this is the first of many posts. I will do some things like showing you how to hook up a subwoofer to the oem radio. (running 2 amps), how to chage the LEDs in the A/c unit, several other thingys, nothing major, just quick tips and see if i can come up with something in the way. Plus, i dont have a thread, felt like starting one....

the first pic





edit: image as thumbnail

This post has been edited by njccmd2002: Jun 11, 2011 - 4:08 AM

looking forward with his thread!!!!!!!!!!!!

well, having problems attaching from phtobucket.

I took out the ac blower. Yes to all, its located underneath the glove box (behind). Looks like this...




after a while, and 4 screws out.. (leave the ones in the middle alone)



loks something nasty like this.......



after careful cleaning...




now its installed, and not throwing any dust.... . there you go, this is step one....

Please try to keep the thread clean....

I have a little mod i will post tomorrow....

edit: pics into thumbnails.

This post has been edited by njccmd2002: Jun 11, 2011 - 1:12 AM

Step one, buy supplies.



Step two. I decided that since i had a vert, i had a lot of problems with my central console. Not enough light. and then the ashtray had a blue led, but was not to bright enough. So this is what i did.

for the ashtray. I inverted the orientation of the led. Instead of pointing up, it points forward. i covered the original hole, created a new hole on the back. and this is how it looks....



Then, for the console.. I had already tought about this, though never had the chance. this is something simple. it only requires soldering skills and creating a mini harness. I am drawing power from the ashtray light. Now i will not go into many details as to where and how to solder.

This is the prototype.



I got a jumbo 12 volt led from Frys electronics, and stuff to make plugs...shrink tubing, etc...



Soldering in the right polarity, creating the harness for easy instalation and adding a pushbutton. (because these type of leds cannot resist being on a lot, it will be on demand) My final harness looks like this.



Now to install i drilled 2 1/2 inch holes (based on my items) in the center console, one for the button and the other for the light. If you look at the harness you dont need to put the plugs, but it makes it easier to install, change, and replace the led.



and at night, i can look inside my center console. This might not be a great deal for everybody, but verts have very poor lighting. So.

Cheap. total cost is 15 bucks. and 30 min....



tomorrow i will do the stereo. Like i said this is nothing fancy.

This post has been edited by njccmd2002: Jun 11, 2011 - 1:14 AM

im digin this ****,what is this thing u bought for frys???

>

jumbo led, push button switch, some wire cover, and stuff to make conections...

I have never been to frys in atlanta, but there is a lot of stuff. all you have to do is have money and imagination...

ya theres a frys fairly close to me, im in there a lot..

ok. Time to explain my stereo system.. again, this is how i did it, other people can do it different. So here is what i did. Clarifying, i wanted OEM look. Dont care for aftermarket radio as i spent nearly 200 bucks on the cd changer.....

A while back i got ahold of a 2002 camry 6 disc. It uses an amplifier, so i decided to get it on ebay. Little did i know that it was a 20 pin; which is used in 2002 and up . Our premium system is a 15 pin plug. So i decided to work on it. 6 disc changers with 15 plug are difficult to find, so i kept it.



so i decided to do homework, and with the help of some of the guys here and the following diagrams





i created the mixed harness. 15 plug on one side and 20 on the other. Simply by joining the wires with the same functions.... However if you look at it, it has a rca output and a blue wire... Yes.... What i did was to connect the rca from the rear speaker output, (if i drew power, i wont miss having the rear speakers sound softer). And the blue, simply for an amp remote.... SO YES, i will be using the OEM amp and a second amp for my subwoofers.....



by the way, recently i swaped my old oem amp with a new one, 99 +. Sounds better...



then again, another inconvenience... the output from the radios are line level.. YESS, but are not ideal for subwoofer frequency. i solved this by using a Clarion EQ with Sbuwoofer output. And the results are wonderful.



So whats the special part. Well I wanted to have the ability to turn my subs on demand. A switch!!!!



if you look at the pics, for the switch, i used shrink heat tubing, to prevent shorts...



i plan on using the switch near the radio under the gauges....

So there you have it. Im running two amps. OEM and a Jensen to power two 10 inch woofers...

next i will go about details of wiring the amp

This post has been edited by njccmd2002: Jun 11, 2011 - 1:18 AM

Ok many people in here have asked how to run the amp wire. From the BAttery to the inside.. Yes. But is not as simple as it looks...





