95 Gt Convertible W/mach 460 Stereo Question.

[Mark 95 GT Convertible]

My car has the Mach 460 stereo with a cd player. I don't think it is a 100% factory installation because it has only a single play Ford factory cd player, and the lower area that normally holds the cassette player is just a storage compartment. I bought the car in 1997 with 1200 miles on it, from a dealer, and it came that way. It has worked fine for years, but recently there is a popping sound when I turn up the volume. I don't know if it is the volume control knob, or if the speakers are finally shot. My question is, does anyone know if I can replace the speakers or head unit with newer, non Ford equipment, or is the factory stuff all that will work? I know from the factory it had several amps, and for a factory stereo from 20 years ago it was pretty amazing. I just don't know if this system can be upgraded like most normal modern cars because of the additional amps, etc.

 

[Chythar]

You can definitely replace the head unit with an aftermarket unit. Buy this adapter from Amazon:

Amazon product ASIN B000271NH0View: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000271NH0?tag=stangnet-20&creativeASIN=B000271NH0


There are two adapters in that kit, each plugs into the appropriate connector in your wiring harness. then you slice the wires into the harness that comes with the aftermarket head unit.

I don't believe you can replace the speakers or amps with non-OEM parts. You'd be better off removing the whole system and putting in your own wires to the new parts. However, OEM speakers & amps are available on eBay for decent prices (I think).

 

[jozsefsz]

That harness bypasses your amps, which is fine if that's what you'd like to do. You can also keep the amps if your new radio has pre-amp output. I usually use Crutchfield to figure out what I need... They have the proper harness and everything else you need for free when you buy a receiver. If the receiver you pick has pre-amp output, they'll send the right harness, and likewise if it doesn't they'll send a bypass harness. They'll also help you size your speakers properly for a stock fit. Great company, very good customer service too.

My '95 with Mach 460 also has the storage bin, it only had the single deck with cassette.

If you want to keep your amps, the harness looks like one of these:
Metra 70-5510 Receiver Wiring Harness Connect a new car stereo in select 1989-2000 Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, and other vehicles at Crutchfield.com

 

[Mark 95 GT Convertible]

Thanks guys for your response. Jozefsz, thanks for the tip on Crutchfield. I hope I just need a new head unit. When the system was working properly it was just fine. Do you happen to know if I can replace the speakers too with the Crutchfield products, while leaving all the amps and factory wiring in place?

 

[Chythar]

Whoops! Jozsefsz is right, I grabbed the wrong adapter link. I am using the Metra 70-5510, not the 70-5514.

 

[jozsefsz]

You can absolutely replace the factory speakers and keep using the factory amps. As with the head unit, Crutchfield has the speakers all measured to let you know what will fit, and sends adapters if you happen to pick a smaller speaker size than was stock. Check out their "outfit my car" section, they'll have pictures of the speakers as they sit in our cars (with the trim panels removed). As long as the speakers have the correct resistance (Ohms) and they can handle the wattage the amps put out, you'll be good to go. All of those listed should.

With speakers, Crutchfield also provides a nice plug & play harness to connect Ford's non-standard speaker connectors to aftermarket speakers.

Metra 72-5512 Speaker Harness For select 1986-up Ford, Lincoln, Mazda, and Mercury vehicles — adapts new car speakers to factory connectors at Crutchfield.com

 

[Mark 95 GT Convertible]

You can absolutely replace the factory speakers and keep using the factory amps. As with the head unit, Crutchfield has the speakers all measured to let you know what will fit, and sends adapters if you happen to pick a smaller speaker size than was stock. Check out their "outfit my car" section, they'll have pictures of the speakers as they sit in our cars (with the trim panels removed). As long as the speakers have the correct resistance (Ohms) and they can handle the wattage the amps put out, you'll be good to go. All of those listed should.

With speakers, Crutchfield also provides a nice plug & play harness to connect Ford's non-standard speaker connectors to aftermarket speakers.

Metra 72-5512 Speaker Harness For select 1986-up Ford, Lincoln, Mazda, and Mercury vehicles — adapts new car speakers to factory connectors at Crutchfield.com

Thanks again. In the past with other cars I have replaced factory speakers with aftermarket speakers, and as long as they were the same physical size it is of course no big deal. I just didn't know if those speakers were specific to that sound system. As long as the amps and wiring are fine and working (so far) I'll just update the head unit and speakers. The Crutchfield website is clear and easy to use.

 

[jozsefsz]

The speakers in our cars are a little bit specific (in the interest of full disclosure) because if you keep the amps, they have built-in crossovers which send only the low (bass) signals to those in the doors and in the back. The separate tweeters (top of doors and in the mach 460 box in the back) do the rest. So your new speakers, if they have a nice tweeter included, won't actually be using it. Unless you bypass the factory amps that is (which I personally wouldn't unless you get a nice powerful new head-unit or replace the amps with something else).

Also meaning to tell you, your post made me rethink my sound system and refresh the speakers (one or more crackles when loud so they're probably cracked & blown) and throw in a new bluetooth head unit to replace the aging cd changer controller and tape deck I have in there now. So I'll be replacing mine right along with you, I'll give you a shout and you please do the same if you run into problems or come up with the 'easiest' way to do things.

 

[Jman900]

These 460 sounds systems are a PIA if you want to replace OEM speakers. I decided not to replace them. I added an aftermarket head until, mono block AMP, and a CAP (probably 10 years ago). Recently upgraded my head unit to bluetooth so I can use my phone and take calls handsfree. If you're new to car stereos you may want to pay someone to do the install. If you are confident and want to do it yourself, before you wire anything draw out a diagram! Then you have a plan and a roadmap before things get messy.

Oh and the popping sound, does it increase with RPM? Could be a loose/broken plug wire.

Or a bad ground... goodluck

 

[jozsefsz]

With a plug & play harness, it's super easy. I just updated my head-unit too to have Bluetooth (calls & audio). With the Crutchfield harnesses, it was literally connecting 4 wires on the power harness to the radio harness, and plugging the amp harness into the pre-amp outs. Took about 5 minutes to solder & heat-shrink those 4 wires, and another 5 minutes to install the radio. I wouldn't consider paying someone to do it unless you're completely car-illiterate. It sounds like in your case @Jman900, you did far more than a head-unit and speaker swap. Probably sounds pretty good too, though I have to say the 460 amps aren't bad at all with a decent set of speakers.