PBD, Guess what I am working on.

CPHILHOWER

PBD, My Mother just purchased a 99 Dodge Ram van off Ebay. She needed it for her wheel chair. Decent condition. Need to do some work to the stereo system. The rear speakers in the Overhead are missing, Driver door is inop. Removed it and checked it. Found the VC is open. Has the Infinity stereo. Do you know what the power specs are on the radio? I just ordered 2 pairs of Pyle 6*9 3 way Wave speakers to install in the doors and Overhead. I think they will work fine. Also ordered a pair of Pyle 5 1/4 to replace the Kraco looking speakers in the sides. The stock are 4". If I need to, I can cut a piece of wood and polyurethane them to mount them In the middle row location. And a pair of 3 1/2 for the dash.
What do you think? Will this be OK? My Mother doesnt want to spend the $100 for Polk Ex 6*9 pair. Also have other things to fix. Some of the interior lighting in the Overhead is burned out. Never took one apart. This will be a new one on me. Some interior panels. Havent had a chance to look under the hood or underneath yet.
Chris

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sounds like u got a real can of worms there chris...

decent vans though -- the 318, while a doggish engine (in my grunty horsepower hungry opinion) can be run into the damn ground and back again before it goes bad -- many have claimed 200+++k miles on the motor before need of rebuild or major repair. if its the 360 -- lucky you... good good motor.

just pray you dont have the base transmission... if you do, then pray its a 2wd -- cuz if its a 4x4 with the base trannie, that's gonna whine like a fker when u throw it in reverse (the calling card of that trannie) -- and that thing is a POS. with the 2wd it supposedly holds up fine though.

the infinity radio i think has external amplification (shriek!) if it does, then u may want to find one of the good speakers thats still there, pull it out, and check the resistance... if its over 4 ohms, then u're not gonna be able to hook up the pyles u bought. u'll have to figure something else out (which i wont take the time to get into right now unless u actually have that problem).

the infinity in the ram pickups was a 6 speaker setup with 6x9 drivers in teh doors / tweeters on the pillars / 6's in back.

you're claiming 8 speakers -- 6x9s in front and back with 4's and 3's as well.. that i have not seen -- then again i haven't seen any of the vans really... so that'd be why.

*Scratching head*...

if there is external amplification before the speakers... great... if its ON the speakers (ala something like bose) then u're gonna need a new head unit. in order to do the swap.

best thing to do before i start spouting off speculation that will make absolutely no sense is to check the resistance of one of the good speakers -- if its 4 ohms or 5 ohms or something like that, then you oughta be fine as long as you dont try to run two speakers off of one speaker line... if that's got 8 speakers it surely has external amplification cuz i'm like 99% sure they dont make an 8 channel infinity sponsored chrysler headunit.

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oh another thing -- if you have a FRIED spekaer like u said with the one with the coil all opened up... when you get all the stuff disconnected, get a CD with like a 100 hertz bass wave (most multimeters will only "read" between 40 and 400 hertz... some of the $4.99 radio shack specials only up to 200... thus its best to get somethin in the 100-ish range cuz just about every meter will pick htat up) ... pop that in -- take a normal multimeter, set it to voltage AC and test that speaker line... make sure you're not getting DC power out of it.... make absolutely sure its AC spitting out -- even if its like 1 volt or something tiny ... thats fine... the multimeter isn't gonna give an accurate reading but it'll tell you for sure whether its AC or DC.. if you get zero for the AC (have hte volume up to like say 3/4 to get a decent reading), try the DC... if it shows up putting out DC, then you've got a **** amp on that channel and would blow the new speaker youd be putting in there.


