factory amp?

[thor455400]

ok, where is the factory amp and how do i by-pass it?
my car is a 89 lx hatch, it appears to have had the premium sound as it has 6 speakers and connectors for the factory EQ .
thanks
matt

[j14sprocket]

If i remember right, it should be on the transmission hump below and forward of the radio. as far as bypass i need to know what the plugs look like. i think if you pullout the amp and the harness to the radio out, the pugs left in the car will plug right into a wire kit from an car audio shop. let me know what you find. I installed car stereos for about 15 years, but its been a while since i worked on an 89.

[thor455400]

i didnt see it there as i just had 90% of the interior out. thats why im confused. the head unit sounds as if its trying to power the amp as it goes to each song.so the music starts low and gets louder as it goes.

[j14sprocket]

thats strange, that sounds like a problem in the radio or the amp (if it has an amp). it may not have an amp, but you should run into the amp if you follow the wire harness from the radio. You might try behind the glove box ( or around that area), but i am pretty sure it would be on the trans hump. it can be up in there aways. just try to follow the harness from the radio. If you didn't take the entire dash out you could have easily missed it (even if the center console was out. The amp is small, about 5"x 7"x 1.5" it may not be perectly square, but should have a few fins (heatsinks).

[j14sprocket]

does it work fine with the radio? Is the entire system stock as far as you know?

[j14sprocket]

just don't cut anything! If you can't find it, stop by a pro shop. (just don't go to circuit city or best buy type store, around here they don't know thier ass from a hole in the ground!) A pro shop should be able to point you in the right direction quicker than I can over the net.

[thor455400]

no i havent cut anything. lol
i hate when people do that. i didnt take out the dash, so i will scope out the area a little better. when i bought it the car had no head unit at all, the farcory wires are still intact, stock door speakers and dash speakers, quater speakers were missing.

what i have done is install a head unit with a wire harness adapter, door speakers and quater speakers. the head unit is a jensen, nothing fancy just wanted tunes.

everything works, i was just wondering about if i need to by pass the factory amp, as the radio just dosent seem to have enough umpf to push the speakers.

i know when i had my LSC i had to buy a bypass harness, but then i could also see the damn thing in the trunk.

thanks for the help,
Matt

[j14sprocket]

well then, if the jensen is workin you probly dont have an amp. The stock speakers are probly shot.