First of all, i had already ran the wire as recommended by some of the guys here. But i did not like the fact i did it unprotected, so i bought some wire wrappers, to protect against shorts, and took pics, to show the location of the amp line... , this was optional for me... some people object to this.



I started wrapping the power line. The best way to run the line is to take the left front wheel off, and the underplastics from the left side. You need space to work...



once wrapped i pased it though a hole near the left side where the diagnosis plug is....



and if you look under the fender it comes out and then you pass it through the rubber seal into the cabin...




so now under the hood you can barely tell where the wire runs, and its somewhat protected against rubbing with metal....



i also wrapped some of the other harness i will be using and the speaker wires, since ill be running them under the carpet....





so there you have it, this is where i ran the power line for my second amp.... Total cost so far 20 bucks....

by the way i found this plug... i suspect is the mid level speaker plug for the 8 speaker system. Can anyone confirm....




This post has been edited by njccmd2002: Jun 11, 2011 - 1:28 AM

wire protectors,WHERES YOU SENSE OF ADVENTURE MAN!!!!lol great thread keep it coming

This post has been edited by CelicaST_CALI: Feb 26, 2008 - 11:39 PM

Ok, i had to redo my ac lights to blue, because i changed LED type.

Before anybody embarks into this, you must need to know.

1. It requires soldering techniques,
2. One member around here can do this service for a fee,
3. If you dont want to solder, you can buy the following





from the following... they are replacement with a base

http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-bin/sto...403&next=50

now after the disclaimer, this is how i did it, i soldered because i added more, im no professional, not i have a degree in electronics, im simply crazy next....

how to remove the ac. First, after you remove the radio bezel, there are two screws that still hold the cluster in place....

Look at the pic...



you can see it has two cables. The blue cable is held by a clip, that is located near the accelerator pedal. On the left side, under the dash. There is a plastic cup to removed, and remove the blue cable from the clip....

the black cable clip is located under the hood. Its near the brake master, between the brake and intake manifold i believe....

Once removed you have what you see im the pic. Some members ask me what i put in the front..



its a white fascia (sticker) i bought from ebay. It matches my gauges...

this is what i will be using, i have removed the bottom part of the led, carefully to bent the wires and solder them, this was tricky, and i messed up a couple of them



this is the board. To remove it you have to undo 10 to 14 screws, and carefully take it out. Be careful not to damage it. You can see a blue wire, , well i messed up when testing my lights, it caused a short and melted the circuit road.. I had to recreate.. So be careful.....



i decided to solder 5 LEDS, because they do not have full coverage, like a bulb, i had to solder an extra 2, in a diferent orientation, so it could give light appropriately. This was a pain, cutting one to the bare led, and exposing the led....

after it looked like this...



the one located on the right (between the fresh/recirc, and A/c) there are two, one is cut and bent to guide light into the AC button.. sorry i dont have a better pic. You can only do 1 here, but the A/C button will look dim. For the defroster button the same, soldered a LED...

since i had an extra cut led



i decided to mount that one in the bulb holder of the cig lighter. This one was tough.... Warning, >>if you use the lighter it can be a fire hazard>>... i only use it to charge my cell phone.



i had to create a wire that contained the resistor and the diode, of course watching my polarity, so the led did not get burned...



then cut the original bulb harness from the car, soldered the resistor with the wire in between the LED and the power source. (always watch the polarity) and the result is this



i dont have a pic of my dashboard because im still working on my car, and plan to take the carpet out. I think it has a smell, and want to lay it out in the sun...

so there you go, its not an easy job, never said it was easy. There might be other ways like painting the inside plastics, using a blue sharpie on the bulbs, i wanted LEDS, because im doing LEDs all over the place.... Im going LED crazy. I have ordered 100 blue 1206 SMT. for something i have planned and also some 94 LED for my gauges, cluster they are still on the mail.

This post has been edited by njccmd2002: Jun 11, 2011 - 1:32 AM

What diode did you use for the cigarette ring? Im currently doing the same mod and thought I could just get away with a resistor?? Also in my Ac unit and ash tray I have similar bulbs, do you need to place a diode in these too?

>


the LEDs that i bought from vleds, had a diode and a resistor. if you look at the pics of the leds (inside)...

what i did, is simply desolder them and use them in a different place...