... and regarding under the hood which you've yet to get to...
you can dump just about any 10w30 in there without problems... even the proline stuff is fine for 90 cents a quart - same goes for filters... keep the air filter ALWAYS clean... doesn't have to be a great filter... just keep it clean... the least little bit of dusty **** in the throttle body turns to black pasty stuff that u gotta brush out with a tooth brush --- resembles like graphite from a pencil as if someone rubbed a pencil over the whole inside of the TB. that's another thing -- if it "weezes" at idle or on acceleration... its not hoses, its not the motor, nothings wrong -- the throttle body's just filty as hell... can of carb cleaner and a tooth brush and 15 minutes of elbow grease (just pop the air cleaner off and voila there she is) and its fine for another 6 - 8 months (7 - 10k miles)... then it gets progressively worse and u end up getting annoyed enough that around a year (or 15,000 miles) u end up doin it again.

never use anything but champion truck plugs (gold lookin plugs -- they're rape at 2.50 each, but they're guaranteed for 3 years... and they'll last that long, believe me, and they're worth the extra buck a plug)... just about everything else will knock -- i have no friggin idea why but i've got about 4 sets of plugs throwin in the garbage can over a 2 - 3 month period to support it. found out about hte champion by a fluke -- read an article about them online... how they were the only plug ppl could find to "make it go away"... have been quite happy since... even the OEM plug gives it fits (bosch).

if u ever have alternator problems -- be sure to get the exact make model / year alt replacement --- they're ECM regulated and the alt talks to the body computer so they need to stay a "mated pair" -- the alts from the 97 - 98 models, while visually identical and seemingly both comp regulated... will not work.. the alts from the 2000 to 2001 wont either. everytime they had a computer upgrade, the alternator interface had to be slightly changed.

if ever in need of replacement parts, dont go back before 99 for them.... 95 - 98 was the nightmare years... just about every system and part on the truck was re-evaluated and "tweaked" before the 99 production line... and then again before the 2000 year... better to go forward than backward.

also -- durango's and dakotas are good boneyard donors as well... same year and later model dak / durangos have the same motors and in some cases same trannie setups... so if it looks like it fits, it probably does.

ok - i've rambled on enough for now -- u're probably snoring already..lol.

always here if u need any dodge tidbits of info happy ramming

CPHILHOWER

The rear 4 speakers I belive are being run off the 2nd radio. its a Panasonic tape deck. 25*4 peak. The drivers door had loose screws. Like somebody was inside and possibly changed the speaker. Somebody was inside the driver door. however, the plastic liner was intact. Leads me to belive the origional speaker was fine.
The van is a Conversion van with raised roof and Bruno wheel chair lift. I need to fix some burned lights in the overhead. Never had one apart.
On a side note, My Slumlord and Super have not said a word to me since I threatened to "Seek legal assistance" against them for the "Harrasment" Still dont have my cuddly lop. Maybe I can bring her back next month after the state inspection.
Chris

CPHILHOWER

The speakers dont have amps. Just 2 wire hook-up. Damn van even has an Inverter in the one compartment.
Are you familiar with Chrysler cd changer? The wired remote says Sony. The changer says Chrysler. I need to locate a new magazine. The origional is missing.
Chris

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the changer probably is a sony -- they parted out their changer builds -- pioneer did them one year, then i have no idea who -- so assuming its sony is not a long shot -- and hey as long as the remote works, thats what matters, not what the name plate says. u should be able to fit just about any magazine in there... aren't cd changer mags pretty much universal??? try circuit city -- u can get a 2 pack of generic magazines for like 10 bucks.

and a 2nd radio??? what is there like one radio in front and one radio in back ? that's pretty cool. whats that for so like you can have people in back listening to different stuff than the driver?

assuming the deck(s) aren't bad, u shud be able to "drop in and go" with the new speakers.

.... funny how the word "lawyer" makes scumbags shut up realllllyyy fast. is she ok at her temporary vacation spot?

