Nissan Z31 300ZX Aftermarket Stereo Installation Guide
 

ZBUM's Nissan Z31 300ZX Aftermarket Stereo Installation Guide

Color Codes:

• B = black
• G = green
• L = blue
• LG = light green
• R = red
• W = white
• Y = yellow

For below:

• Abbrieviation = Color of wire = Long name
• The color after the slash (/) is the stripe color. i.e. R/G = red wire with green stripe.
• SF, GL, and SS models should all be the same.

All models:

• ILL = R/G = Illumination
• IGN = Y/G = Ignition (12V when key is in ACC or ON position)
• 12V = L/R = Always 12V
• ANT = G/B = Signal to antenna
• RF+ = R/W = Right Front Speaker Positive
• RF- = R = Right Front Speaker Negative
• LF+ = L/W = Left Front Speaker Positive
• LF- = L = Left Front Speaker Negative
• GND = _ = Ground = any metal contact point on the frame.

SF, GL, SS (no external amp)

• RR+ = R/B = Right Rear Speaker Positive
• RR- = R = Right Rear Speaker Negative
• LR+ = L/B = Left Rear Speaker Positive
• LR- = L = Left Rear Speaker Negative

GLL (external amp under passeger seat)

• RR+ = R/G = Right Rear Speaker Positive
• RR- = R/Y = Right Rear Speaker Negative
• LR+ = LG/W = Left Rear Speaker Positive
• LR- = LG/B = Left Rear Speaker Negative

Radio Hole (all years)
The stock Z31 radio is an odd size. It's about 1.5 DIN tall, but slightly wider and not rectangular. It is very simple to install a normal DIN size unit with no modification to the dash. The radio plate to fill the hole left by the original stereo can easily be found at most stereo shops. The ones I've bought are made by METRA and is part number 99-7411. It says the application is for "Nissan 300ZX 84-87", but it works for all Z31s (84-89).

GLL Models (all years)
All GLLs in 84 (this includes the AEs) had the front speaker amplifier built into the head unit. The amplifier under the passenger seat was for the rear speakers only. For AEs, the amp under the driver's seat was for the body sonic speakers. From 85 and on, the amp in the GLLs was used for all speakers. ALL GLL models have seperate leads for each corner (dash tweeters, if applicable, are wired in parallel with the door speakers). This means you don't need to rewire anything. Simply run the speaker leads from the stereo (or amplifier) to under the passenger seat and connect to the existing speaker leads. You may remove the amplifier and the DIN cable that comes from the stereo.

Common Ground (SF, GL, SS models)
No new stereo (at least, none of the decent ones) can handle common ground applications. This means you need to run new wires for a pair of speakers (either front or rear). When you run new wires, if you've already cut the old plugs off, tape off the wires. You do not need to worry about the extra wire that appears to go no where. From the point of view of the stereo, it doesn't matter if you rewire the front or the rear.

Voice Warning (aka Bitching Betty) (84-86 GL and GLL models only):
The voice warning only came in the 84-86 GL and GLL models. SF models and 87-89 Z31s did not have the voice warning system. It works by stopping the signals going to the front left speaker(s) and replacing it with a signal of its own. Even without a stereo in the car, the voice warning would still work if the speaker is still there and hooked up to the stock wiring.If you want to keep the voice warning, you rewire the rear speakers and use the stock front wires.The voice warning unit is located above and behind the ECU in the passenger kick panel. It's hidden by a piece of insulation. It is possible to totally rewire the stereo system and use totally new speaker wire and still retain the voice warning. There are many ways to do it. One way is to run the wires for the front left speaker to the voice warning unit speaker lead inputs. Then run the speaker lead outputs to the front left speaker. Another option is to add a dedicated speaker (any basic full range speaker will work) and simply run the outputs to this speaker.

