0Audio Dave

Hello everyone,

Well, I finally got the time to do this write-up that I know you all have been waiting for. ...

...

Here we go. This install was done last weekend ... In Murfreesboro, TN. on CF member, Gabel1's new C6 Corvette Coupe. I showed you guys a sneak peek of the finished product earlier in this post ... and now here is the full write-up on the install (which is different from the 2005 models, by the way... ) It is a 1SA package, NON-BOSE, with the paddle shifters. As I am sure many of you know, to incorporate paddle shifters into the 2006 Vettes, an all-new transmission was required. Well, also different is the ECM, or Engine Control Module. The first picture shows the new ECM, which is located under the battery, in the front passenger fender, accessible from the front wheel well area. The pin-out is different from the 2005 models, and plugs were changed from 3 different colored plugs to 2 of the same colored plugs. You will find, of course, the VSS wire here for your Navigation setup... in the black plug. Which one? We will move to that step later... first things first...



Ok, let's start with taking the radio bezel dash area off first. Here is what the OEM radio looks like...

now it is time for a big change!!

First you flip up the center console lid (on verts, you need to remove the waterfall first), and remove the 4 T15 Torx screws holding the lid on.




Next, remove the plate covering the suspension ride control plug by gently prying up and back on the plate, and then you will reveal 2 7mm bolts that need to be removed. Remove them, and DO NOT try to remove the center console yet!! It does not come out yet, and forcing it to do so may break it!!


Now, you must remove the passenger side edging of the dash/center console/radio bezel. To do this, you must left up on the emergency brake boot by pulling up gently from the bottom edge of it. It doesn't come off totally, but getting access to the 2 7mm bolts underneath is the key. Remove the 2 7 mm bolts, but do not yank on the console just yet...







Once you have them removed, you will notice in the next few pics how the 7mm bolts keep the side bezel piece intact when removing the center console area.





Seems to me, on the 2005 models, the side piece of the bezel didn't have to be totally removed when removing the radio, but in this 2006 with the new transmission and different shifter, I believed they changed some things... it doesn't come loose unless the side piece is removed first. Anyhow, the 7 mm bolts hold both the center console, and the side piece to the center trans tunnel area. Then there are 2 clips retaining the side piece to the underside of the dash, next to the glovebox door on the passenger side of the radio bezel. With the 7 mm bolts removed from under the emergency brake boot, you can then move the side piece back towards the rear of the car, and release the forward clips from the dash.



Next, we gently pull on the dash/radio bezel to release the clips holding it in place.



Be sure to unplug the following plugs as you are removing the dash bezel:
Here....


Here....


(continued in the next post... )

0Audio Dave

and here....

this one is particularly stubborn... the cigarette lighter for the center console... the release clip that you press down on is facing the top, and if you have big fingers, you can forget about getting that release clip pushed in... my advice, use a right angle pick tool, and push down on the release clip as you are pulling the plug out.


Here is a closeup of the hazard switch plug between the center vents...

At this point, you should have the center console fully removed... here is the full console area with the center console lid sitting in the back of Gerald's C6.


Here is the wiring and plugs that we unplugged...


Now, let's remove the radio...

Here is one last look at the OEM deck, which will be removed and kept in storage to preserve it's originality for when it is time to get rid of the radio to a fellow Corvette owner who needs it, or for the time when it is needed to trade in your C6 for that brand new 2008 Corvette SS... Notice the areas as well where the clips go back in that hold the dash bezel in place. If any have stuck in there during removal, go ahead and remove them now... you will be cussing later when you cut the top of your hand for not removing them earlier...




In this picture, you will notice I am using my 9.6V drill to remove the 7 mm bolts.

NOTE OF ADVICE: If you have a 18V drill, DON'T USE IT!! It is a good feeling, I know, to have the best of everything... that is why we own Corvettes. But please, don't use the 18V drill when working on interior pieces that will smash to bits when you torque down on them with your powerful drill... always use a rachet and socket set if you can't control yourself around power tools...

Here are the parts you will need when installing any aftermarket radio into your new C6 ...


This is the double kit that Metra makes for the C6 Corvettes. It is part number 95-3304. It comes with complete instructions, and pictures, for the do-it-yourselfer...


This is the antenna adapter that allows you to adapt your cool aftermarket deck to the small motorola style plug that GM refuses to change from... it is part # 40-GM10 from Metra. Here, we used a AI adapter....


