90 Miata Stereo

suuup peeps. Hey I need an AM/FM stereo for my 90 Miata. As yall prolly know the radio opening is only 7' wide on the early Miatas therefore I'm having a heck of a time finding a factory AM/FM. I'm looking for either a AM/FM/CD w/ NO CASSETTE OR simply an AM/FM stereo (NO CASSETTE). I have a great little Alpine in-dash equalizer I want to put in, but if I use a radio w/ built-in cassette it takes up all the space and I can't use it..SooOooo if you have one of the radios mentioned above and wanna get rid of it at a reasonable charge then holla at me at this e-mail addy...thank yeew

Reply to
david
Loading thread data ...

Golly, I would think that with a 7' wide opening you could put any home system you want in there, if you have the necessary height. Now you just need 110 power... ;)

John

Reply to
John

Do you have to remove the front console under the shifter, including storage box to pull out the part that cover the radio? How long a process? Also, once you get to it, does the radio simply pop out after uncrewing it from the base.

Reply to
Pat

Pat,

It's all pretty easy.

Ken

Reply to
Ken Stoorza

It's easy to do.

Take out the center console, there are two screws in the glove box, one screw on either side of the shifter on the side of the tunnel. You'll need to take off the shift knob as well (assuming you have a STD, no one in their right mind has a Miata with an auto)

Anyway, then there are two screws on the bottom of the plastic surround and two screws under the two air vents. The air vents just pop out.

Once you get that out, you'll see what you're up to. The radio is held in with 4 screws on a bracket. You can mount nearly any DIN radio in there. I used to have a DIN Sony in mine until it broke and I put the original radio back in. There is a larger "cubbyhole" plastic thing that will fit under a DIN radio to take up the extra space if you want. The dealer can get it for you. I'd have to dig it up to find the part number on it if you can't get it from a dealer.

Good luck, this is easy. The hardest part is figuring out how to mount the new radio and possibly drilling holes in the radio mounting cage to fit hte screw holes.

Reply to
Bill Jackson

I've seen a couple methods documented. Is the one where you snake a string between the vents considered to be the least evasive when it comes to minimizing damage?

There is a larger "cubbyhole" plastic thing that will fit under a

What is DIN? Is it a connector on the radion, and do I need a speical tool for removal. I notice Crutchfield has them for sale.

Also, I have that black plastic piece you are referring to under my radio. Not sure what its for. It kind of reminds me of the plasic part that covers unused drive bays in PCs.

I'm going to first try and repair the old radio, being a frugal type that I am. I understand the silly fuse is actually soldered in. What genius thought of that. If I go the new radio route, I will find one that will not blow if I accidently reverse the polarity.

Reply to
Pat

Pat, it is a nightmare.

First, you will almost (if you are lucky) break your gearbox getting the shift knob off.

Then all the screws keeping the shift console in. The ones in the storage compartment may be hard to reach. Hopefully you won't forget the one below the ashtray and break the console. Fortunately, you are only interested in getting the radio out, not back in, so I can skip telling you about all the wires going there.

Then the center console. Pulling out the eyeball vents has many theories, (miata.net), each with their true believers, but it is no picnic. Believe me.

Then there are screws that are *behind* the vents. Maybe with a magnetic screw driver, they will not go down the drain and destroy your AC. If you are careful and lucky.

Then detach a connector and pull off the center console that is held on by clips. And that one screw in the corner that you forgot and breaks the console. The clips sometimes come off as they should.

Then unscrew the radio. Now the real fun begins.

Have you dealt with those plastic electrical connectors that are almost impossible to get apart? Now imagine that they are unaccessible behind a radio and you can hardly get a tip of a finger on them.

Since you are only interested in getting the radio out, I won't need to tell you about what happens when after long labor, you have everything back together. It is dreadful.

Leon

Reply to
Leon van Dommelen

First, the shift knob comes out too easily. I plan to tighten it when I'm done. I found this guide:

I think the earlier Miatas might be a little easier than your '96. The onlky part that bothers me is PART 6, where you have to reach behind and get the headlight wires.

"The center dash piece is also held in with metal spring clips. To remove the center dash piece simply grab hold of it at strong points along the sides and pull it from the dash.