CPHILHOWER

She is staying with my sister. However she is mad at me. Doesnt get to run around and eat what she wants.
I tried the Sony Xa-250. Fit and ejected. However there is a Hump (for lack of better word) in the slot above and to the right of the mag. Causes the mag to sit cocked to the right and down. Chrysler sells the same mag for $43, CC $30. I am going to hold off till I can get the van to the Dodge dealer to have them ascertain the changer model.
The second radio has headphone jacks, Game port and I think the TV and VCR will play through it. I will do the speakers first and worry about the changer later. The remote is flashing "E99" when I turned it on.
Chris

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dude... tv / vcr... sounds like u got one hell of a hooked up conversion van there. is there a whirlpool too? lol.

30 bucks for a magazine ???? jesus freakin h. christ...

sounds like a "figure out the model and hit ebay" thing to me. that's nut-so 30 bucks for a piece of plastic.

either that or go to the boneyard and "aquire" one when nobody's lookin.

CPHILHOWER

Today, I mounted the rear 6X9's and installed the 5 1/4 in the side panels. I still need to do the two front doors and dash. Does the speaker grill in the dash just Pop off? I was working in the back and didnt get a chance to get a good look at them. I was in kind of a hurry since I work today. Next time I get a chance, I'll finish.
Chris

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i have no idea if that dash grille pops off or not.... never seen a dodge dash speaker cept my 88, and that one u had to crawl under the dash and unscrew from the bottom (just like the stupid cadillac was - had to move air vents and **** to get to it).

my guess is u're gonna be laying upside down with your feet at teh headrest and your head under teh dash sooner or later tryin to get those out.

how's it sound so far???

CPHILHOWER

The Rear 6X9's run off the radio in the dash. Sound better with the extra Bass. The side panel speakers are run off the radio in the back. They sound good. Didnt listen to the Pyramids that came out. Mon, I will do the front. Maybe I'll stuff an 8" Bazooka tube under the back seat/Bed. He He He.
Chris

CPHILHOWER

PBD, I'm done. Changed the door speakers. had to use a hammer to reshape the openings a little. The speaker sat just above the opening. Now they sit really good.
The dash speakers were FUN. Had to remove the handles above the doors, Sun visors. removed the windhield trim pieces. Just to access the 2 screws that hold the trim piece down. the piece closest to the windshield was held by clips and 1 screw on each end. Took them out and cut the plugs off. Used the wiring that came with the replacements butt connected to the factory wiring. fixed two broken retainers that held the windshield trim pieces inplace.
Spent 2 hours today and about 1 hour on sat. Sounds a hell of alot BETTER.
Chris

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chris, if you did all that in 3 hours total then you oughta get the mechanic / installer 'gold star' ... i can't get pieces like that apart in any reasonable amount of time.. end up killin a whole day and 2 packs of smokes on it. good job dude.

the door speakers gave me a little grief as well... my dx9's didn't quite fit right into there in either my truck or my grandfather's truck... but the basket was strong enough that i could leave it sit a little above the hole (it was about 1/4 of an inch), put the 4 screws in hand tight, and then push the hell out of the sides of the basket (even a little tapping with mr. ball pin hammer on the basket) until it "mooshed" in and bent the panel just a smidge enough to squeeze itself in there.

did you have 6x9's in 'ure doors or round 6's? (if u had 6's i'm wonderin if u had 6.5" holes and bought 6.75" speakers by accident) ??

glad to hear it sounds good u're now a Mopar-ite ... you'll receive your secret decoder ring in the mail in 6-8 weeks...

CPHILHOWER

I can confirm that the origional was 6x9 and the replacement is 6x9. If I didnt modify the opening, I would have had about 1/8" gap around the speaker basket. They fit really tight.
To make life easier, I have a Makita 4.8v cordless drill, #2 Screwdriver bit (6") and a Scewdriver kit. The pro kit bought from Crutchfield about 5 or 6 years ago.
The main problem is the rear speakers. The basket sits about 1/8" above the mounting hole. So i reused the grills that came in the van. You can still see a slight gap around the basket. If I get a complaint, i'll get the jigsaw and fix it.
The radio is the Infinity tape deck. With EQ.
Chris