Antenna Half Mast Operation (84-86 models only):
The 84-86 also had an antenna switch for full height/half mast operation. If you wish to retain this feature, simply transplant the switch to the new stereo plate and plug it in. If your switch is broken, any single pole switch will work fine. If you don't care about it, you should connect the two wires that were plugged into the antenna switch. If they are not connected, your antenna will never go up more than half mast. Half mast operation has significant degredation of reception performance.

Steering Wheel Controls: (Most GLL models)
The steering wheel controls are operated off an LED built into the steering wheel and the steering column. The LED sending unit is a box in the steering wheel. The LED receiver unit is a box attached to the steering column. This box also consists of a transmitter box to send a signal to the receiver located under the rear compartment (2 seater) or rear seats (4 seater). Removal of the receiver box will remove your cruise control functionality. You may, however, remove the DIN cable that goes from this box to the stereo. There is a device that is sold for approximately $80 to $100 that will allow you to retain the steering wheel controls if your new stereo accepts IR remote signals. I do not have any experience with it, so I cannot give any more information than the fact that it exists.

Diversity Tuning: (Most GLL Models)
Most of the GLLs also had what's called diversity tuning. This means the rear window had an antenna mounted in it as well as the stock power antenna in the back corner. If the stereo you buy doesn't have diversity tuning (most do not), and you find you are not getting good reception, buy a "Y" adaptor. It will have two connectors to plug the antenna wires into as well as a connector to plug into your stereo.

Need DIN adapter
 

Your guide was very helpful to me. Thank you for sharing this information. I have a 1987 300ZX 2+2 with the premium sound system and the amplifier under the passenger seat is connect to the stock radio via a DIN cable. An adapter is need to connect the DIN to the new radio wiring harness. The problem is, I don't have a wiring diagram for the DIN and can't tell what each socket contains.

Do you know?

um...he doesnt chek this board anymore i dont think...his site is.

www.az-zbum.com

maybe he has an email addi there

Rob

Thank you so much.... this has been the greatest help to me.

JD

Well i tried using this guide, but for some reason im having trouble with the installation. I have installed countless stereos before but this one has been by far the hardest one. I got power to the deck, but whenever i turn on volume to the speakers, it shuts the radio off. I can turn the bass all the way down to -8 and then it plays just fine, but if there is any bass in the volume at all, it cuts off all power to the speakers and only the subs will work. I even researched my cars model and trim package to see if it had the external amplifier, thinking maybe i was having these problems because of it, but didnt help much. I noticed something under the passenger seat, but not sure if its the amp that zbum was writing about in his guide. Cant really seem to get a good look at it. Any suggestions on what to do? Im thinking maybe someone else has had the same problem and might have a solution.

Sounds like you didn't hook it up right. If you didn't even remove the passenger seat to verify an amp, or can't verify what trim leve you have, how do you know you've hooked it up right?

Basically, you hooked it up wrong. Go back and try again before you blow up your stereo.

Come on man even i hooked up my deck,and im an idiot right?

i re-wired the whole stereo today. Took me about 2 hours but its finally working again. From the factory stereo there is a shit load of wires there connected to lights that lit up the panel on the original deck, i cut all of them off and started out with brand new wire. I finally got them all working but still having one minor problem. The memory will not stay put, i think i have a problem with my constant power to the deck. As soon as i find out which wire is the memory wire on my deck, i will run that wire straight to the battery or to the fuse box, to keep a constant power so i do not have to put in my security code every time i turn my deck on. Anyone know which wire keeps the memory on after market decks???

memory is usually red, purple/yellow is usually remote. took me 20 mions to install my cd player on all 4 speakers and around 14 hours to fabricate the surround (carbon fibre made from carbon sheet and resins ect) Then another 3 hours to put in a dvd player (glovebox) with another 3 hours cutting a hole at the top of the dash for the screen to fit, then another 6 hours putting in two 12 inch woofers and two amps and creating a fibreglass surround for it, and making a custom install of it, and 2 hours to install pods and speakers front and rear (components front, rears are 6x9's) add another 3 hours to add the alternator upgrade and an optima battery, and all in all, i had way too many smokos.

