installing a stereo in a 76 GMC help

[76_GMC]

Ok. I just bought my new project. Im in the process of doing a stereo system in it. I got the Sony deck installed I used the factory wires to splice into from the old deck. But now my cd player only turns on when I turn my headlights on. I don't know what wire to splice into to keep it on without turning the headlights on. Kinda a pain to have to turn the marker lights on just to get the stereo to turn on. My second problem is I don't know where to run my wire from the battery through the firewall to the amp. Any suggestions or help would be a huge huge help.

I'm good at general mechanics but a complete idiot when it comes to wires and electrical systems. I believe I hooked it up to the dimmer switch and I can't find a constant 12v wire to splice into.

Help. Haha.

[zieg85]

The yellow power wire should be yellow in color if I remember correctly.  A constant power source could be taken off the cigarette lighter if equipped which is orange.

[76_GMC]

So the yellow one is the auxiliary power and the one off the cigarette lighter is Orange with a black strip? Just wanna be sure I got it correct. I'll try splicing into the one off the back of the cigarette lighter. Thanks for the help. Now I just need to find a spot to run my amp wire through.  Thanks for the help I appreciate it.

[GUITAR1989]

Thats how I did mine yellow wire that was on old stereo and orange wire that goes to the lighter. Worked like a dream

[1979C20]

Instead of slicing into other wires. Put a male quick disconnect ok the end of the yellow wire with an in line fuse on it and plug it into the power side of an open, non ignition control slot on the fuce panel. And you can then plug the red and white wire for the keyed control(turns the stereo.hn on or off with the ignition) into one of the open ignition slots on the fuse box.

[GUITAR1989]

Well....I wish I would have thought of that when I installed my stereo...well im installing my tach today...would it be allright to take the key on wires from the tachometer and stereo and wire em to the same terminal? and would the constant 12v wires be ok to connect to the same terminal also?

[1979C20]

Well....I wish I would have thought of that when I installed my stereo...well im installing my tach today...would it be allright to take the key on wires from the tachometer and stereo and wire em to the same terminal? and would the constant 12v wires be ok to connect to the same terminal also?

Technically, yes. There shouldnt be any problems.

So the yellow one is the auxiliary power and the one off the cigarette lighter is Orange with a black strip? Just wanna be sure I got it correct. I'll try splicing into the one off the back of the cigarette lighter. Thanks for the help. Now I just need to find a spot to run my amp wire through.  Thanks for the help I appreciate it.

Personally, I don't like or approve of slicing and splicing into other wires. Eventually it turns into a hack job and no one knows whats what! So, I try to give everything its own designated wire/power supply. Ill share grounds, but thats a little different. I ran my amp cable through the grommet for the hood release cable in the fire wall, but if your truck doesnt have an internal release, I'm not sure where to run it.

[1979C20]

Well....I wish I would have thought of that when I installed my stereo...well im installing my tach today...would it be allright to take the key on wires from the tachometer and stereo and wire em to the same terminal? and would the constant 12v wires be ok to connect to the same terminal also?

Just thought of something else.... Why are you running a key on wire to the tach? Most tachs I've seen are 4 wire Black-ground Red-positive Green-tach signal and Blue-dimmer. The dimmer, I tapped into one of the dash cluster light sockets so when you turn the parking/headlights on the tach light comes on and dims with the cluster.

[GUITAR1989]

Yeah it didnt need a key on the 4th wire was white instead of the blue and it went to the lighting. I got it all wired up to test the gauge but im gonna wait to put my dash back in so I can get some shrink wrap and connecters to clean up my wiring