Anyone have wiring info for ford Q8 decks?

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ArmyOfQuad

2K Club - QQ Super Nova
Since 2002/2003
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I'm trying to figure out the proper wiring for this, and whether or not I have a bad deck, or there's something more to the wiring.

wiring.jpg

From looking at it and guessing, it seems like the the black and blue/red stripe wire pair would be for power, and the cluster of 5 wires would be for speakers, 4 speakers with common return. But I'm not 100 percent on that, I can't seem to get it working, only to light up the text, and since I'm not certain on the wiring on this and can't find a wiring diagram for this, figured I'd see if someone has a source of information on what exactly the wiring is supposed to be, to confirm whether or not it is dead and in need of restoration.
 
Delco brand? Any numbers on it? I have an old Delco color code sheet somewhere and perhaps manuals.
 
I cant help with a diagram, but your thoughts on the wiring scheme seem correct. Since you can get the faceplate to light up you obviously have the power leads correct. Does the transport run when you insert a tape but just doesn't produce sound? If so, perhaps try to plug in an antenna and see if you can get AM or FM. That may lead you to the proper speaker wiring (I would assume the white is the common speaker ground), and reveal what parts are not working.

Edit: one other thought. How did you apply power? A blue power line is typically an ignition source for power, ie: one that turns on and off with the cars ignition. The black would then be the continuous power line, (power supplied continuously), and the ground would be connected right to the chassis.
 
My notes were for a late 70s cassette unit. If it lights up but no sound even on AM it sounds like an electronic problem.

My notes on the Ford were for a unit with separate grounds for back speakers but the colors are similar. RF+=White/Green, RR+=Pink/Blue line, RR-=Green, LF+=Orange/Green, LR+=Pink/Green, LR-=Pink/Blue dot, Gnd=Black. Ignition yellow and battery green.

If there are any numbers or alphanumeric codes on it I could maybe find a manual or know where it exists.
 
Thats a very curious wiring bundle, especially for circa mid/late 70's, the tuner has presets but there seems to be no constant power lead, I could be wrong but looks like an rf choke on your power= not common for the time unless connected to another piece of equipment. this along with the curious 5 wire bundle leads me to believe this may have been connected to a hideaway somewhere. Factory units were famous for that even back in the old days. I first saw a hideaway processor on a 72 fleetwood, stumped the shit out of me on an install for about four hours. Being that unit is a tuner and a quad deck all in one, the electronic processing for that time period would probably have required more space, I might be wrong but something to consider. I don't tangle with factory units but i do have a bud who does. he actually removed an ELS surround system from an Acura and refitted it to another vehicle (which in the 12volt world is genius), i will show him what you have and if he has any input i will post.
 
Ok, between some of the posts on this thread, I think I have it sorted out.

I had made an incorrect assumption that was pointed out, the black wire isn't ground. Both the black and blue/red stripe wires are power.

"A blue power line is typically an ignition source for power, ie: one that turns on and off with the cars ignition. The black would then be the continuous power line, (power supplied continuously), and the ground would be connected right to the chassis. "

So, once I got that connected, I had power. The 8-track motor spins up, I get radio static. Still no light on the display though, so that's definitely dead.

For the speaker connections, the positive connections I believe follow the notes from the cassette one, with the black wire in that bundle being a common return/ground.

LF - orange/green
RF - white/green
LR - pink/green
RR - pink/blue

Only RR works, so that's the only one I confirmed, but that seems to agree with the notes, and the other colors match the other positives.

So, between a dead display, only 1 working channel, and a track change that clicks but doesn't move the head, it looks like I won't be jammin' to Q8s in the car anytime soon. Time to figure out how to get something like this restored.
 
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