Once the center dash piece is pulled away from the dash a few inches, reach behind it and unplug the plug for the headlights-up and emergency buttons. Press in on the plug's locking tab release and unplug. The headlight covers will not operate while this plug is removed."

formatting link

Regards taking off the eye-ball vents, I found this:

formatting link

Reply to
Pat

That's funny it didn't seem all that hard to me. No harder than any other Japanese car, really. Maybe a little tighter, but not horrible.

-- Tonyrama Crystal White '93 A

Reply to
tonyrama

Maybe an aftermarket one? Or someone took it off once already and did the hard work for you. (Cant't blame them for screwing it back on loosely.)

Detaching the headlight switch is the only part that is very straightforward. Access is good and the connector comes off readily.

Both the screwdriver and the string bit are a major pain in the neck.

Leon

Reply to
Leon van Dommelen

If you would repost this query in English you might get more coherent and relevant responses...

Ya' know what I'm sayin' (picture me grabbing my crotch).

Reply to
Cliff Knight

Leon, I have the stock shift knob in the '91. Its easy but I can only speak for my car.

There is a guide showing three methods for popping the eyeballs vents. The third method seem the most interesting and it uses pieces of cloth and a technique for yanking at an angle.

Thanks for the comments, all of you. I now have a good idea how to get at the radio. If I had a remaining concern, its the plugs in the back of the radio. It seems this varies all over the place. If I understand correctly, there are about three different connectors back there. A ground, a coax, and the speaker wires. Is that going to be tough if you can't see the connectors. Is it easy to feel how to disconnect them. In my experience, connectors can push and twist to come out. Unscrew for some. Press a detent and pull out for others. Just pull out for many in home stereo type connectors. I wish someone had shown photos of the stock '90 radio and other years, front and back plus connectors. Even diagrams would be cool.

Reply to
Pat

The last picture has one connector and the grounding wire visible.

formatting link
the connectors are both of the push-tab-in type. Leon

Reply to
Leon van Dommelen

to get at

back of the

correctly,

ground, a coax, and

the

experience,

Press a detent

type

radio and other

cool.

I've got the stock radio for my '90 around somewhere - I could dig it up and send you some photos.

Iva & Belle.) '90B Classic Red.) #3 winkin' Miata

Reply to
Iva

If you could, that would be great.

Reply to
Pat

Picture a bit fuzzy but good to study.

I plan to repair the radio, if I can. If not, I guess its time for a new unit. One big pain is that most radios today have so many gaudy displays. About the best affordable one, to me, is the Alpine CDM-9703. Unfortunately, it has no dimmer. The lights are bright and they stay bright. Yet, the sound is decent and the price is right.

formatting link
The other CD Receiver unit is the Nakamichi CD-400 and pricey, yet solid unit that I really prefer. It feels like quality build and has very little in glitz.

formatting link

Reply to
Pat

could

Well, I can't find the radio at the moment and I've spent 2 days looking. We moved less than a year ago and apparently it's still in a box - somewhere.

I'll keep looking.

Iva & Belle.) '90B Classic Red.) #3 winkin' Miata

Reply to
Iva

Thanks, I can wait.

One curiousity about the replacement radio. Did it interface with the existing wiring, regards door speakers (Front), headrest speakers (Rear), ground, and antenna input.

Basically, I am wondering if you need to run new wiring and/or add interface cabling for mating connectors, et al?

Reply to
Pat

if you buy your new radio from Crutchfield, they'll usually throw in a free wiring kit that includes the mating connector for all of the connectors in the car. This is quite handy since you don'thvae to touch the wires on the car to install a third party radio.

When I had my replacement in my Miata I got this connector. I wired the front (door) speakers to the front and the headrest speakers to the rear. Be careful about impedance and how you wire the headrest speakers if you put your own in (I did) since two 8-ohm speakers wired in parallel is a 4-ohm load to the receiver. If you've got 4-ohm speakers you might want to consider wiring them in series. (series wiring adds the impedance together, parallel wiring divides by two)

Reply to
Bill Jackson

What is the impedence of the '91 headrest speakers that Mazda put in at the factory?

Reply to
Pat

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.