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This Flurping Dodge's radio.

not sure what year your truck is, but i had a 94 2500. i went threw stock radios like candy, from my research they are all junk. i used a cheap $40 kenwood from autozone, only used constand power and switched power from stock wire harness, i did use a harness adapter, and ran the speaker wires direct. i grounded the radio to a cross bar under the dash. i also upgraded all my body grounds to 8agw, and all my problems went away.
 
Sounds like the power is not getting from the connector to the radio. Could be a problem in the radio itself or the connector. There is no reason to be testing your speakers or antenna when you are not getting power into the radio.
 
I though that, because I checked power in the harness, we have power in both.
No, it is not an infinity system.
I do have an aftermarket Kenwood CD player that I know works well I'm thinking about putting in it.
 
Well, back on this thread.

That radio was in the back of the bottom drawer, and I was looking for something else that was in there, and just found it.


I found it and tried it in the truck, it did light up very, very dimly, and it was regardless of whether or not the key was on.
And that was it.
 
Rant on ...
This is not aimed at you but to anybody doing electrical work. When you change the tire on your truck do you use an adjustable wrench to remove the lug nuts or do you have the proper tool? Sure it can be done, but you it'd take you forever and your frustration level would go through the roof. Same goes for electrical work. Invest in the proper tool for the job, namely a multimeter. Even a cheap $20 one at the Home Depot will work. Help us to help you so we're not guessing at your problem.
Rant off ...

It's hard to tell what is going on with the electrical in your truck or who's messed with the wiring prior to you. If it were me I'd start by testing the radio wired directly to the battery (preferably with a fuse) and then to the speakers. The radio should only need a wire for the 12V constant and a jumper wire from that to 12V key on and also a wire for ground, which should just be the case of the radio. Then connect 2 wires going to your speaker (don't use the existing ones, use known good wires). You should at least be able to hear static at this point, no need to connect the antenna. The pinout for the radio should be on a label next to the connector, if not then do a google search for your radio model number followed by "pinout".
And please get a multimeter and take the ten minutes to learn how to use it, you'll use it more than you know. If your test light turns on at 6V and that's all your radio is getting for some reason then we could be here forever guessing at your problem.
 
Funny you should say that actually, because I just, literally just now, came inside from checking the constant and key-on power with an older voltmeter I borrowed from a friend of mine.

First off, I am the first one to mess with anything behind the dash of this truck, my Uncle ordered it brand new, and the screws holding the radio in still had the little plastic caps on them.

Anyway, while running the constant power was 13.1 volts, and the Key-on power had 12.9 Volts
And the the radio's ground is good as well.

I checked the speakers before, they all popped when I jumped them to a car battery, just pigtailed into the factory wiring harness.
 
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The speakers will litteraly "pop" if you put 12V to them,even for a split second--the voice coil wires are like human hair and fry easily....

A 1.5V flashlight battery is the safer way to see if they still work,and only touch the wires to it for a second or two,listen for a "thump"..

The Pioneer probably has a "night light" feature that lets you know when it has power going to it,thats not unusual...its not powering up "fully" probably when you turn it on because your lacking power or ground to it ..
 
I was told to use a car battery, or run a hot wire to the battery in it.

Either way that is what I did, just touch them quickly to the terminals.
Some where louder than other, did I just blow the louder ones?
 
I'd still test the radio out as I suggested to eliminate any wiring issues. Does your meter test for resistance? If so, check the ground wire at the connector to bare metal on your chassis to see that there is 0 ohms. Also check both wires for each speaker to make sure they aren't shorting out on the body of the truck. Do this by measuring the resistance from bare metal on the chassis to each speaker wire, the resistance should be infinite.

And next time you test your speakers using a battery, make sure you use a 1.5V battery. Using 12V could damage them or release the magical smoke that makes your speakers work. :doah:
 
The Griff said:
I was told to use a car battery, or run a hot wire to the battery in it.

Either way that is what I did, just touch them quickly to the terminals.
Some where louder than other, did I just blow the louder ones?
Click to expand...

Who told you that? Certainly no one in this thread.
 
Well I talked to my Aunt today. She told me it sat for the better part of 2 years, and the radio worked when it was parked.
She said she would start the truck up every now and again, and sometimes it would work, sometimes it would not, and towards the end, Like a couple of months before I got it, it stopped working all together.

I found a couple of guys on forums saying they had the same problem, but none of them had a solution.
 
The Griff said:
I found a couple of guys on forums saying they had the same problem, but none of them had a solution.
Click to expand...

Trash can?

Why waste your time on a stock radio? Get a new one. You can buy wire harness adapters to connect an aftermarket radio into your existing harness with little work. Last one I did took all of 20 minutes in a Ford.
 
I've tried that, twice.

I tried the Alpine I had in my garage, nope.
I tried the Pioneer I forgot I had, nope.

And I tested the Pioneer in my Ford to prove it works, it does.
 
But in what way?

It has power, the I tried putting a CD in the Alpine and it took it, it didn't give it back but it took it.

The backlights come on when the dash lights are on.
 
chicken joe said:
x2:waytogo:
Click to expand...

X3
That's why I suggested testing it with all new wiring directly to the battery and speakers. You say the Pioneer works in another car but not in the Dodge, so what's different (hint hint).

Only a few things can be wrong.
1) The Dodge's radio is bad. Did you test the Dodge's radio in the Ford where you say the Pioneer works?
2) The power wires are loose, corroded or chaffed. Already told you how to check those.
3) The speaker wires are shorting to the chassis. You say they are factory and no one has messed with them but depending on their location the insulation can wear through and short out. Most radio/amps have internal short circuit protection that turn off the output to protect themselves. Already told you how to check those.
4) The speakers are bad. You already checked those, but possibly damaged them.
5) A combination of 1,2,3 and 4

All the info you need has been given to you. It's not rocket surgery. The only other way I know of helping you is for you to buy me a round trip ticket to do it myself. Of course I'd need to drink a sixer of Stella Artois beforehand just so I felt challenged in the hour that I worked on it.
 
I apologize for my ignorance, really I do.

I know the factory Dodge CD player radio used to work, but did not work when I tried it in the Cummins. One of the factory tape deck radios does work in the Cummins


I'll just wire it up on my own when the weather warms up then.
 
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