it only plays at normal volume over one side of the speakers and one of the lights stays on with the key off.

The other radio appears to be a GenII styled JBL radio with green lighting. It doesnt have any audio output, but appears to work normally otherwise. It doesn't have a jumper for the CD connection, but it had no CD player with it.

Finally, I attempted to see if my JBL/CD combo from the '95 would work, but it did not function in the '91. I am gathering there was a change or two from the GenI to GenII stereos.

So, I would really like to know if I can get any of these to actually function, or what I would need to get them working.

Part numbers for the various radios:
F4CF-19B132-CC - GenII styled stereo
F0LF-19B165-BA - TBird Stereo
E9SF-19B160-AC - CD player from TBird

As an additional note, the TBird stereo doesnt have the JBL cables with it, and the '91 doesnt have the power cable for the CD player, which I need to add, but the audio comes out even if the CD isn't connected.
Thanks!

 

[jelloslug]

Your 1st gen radio sounds like you have a bad head unit if only one side works. You will have to do internal modification (fairly simple though) to get it to work with a slave CD player though. I have seen this many times in 1st and 2nd gen radios. The second radio you have is for a non-premium (or non JBL) car. You can make it work but I would not recommend it. To get the equipment from the '95 to work you will need to swap in the JBL amp from a 2nd gen. Ford changed the voltage on the amp turn on lead from 12 volts on the first gens to 5 volts on the 2nd gens so a 2nd gen radio will not turn on a 1st gen amp.

 

[HyperMikeD!]

Im kinda running into the same problem in my '90 but I think I might have a bad amp.

The stock **** style radio worked but would crackle and then the volume would go to zero after it got warmed up.

I swapped in the digital head unit from a '92 that had the plugs for the JBL amps and cd player. It sounded good for about 5 minutes then the volume went to zero.

So I dunno...guess I have a bad radio and amp.

Any ideas ?

 

[FRDSHOGRL93X3]

Had a similiar prob and it was because I was missing a little jumper plug in thing that goes on the back of the head unit. For the cd player you remove it but make sure you have all the wires/harnesses, 2 I think? The harnesses change/adapts into the cars harness connections. 1 black or gray? cable and a harness piece w/connectors on each end?

 

[JrodSVT]

actually my 91 is doing something weird also it is not giving me the cd I put in back and it will not play any sound sometimes it will and i will be able to get the cd out but not right now. just sits there making crackling sounds. this is the radio and cd slave that came from the factory.