...and this is the piece that allows you to retain full useability features of your GM car when pulling out the factory deck. They aren't cheap... but they are a great piece, and the only one I like to use (which works flawlessly). It is made by Peripheral, and is part # GMCO. Yes, as you can see, it gives you an ignition out for your new deck, and also still utilizes RAP (retained acessory power) until you open a door.



Now, while you are reflecting on these thoughts, I am going to eat some ice cream real quick with my kids...

MAGRED2001VETTE

...and this is the piece that allows you to retain full useability features of your GM car when pulling out the factory deck. They aren't cheap... but they are a great piece, and the only one I like to use (which works flawlessly). It is made by Peripheral, and is part # GMCO. Yes, as you can see, it gives you an ignition out for your new deck, and also still utilizes RAP (retained acessory power) until you open a door.



Now, while you are reflecting on these thoughts, I am going to eat some ice cream real quick with my kids... [/QUOTE]

I read what you wrote, but why is there 4 male RCA connections on the GMCO? How and where exactly do they hook up, assumming I'm using an aftermarket HU/speakers/and amps? On a base model stereo, the only two things kept would be RAP and chimes, correct? I could understand if it had 2 males and 2 female connections, but not what shown.

0Audio Dave

Now, it is time to wire up the deck since we have everything pulled apart... first, I looked for a place for the satellite antenna. I found a perfect little spot... on top of the center air vents behind the radio bezel. The Eclipse comes with an adhesive backed magnetic pad that you stick to the vent, and then the antenna mounts to the magnetic base.


As you can see, with the antenna being that close to the radio, we have plenty of length left on the cable. Don't bunch it up. Instead, wind it up in circles, so that the GPS antenna does not lose any of it's effectiveness.


Then, you can hide it back out of the way, to the left of the area where the radio will sit.


Here, in this picture, we are ready to hook up the harness to the factory wiring. As you can see, I like to twist wires together that are grouped together. This is easily accomplished by sticking the pair of wires into your drill, tightening down the drill chuck tightly around the wires, and then hold the other end of the wires as you depress the switch on the drill... presto... twisted wires... Just a little trick you can impress your friends with... but most of all, it keeps your wires alot neater and more organized...


At any rate, you connect the aftermarket radio wires, color for color to the GMCO harness, then plug in the harness. You will hear the door dinger as the unit shows you that it is working correctly.


Now, you can stash the GMCO green box out of the way, just to the right of the area where the radio will go... also, you can see, you can route the Dark green, and Violet wires to the passenger kickpanel area directly to the back of the passenger side of the radio area...



Here, you can see the dk. green and Violet wires exiting from behind the radio dash cavity, ready to be run behind the factory carpeting, into the passenger floorboard. Note: The parking brake wire is lt. green in the Eclipse harness. It is to be conected to the E-brake harness that shows ground when the E-brake is engaged. If you decide to ground this wire for show purposes, you do so at your own risk.


Now, remove the passenger floorboard area. Can you see the red block connector in the middle of the BCM (body control module)? Look for a light green wire for the reverse signal in this block. It is located in this 41 pin plug, location pin #d9.


Hook the dark green reverse signal input wire from the Eclipse 6600 to the Light Green wire found in BCM.

0Audio Dave

I read what you wrote, but why is there 4 male RCA connections on the GMCO? How and where exactly do they hook up, assumming I'm using an aftermarket HU/speakers/and amps? On a base model stereo, the only two things kept would be RAP and chimes, correct? I could understand if it had 2 males and 2 female connections, but not what shown.[/QUOTE]


Ahh... thanks!! I missed a point. The GMCO has direct low level inputs that you would hook up to your new stereo ONLY if you have BOSE. For the 1SA base setup, you merely cut these ends off for the direct wiring to the Eclipse wiring harness, color for color, that I described above...
The GMCO also comes with illustrated instructions in case any of this sounds confusing.

The GMCO also keeps the car's computer from throwing codes, including, but not limited to, transmission fault codes, as the factory radio has the databus wiring running through it, and the GMCO allows the car's computer to think it was never removed... Thanks Magred2001Vette for that keen perception...

MAGRED2001VETTE

I read what you wrote, but why is there 4 male RCA connections on the GMCO? How and where exactly do they hook up, assumming I'm using an aftermarket HU/speakers/and amps? On a base model stereo, the only two things kept would be RAP and chimes, correct? I could understand if it had 2 males and 2 female connections, but not what shown.


