how to wire in I-pod fm transmitter?

[merc91]

i have a 91 marquis and a transmitter that plugs into the cig lighter. i would like to wire it into something so i will not have the ugly plug in the lighter spot.
so i'm wondering what wire to use as a donor for juice and how to find it and wire into it.

thanks, andy

[gadget73]

I'd probably go with a permanantly installed unit that sits behind the dash instead of using a cig lighter type and mounting it somewhere. Actually, if you have an aftermarket radio, you'll get much better results hard wiring it. I have an FM transmitter in my Mark VII, and it sucks. Its hard wired in and all, but the sound quality leaves much to be desired.

[85crownHPP]

if you are lucky you might have a yellow auxiliary wire/connector in with your stock radio wiring, then all you need is a banana plug crimp connector for plug and play action for whatever you decide to wire in.
Also you may have some ground spade tabs on your fire wall behind the radio...

[86VickyLX]

i have a 91 marquis and a transmitter that plugs into the cig lighter. i would like to wire it into something so i will not have the ugly plug in the lighter spot.
so i'm wondering what wire to use as a donor for juice and how to find it and wire into it.

thanks, andy

Stick it in the rear cig lighter lol.

[91waggin]

rather than using an fm transmitter, I would use an FM modulator. This is a box that the antenna plugs into, and then it plugs into the radio. It completely blocks off the 88.7 frequency, rather than trying to override it over the air. I pull the power for it off of the the power supply for the radio.

How it works.

http://www.crutchfield.com/learn/learningcenter/car/oem/connections_sound_quality.html?page=2

The one I use:

http://shop1.frys.com/product/4826540;jsessionid=pFpwhZDIeq9IszV9Bq8uaw**.node2?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG

[gabegt90]

I use my good old sony cassette adapter lol although I do clean my tape player from time to time

[gadget73]

rather than using an fm transmitter, I would use an FM modulator. This is a box that the antenna plugs into, and then it plugs into the radio. It completely blocks off the 88.7 frequency, rather than trying to override it over the air. I pull the power for it off of the the power supply for the radio.

How it works.

http://www.crutchfield.com/learn/learningcenter/car/oem/connections_sound_quality.html?page=2

The one I use:
http://shop1.frys.com/product/482654...H:MAIN_RSLT_PG

I have one, but a different brand. Mine sounds like garbage. Do you have issues with low volume level compared to regular FM, or noises? The one I have produces a high pitch sound, and its not coming from the alternator or anything. If the one you have works well, I'd consider buying one because as it is, I seldom use my mp3 player in the Mark VII just because it sounds like crap. Its a shame too, the install I did was pretty slick. There is a jack inside the center console and a switch to turn it on.

[merc91]

haha thanks, yeah i'm out in the country so not much interference really and fairly clear... minus hearing my rpm related whine through the speakers now and then. i'm 17 and rims and skins will leave me on empty so i have to do this stuff the cheep way. after 10g co-op next year tho some of that will be going to hardwireing ipod system and of course every other goodie for the sound system.

how does one get that damn radio out? i've tried coat hangers in the holes but she aint budgin

[91waggin]

I have one, but a different brand. Mine sounds like garbage. Do you have issues with low volume level compared to regular FM, or noises? The one I have produces a high pitch sound, and its not coming from the alternator or anything. If the one you have works well, I'd consider buying one because as it is, I seldom use my mp3 player in the Mark VII just because it sounds like crap. Its a shame too, the install I did was pretty slick. There is a jack inside the center console and a switch to turn it on.

I get a high-pitch sound if I try to charge the ipod while it's playing through the stereo. You can't turn the volume on the mp3 player all the way up, leave it at about 3/4 volume, and it does tend to be quieter than actual FM radio; just turn the head unit volume up. But the sound quality is pristine.

Where did you power the modulator from? Since mine draws 2.1 mA, I just tapped the keyed +12v wire that powers the radio. Very clean power, by design.

[91waggin]

haha thanks, yeah i'm out in the country so not much interference really and fairly clear... minus hearing my rpm related whine through the speakers now and then. i'm 17 and rims and skins will leave me on empty so i have to do this stuff the cheep way. after 10g co-op next year tho some of that will be going to hardwireing ipod system and of course every other goodie for the sound system.

how does one get that damn radio out? i've tried coat hangers in the holes but she aint budgin

Put the coathangers all the way in on both sides, and pull outwards on them towards the sides of the car. Then pull back.

[gadget73]

I get a high-pitch sound if I try to charge the ipod while it's playing through the stereo. You can't turn the volume on the mp3 player all the way up, leave it at about 3/4 volume, and it does tend to be quieter than actual FM radio; just turn the head unit volume up. But the sound quality is pristine.

Where did you power the modulator from? Since mine draws 2.1 mA, I just tapped the keyed +12v wire that powers the radio. Very clean power, by design.

tapped the cig lighter, which I'm aware isn't neccesarily the cleanest source. I've tried it without the car running or anything else turned on, it still makes the sound. I get it with no input either. I tapped the cig lighter as a temp source but I haven't gotten around to changing it. Probably it will end up on the radio but I don't want to actually splice into the factory wiring if I can help it. Mark VII electrical systems are a real mess, so the less I can alter the factory wiring the better I'll be.

[91waggin]

tapped the cig lighter, which I'm aware isn't neccesarily the cleanest source. I've tried it without the car running or anything else turned on, it still makes the sound. I get it with no input either. I tapped the cig lighter as a temp source but I haven't gotten around to changing it. Probably it will end up on the radio but I don't want to actually splice into the factory wiring if I can help it. Mark VII electrical systems are a real mess, so the less I can alter the factory wiring the better I'll be.

I just used a T-tap on the power wire, but I already have an aftermarket unit in place, with a different harness. If you use a T-tap on the power wire and you decide to take it off, you can just put a piece of electrical tape over the scar on the wire. If you have some electrical know-how (and IIRC, you do), you could make yourself a little filter capacitor kit to clean the power off of the cig lighter. Otherwise, buy the one I bought. It's great, and it's now down to only 10 bucks.

[86VickyLX]

I use my good old sony cassette adapter lol although I do clean my tape player from time to time

How'd you install that radio into your car?

[85crownHPP]

same way you'd install any head unit I'd imagine...

[86VickyLX]

yeah, you're probably right. You know he's got that newer style of tape deck found in later panther models.