hmmm seems like we are using 2 totally different kinds of decks. Red is usually the power supply, orange is illumination, and blue is remote. I dunno, im getting tired of troubleshooting this install. I have installed a crap load of decks before but this is by far the hardest one to get working correctly. Now im having trouble with the lights on my dash, they wont turn on. im going to pass it along to a professional installer and save myself the headache, not worth it anymore.

illumination? how old is the deck? your not talking the standard wiring? im talking about aftermarket cd players, don't get me wrong but the colours could be the other way around i generally dont look half the time, but if it doesnt hold memory, just swap the two power wires around. If it turns on, both power wires are connected.

im getting power, and its doin just fine, but i had to connect all 4 power connections together to get it to turn on in the first place, and my kenwood deck is a little under 5 months old, all decks have an illumination wire, well all the ones i have seen anyway.

hm thats funny since my rockford fosgate, my clarion, my fusion, my alpine and my sony didn't, there all illuminated even with the lights on/off, is there a difference in models from america to australia? perhaps so. read the user booklet dude, goes along way when you look at the wiring diagrams, or i can ship you a much "user friendly" australian deck, provided you pay the costs! :)

hmmm, i dont think there would be a difference in the decks. i dont have the manual anymore on the deck, probably should have held on to it. I know my JVC el kameleon, my kenwood, and my Jensen all had illuminations, as with any other stereo ive ever installed. Im thinking my dash lights have gone out due to a problem with this wire somehwere, i need to go behind the dash again and troubleshoot some more, its getting very repeditive and aggrivating but i guess its worth it.

yeah sure is anooying having to tune into radio stations and skip songs everytime you start the car, good luck with it bro, i know how crappy it is to go and pull a dash center out :( did it to mine 20 or thirty times just to match things up, retrim and fab stuff up lol.

lmfao i wish i could even do that, i have to replace the power antenna before i can even get radio stations hehe. My car isnt too great right now, but thats why i joined these forums, to talk to other people with the same kind of car to give and take advice on what to do when stuff goes bad. I just want to let all of you that have responded to my posts that i appreciate your help.

Yeah my power antenna broke the plastic doohicky linkage thingamajig that makes it go up and down, pulled it apart to see how broken it was and in the end the thing went in the rubbish, out with the old Manual up/down and yeah shes all good now.

My zeds a work in progress also dude!

Gotta msn i can add you too? will be good to talk with someone else with the same problems and same car with the same ideas

yeah man you can get a hold of me at strykerbnr@hotmail.com
yahoo is saviandcharlie
aim is strykerbnr

lol i dunno if you will get much help out of me though bro, i see you guys discussing stuff like limited-slip differentials, frickin crossovers, and displacements, you guys lose me on that stuff lol, i guess i have a lot to learn

Well ive just pulled the whole engine out and stuff and am learning about the zed so if you need any help on it i can help you if need be, i know alot about other cars, but now its time to learn the insides and outs of a z31 hands on.

hopefully i can learn alot from you guys here in the forums, and eventually know enough to get my hands in on the engine too. First project for me is to get my 31 turbocharged, no matter how much money and time it takes, i want to say i was able to get it done.

yeah mine was turbo'ed factory, now its time to add a bigger turbo lol.

lol just my luck, the z i buy is NA with GL trim lol. Oh well, its still a z ;)

Too true lol, ive done a few mods to mine, Standalone ECU (Microtech), 550 cc injectors, 3" zorst, Apexi pod, 600 mm intercooler, Ported heads, custom cam grind, and 12 psi boost runs it down the quater mile at 13.3 @109 MPH

Pulled engine out to put new forged pistons in and weld up a new turbo exhaust manifold. Then add some new ignition and a new LSD and hope to run low 12's/high 11's on slicks

lol man, how much do you think you have put into it??? maybe if i drop around 5 grand into the engine my car might get a little faster ;). im going to make this my project car, and upgrade it slowly, part by part.

you still have it hooked up wrong. read the instructions on the stereo's manual as well. you've hooked the power wires up all wrong.