A diode allows current to flow in only ONE direction. If you hook up the polarities right, you can get away with only a resistor. I have had LEDs with no diodes.... i just used this one cause it came with it... GL tell me how it goes...

This post has been edited by njccmd2002: Mar 1, 2008 - 9:24 PM

made some progress this weekend....

took the carpet off, it had water because of rain... i had to dry it in the sun, did not take that much. Of course i added a little air freshener...



now, this is a before look at my car..



this is an after look. I added some extra padding, hoping it will deaden the noise a little better....



tucked all the wires underneath, wrapped all loose wires.. then I had to drill a hole in the back to bring the box wires to the truck..



My subs connected. They are what money can buy. Ill start saving for a better box too. (custom)

This is how may amp looks, tucked under the seat, no loosey wires flopping around..



I can access the EQ controls from underneath the seat. I has enough clearance..



and after a couple of hours, and putting everything together, the ac controls, trim, etc, etc....

my car is nearly done....



Except the clock, i took it out. Ill be working on it

as you can see, i like OEM look. With a couple of mods. This is it for now. There are things planned, but not until i get my supplies.. So far ive only spent bout 30 bucks, but plenty of hours...

Hope somebody finds this tips useful, and if any questions arise, feel free to PM...

ill see you guys later, (cont with this in a couple of days)....

This post has been edited by njccmd2002: Jun 11, 2011 - 1:48 AM

pretty good everything you are doing!
i think i will follow your way and change my ac control unit to leds,,
so if in the process i need help i will come to your post,,

kind of an update, the fabric under the carpets, has made my cabin quieter.. And having an on demand amp is sweet..

I can have my radio on, and if some idi** comes next to me looking at like my system is crap, i just flip the swithc for extra juice...

something arrived by mail today...



and for some teaser pics..



This post has been edited by njccmd2002: Jun 11, 2011 - 1:49 AM

bump x2

>

what is that!
why so many green lights??

>

thats its why its called a teaser.. so many green, but one is blue. Bottom left corner

This post has been edited by njccmd2002: Jun 11, 2011 - 1:53 AM

nice job on turning the stock radio color to blue. It takes skills soldering SMT parts... I know coz I work in an electronics manufacturing plant. I don't do soldering but I'm well knowledgeable on how it works. How'd you find out the part number for the LEDS?

ok, i will give a free preview, i am not done yet. I have worked over 4 hours, but halfway done.... , i miscalculated the supplies so i will have to order more...

but here it is...



I am trasnforming my OEM 6 disc changer to blue... I still have to work on the display...
I will post instructions when i get a chance....

This post has been edited by njccmd2002: Jun 11, 2011 - 1:54 AM

^^ wow that is very nice

what material was used under the carpet. im planning on doing something like this but dynamat is too heavy and i dont think it makes much of a difference..

would you recommend it to others for a quite cabin?

This post has been edited by celicaGT96: Mar 7, 2008 - 12:45 PM

>


I have a vert, so its noisy in nature. What i used is (have you ever moved with U-hAUL) the movin blankets. I had misplaced two of these, and ended up paying for them . But if you look at the original OEM padding, they are same material, except OEM are thicker. I left the oem in place and added extra padding.

Some people have used cork, sprayed rubber, dynamat. This was at no cost to me, since i had it. Ever since i lowered my car, it was very road noisy, but now>> i think it has very much improved the noise in my cabin>>. I believe toyota used that stuff for a reason, i just made it thicker , plus is comfy.

If you have no plans to spend to much, i would tell you go ahead.. I think there are some versions of the fabric at walmart...

Hollow cans transmit noise very good, dissipating the sound waves, what im doing, helps reduce the noise.

GL

>


Sick NJ, real sick! Totally love it dude! Keep up the good work!

Hey, not to make anyone feel bad, but my job has made a 360 turn lately , and im spending a lot of time not at home. I have gotten requests to help some folks out here to do the job, but i cannot at this moment . Im putting about 60 - 80 hours a week in my job, and berely have time to work on my car...

It makes me happy to have people asking me to help, but dont take it the wrong way, i cannot take the responsibilty of potentially messing up your a/c. Soldering can be a non reversible mod, and the heat can fry circuits, so id be lying to anyone that there is no risk involved. I do this as my hobby, and if i mess something up in my car, i can pick up the tab . I wish i could help you more.