This part only seems relavent, if one is only upgrading HU and KEEPING factory amp/speakers.

MAGRED2001VETTE

Now It Makes Sence!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

0Audio Dave

Ok... now, let's run the Violet wire out to the ECM, located in the passenger fender well. Some of you guys have simply run the wires through the door jambs, or drilled new holes in your vette's firewall to make a hole for the wire to pass through. While any good way is effective, if done properly, I will show you the way I generally do a pass through with smaller wires.

But first, let's remove the inner fender shielding to gain access to the ECM. Turn your front wheels all the way to the right, so that you can remove the inner fender well shielding.



There are six trim "plugs" located in the inner fender. 4 are along the side where the inner fender meets the outer fender,

and the other 2 are at the top of the trim piece inside the wheel well.


There are also 3 bolts that hold the inner fender in as well... 2 under the car, one of which is right along the side edge of the car (a 7 mm bolt)...

...and the other, which is a 7 mm bolt as well, is located under the car, more towards the transmission and exhaust tunnel.

The 3rd and final bolt, is one that you cannot see,


but when reaching in behind the wheel, with your right hand,

run it towards the bottom of the car, and you will feel this 7 mm bolt...


Now you can remove the inner fender well, and you will reveal the ECM, or Engine Control Module.



Now let's run the Violet wire out to the ECM...

0Audio Dave

If you look closely at the pic above, you can see that I have the Violet wire already run out to the ECM... and you probably also notice the ground from my Fluke Meter in the background...

NOTE: Never, EVER, use a test light, of any kind, even the "computer safe" test lights, on a car with airbags or an onboard computer system... everyone says not to, but here is why: every test light will have a tiny bit of voltage seeping back through the test light. A good DMM (digital mutli meter, like a Fluke) will not. They use diodes in the Voltmeter, and proper circuitry to keep voltage or ground of any kind from backfeeding up the test probes. If you were to stick the test light probe into an airbag wire, you WILL blow the airbag, most likely, totally out the car, because the voltage of the test light backfed up the airbag wires... a good DMM won't do that, nor will it fry the sensitive circuits found in a BCM or ECM of nearly every car made now. Just a little good information!!

Here is how I ran the VSS wire out to the ECM: take down the panel under the passenger side of the dash, and you will notice a large rubber grommet with wires run out of it, going out under the hood. I use a "grommet poker", which is a very sharp tube, basically, with enough room to run up to a 10 gauge wire through it. Here you see it poked through the grommet.


In the following pictures, I pulled back the first layer of the grommet to illustrate to you how and where the wire goes through the grommet.




This batch of wires comes out directly behind the battery, and so does my Violet VSS (Vehicle Speed Sense) wire.


Now we run it down to the ECM, directly below the battery tray.


Then, we hook it into the Dark Green with the White Stripe wire, located in the top black plug, pin 57. It is almost dead center. The wire will read on your meter, when switched to AC voltage (yes, AC), and with the car started, rev it up. You will notice a change in the reading of the wire. It will increase to around 1 volt, and then back down. When the car is moving, it will read even higher. For the record, the other Dark Green/White wire reads 12VDC if I remember correctly.


Now you can put the fender back together, mount the radio in the dash the reverse of the OEM radio removal (with the exception of using a new aftermarket radio in a kit... ), and test it out.
Here are some pics of the radio installed. Also, I ran out an aux. input to the center console for Gerald's MP3 player...





The aux. input....



More radio pics...






Of course, if you have any questions, email me or pm. I am happy to answer any and all questions you guys may have!! Enjoy!!

0Audio Dave

Yes, that is correct... glad someone is still awake after the big holiday...

NVTHIS

Nice detailed write up, Dave!

0Audio Dave

Thanks!! I never knew what went into a write-up of that calibur... wore me out... LOL!!

TheKomoman

Well done Dave!

pentavolvo

verey nice dave awesome writeup to say the least

JT-C6

That really is a "full write-up". Thanks. I have no desire to swap the radio myself but its nice to see how some of the panels come off.

0Audio Dave

Thanks guys!! I just hope that many C6 owners have gotten some good useful info from this write-up!!

cmb13

Great write up and great pictures. Thanks!

0Audio Dave

Edited and completed... back up on the boards!!
I am still here!!

Brabus2

Outstanding writeup...thanks for sharing that.

BlakShark

Wow great write up. Appreciate the info