Bench Testing Radio

jamoor

jamoor

jamoor

Soldato
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Nottinghamshire
Hi,

Does anyone know how to test a car stereo without a car? Specifically the models out of E46 BMWs, little business head units.

I believe they may be coded to the specific car, rendering them useless if you tried to use it?

If anyone has any info, that would be great.

Thanks.
 
Generally a 12v battery, some wires, an arial and a speaker. If its coded the code should be in the manual, if not, there is always a local "guy" who can decode radios. Ours is called Kenny Decode funnily enough. This is a very generic reply, but it appears to be a very generic question. I am not aware of anything magical about BMW HUs.
 
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They have a key code, mine is in the handbook , a little blue card, just the same as my old e39.

As Fox says, they are not coded to the specific car as such.
 
R420LA6X2/4MNA said:
They have a key code, mine is in the handbook , a little blue card, just the same as my old e39.

As Fox says, they are not coded to the specific car as such.
Click to expand...

They gave up with codes a long time ago, yours must be one of the last as mine hasn't got one nor had the e46 one I sold to someone a long time ago :p
 
[TW]Fox;22726805 said:
They gave up with codes a long time ago, yours must be one of the last as mine hasn't got one nor had the e46 one I sold to someone a long time ago :p
Click to expand...

Probably mate, the e39 was a '97, the e46 is a '98.

Come to think of it, my e38 had a code too.
I'm not surprised they ditched it, I would imagine the black market for built in BMW Hu's is non existent.
 
You will need this

http://www.bimmerwerkz.com/forum/audio-electronics/e46-wire-guides-complete-21429.html

Radio Connector --

1 - yellow/red left front +
2 - blue red right front +
3 - yellow/black left rear +
4 - black (not used)
5 - violet/white 12 volt switched (HU power line)
6 - blue/black right rear +
7 - white / red Not Used
8 - brown/orange left front -
9 - red/green + terminal battery connection
10 - white Not Used
11 - brown/orange right front -
12 - brown/orange left rear -
13 - grey/red illumination
14 - brown/orange right rear -
15 - brown ground
16 - white remote amp turn on



Amp Connector -- The Connector is laid out as follows

13_21 __ 34_42
12_20 __ 33_41
11_19 __ 32_40
10_18 __ 31_39
09_17 __ 30_38
08_16 __ 29_37
07_15 __ 28_36
06_14 __ 27_35
_ 05 _____ 26
_ 04 _____ 25
_ 03 _____ 24
_ 02 _____ 23
_ 01 _____ 22

1 - brown rear left speaker -
2 - yellow rear left speaker +
3 - blue/brown front left woofer -
4 - blue/white front left woofer +
5 - red/green terminal 30 from fuse F41
6 - green positive activation for subwoofer from HU
7 - white subwoofer switched to sub amp pin 2
8 - blue/black rear right + AF radio from HU
9 - blue rear right - AF radio from HU
10 - white antenna switching signal from HU
11 - blue/black front right tweeter +
12 - blue/brown front right tweeter -
13 - yellow rear right tweeter +
14 - blue/green negative activation for subwoofer to sub amp pin 6
15 - yellow/black from spatial sound button on dash
16 - brown/orange rear right - AF radio from HU
17 - brown/orange front right - AF radio from HU
18 - Not Used
19 - black/green speedometer signal to sub pin 7
20 - black/white speedometer output from instument cluseter control module
21 - blue/yellow rear right tweeter -
22 - blue/brown front right woofer -
23 - blue/red front right woofer +
24 - brown rear right speaker -
25 - blue rear right speaker +
26 - brown ground to chassis
27 - Not Used
28 - Not Used
29 - brown/orange rear left - AF radio from HU
30 - brown/orange front left - AF radio from HU
31 - yellow/black rear left tweeter +
32 - yellow/brown rear left tweeter -
33 - yellow/red front left tweeter +
34 - yellow/brown front left tweeter -
35 - Not Used
36 - Not Used
37 - yellow/black rear left + AF radio from HU
38 - yellow/red front left + AF radio from HU
39 - blue/white front left mid-range -
40 - white front left mid-range +
41 - blue/green front right mid-range -
42 - green front right mid-range +



Subwoofer Amp --

6_7_8_9_10
1_2_3_4_5

1 - green positive activation from amp pin 6
2 - white subwoofer switched from amp pin 7
3 - Not Used
4 - brown ground to chassis
5 - red/green Terminal 30; power from fuse F41
6 - blue/green negative activation from apm pin 14
7 - black/green Speedometer output from amp pin 19
8 - Not Used
9 - Not Used
10 - Not Used
Click to expand...

You will need to connect 5 & 9 to the (+) of your power supply/battery and 15 to ground/negative (-).

Then connect a speaker to one of the (+/-) pairs in the same connector. Don't go attacking it with a house speaker though, should be from a car - otherwise the impedance may blow something up.

This may all be easier if you have an ISO adapter/bit of car loom, or you will be poking live wires into awkward off places.

I use one of these, but its handy for everything - but a tad expensive for this application ! In theory you wont be drawing too many amps because you wont be banging tunes, so any adjustable supply should power the unit up (within reason, at least 3-5 amps). Or an old car battery, but for the love of god, use a fuse if you are doing that - as 300 Cold cranking amps down a tiny wire will burn your finger tips off in no time.
http://www.maplin.co.uk/bench-power-supply-with-lcd-screen-219129
 
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Nomisf said:
Then connect a speaker to one of the (+/-) pairs in the same connector. Don't go attacking it with a house speaker though, should be from a car - otherwise the impedance may blow something up.
Click to expand...

It won't. Home hi-fi speakers are most always 6-8 Ohms impedance, car speakers are 4 Ohms. Increasing the impedance puts less stress on the amplifier, though modern car audio output stages almost always have thermal and short circuit protection anyway.
 
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