There is actually a guy doing a very good job here, but i cant remember his name. he charges about 40 bucks...

sorry if i could not be of much help. thanks for asking ...

Its really not that bad, i will post a video of soldering as soon as time permits.. And you wont be spending more than a couple of bucks in a soldering iron and stuff..

the type you can twist on can also be used, however the led does not spread light in all directions, so i had to hack 2 leds to angle them.... look at the pics



you can on the first one you can see 3 holes that look kind of burned, well those are the holes were the original bulbs were, i had to add some soldering material there, on the left there is a 74 led bulb hacked, I bent the legs,
look at this one


you can clearly see 5 leds, 3 on the left and two on the right... the ones on the right one is angled horizontally...

The LED are protected, meaning if you soldered the wrong polarity, it wont light, but it wont mess up. Just reverse.

cheers...

This post has been edited by njccmd2002: Jun 11, 2011 - 1:55 AM

time to share. couple of hours before i go back to work. These pics were taken last week...

This one uses advance soldering techniques, what i used was no necessarily the best equipment, there are numerous tools to work with smt, but costly..

>>how to do work with SMT>> (surface mounted diodes) I decided i wanted a blue radio, which im still waiting on supplies, but whereis what i have so far....

this is what the radio looks like, this was not my idea, actually the whole explanation can be found in

http://www.spydermods.com/legacy/radiocolor.htm (giving this guy the credit ) found it a couple months ago, never had the bal** to do it.

after all the instructions are followed to take apart the radio, I desoldered the LCD screen, in the pic its in the button. This takes nearly 2 hours as you dont want to break it.. I used desoldering braid from radio shack



this is a look closer of the desoldered terminals...careful, careful, patience, it will come out, dont break it



this is my working bench.. Secure enough so that is stable and you dont burn....



so what does an SMT look like, well is about a couple of mm, my radio had 27 of them... But wait, it also had some SMT called PLCC (side mounted). I tought my radio was like the guys explanation above, so this is whats holding me... Here is a pic. The big one is a PLCC and on the side you can see a smt.

I am using 1206 smt, blue, 3.4 volts, 500 mcd 20mAmps. Bought them from ebay... I am waiting on the PLCC 600mcd blue side mounted ones. I am not finished just yet...



here is the board a couple of hours into the work. You can see all the SMT's laying around there....



So, everybody is asking how did i do this. I have 2 videos for your viewing pleasure..

Basic steps,
1. with a hobby knife and a solder iron, carefully lift the old smt. Patience, as you dont want to damage the circuit board, go side from side until you release, it does not matter if you burn it, as is trash.

2. With desoldering braid, lift the remains of the solder component from the board, to prepare for a clean smooth surface. This will make placing the new smt easier..

3. Place smt on correct polarity. Usually they have a mark on the side, and or the bottom, telling you the direction fo current. The first two are trial and error, after that you usually know how to.

4. Carefully solder the smt in place, they can take up to 200 degrees up to 5 seconds so be quick. What i did was to cover the tip of the solder iron with the soldering wire/component, and then lightly touch each surface, youll see the smt not moving anymore..

5. Place 5 or 6 at a time, then recheck. you can place the board without the display in your radio. You will melt a few, and some might not even work, so buy plenty

6. Variations of the number of leds depending on your radio. Do you have a orange piooner radio, well you can do this.. This will void any existing warranty.

7. As always careful, you mess the board, get yourself a new radio...

and for videos ..



and different view..




cheers... BTW the whole process can take you up to 8 hours, so grab snickers, chips and soda. Oh have the dog next to you for all the necessary cuzzing (i love my dog)

This post has been edited by njccmd2002: Jun 11, 2011 - 1:58 AM

so, now that i have shown how to solder and desolder, here is how to hack a 74 LED.

Used a dremel tool. Carefully cut the center of led around in circular. Do not cut right trough, or the resistor will be cut. Just like opening a can of sardines, just around the border.



sorry bout the out of focus, kind of difficult, seeing the lcd of camera and hacking..

With the open led, you can solder the diode and resitor in different angles, or mount the led in the lighter and put the resistor in the wire as a harness, just as how i explained earlier in my post..

This post has been edited by njccmd2002: Jun 11, 2011 - 2:13 AM

I love this thread, it should get a sticky or something. This is by far the best most detailed thread about soldering I've seen on here.