I
Ian
Guest
Hi all.
Over the last couple of weeks I have read quite a lot of articles in this forum about adding the Grundig MCD36 CD changer to the standard AD182H stereo (with built-in CD changer controls).
These helped me a lot, so I thought I should report my experieces installing one into a UK (right-hand drive) 2000 (UK W-reg) Brava 80 (1.2 16v). Sorry if it is a bit simple-minded, but I found some of the messing around with the head unit and trim a bit of a bother, since I don't have the service manual. Hopefully some of you will find it useful.
First of all, I found that this model had no pre-wired cable running to the boot or anywhere else, so I used the cable provided with the MCD36, which has an 8-bit round DIN plug at one end and a rectangular ISO plug with three coloured sections at the other.
I withdrew the radio head unit from the dash. There is no need to remove the power or disconnect the battery provided you are careful not to cause any short circuits. That way you can avoid having to re-enter the code, etc., later. Use the back edge of two thin-bladed knives (e.g. paring knives) and slide them into the crack between the front fascia and the rest of the dashboard, on each side of the head unit about 2cm from the bottom, to lift up the locking arms. Once you have started to prise the unit out a millimetre or two, you can use a flat bladed screwdriver to depress the spring catches beneath two small slots you will find behind the top of the fascia about 1cm in from the edges. Now you can easily and pull the unit all the way out.
Connected to the back of the head unit there are three rectangular block plugs and a coaxial antenna plug. Two of these carry power and speaker connections. The third is an ISO connector block with three snap-together sections, yellow, green and blue, just like the plug on the end of the CD changer cable. The yellow and blue sections on the ends of the block had no wires attached in my case. The green section in the centre had just a couple of connections (not sure what to). The CD changer cable has a similar plug, with connections only to the blue section. Unclip the unused (green and yellow) sections from the changer cable and the blue section from the cable going into the radio from their respective blocks and clip the blue section from the CD changer to the green section from the radio. Plug the whole block back into the radio.
Post the CD changer cable down the gap on left hand side of the stereo compartment, pull it through under the glove-box and feed it under the carpet in the foot well towards the passenger (left side) door. Now push the head unit back into its compartemnt until it clicks into place.
Remove the plastic trim from the front and rear passenger (left-hand side) door sills (undo the two screws, one at each end, and pull up about a third of the way in from each end to release the two plastic clips underneath, for the front trim; undo the three screws, one at the forward end and two under the rear seat, for the rear trim, and pull up midway to release the plastic catches, again). Loosen off the lower end of the door pillar trim, where it covers seat belt mount.
Now feed the cable under the carpet, clipping it into the cable clamps, across the passenger foot well, along the front door sill, across the door pillar (this is a bit fiddly), and along the rear door sill into the space under the rear seat and under the loose felt mat across to the centre of the space under the seat.
Replace the pillar trim and the door sill trims.
I decided to mount the changer unit under the rear seat but, instead of cutting the carpet covering the letterbox-sized access slot in the centre of the front under-seat bulkhead, I mounted it using self-adhesive Velcro strips (I did not feel happy drilling holes or screwing things into the metal just above the petrol tank...) in the space just behind the access slot with the door facing to the rear, away from the slot. This makes less work and mess, and the installation is less visible. I think it also gives easier access to change the CD cartridge. You just flip the rear seat up and you have plenty of room to see what you are doing. With the door facing forward through the slot, it is more awkward to reach because the driver's seat is in the way of your head and shoulders, and it's dark down there.
Plug the 8-pin DIN plug into the unit, turn on the stereo, and put in a loaded CD cartridge (it won't load/eject until the power has been on for the first time). Hopefully it all works fine!
Close the rear seat, drive somewhere and enjoy the music...
All the best,
Ian.
Over the last couple of weeks I have read quite a lot of articles in this forum about adding the Grundig MCD36 CD changer to the standard AD182H stereo (with built-in CD changer controls).
These helped me a lot, so I thought I should report my experieces installing one into a UK (right-hand drive) 2000 (UK W-reg) Brava 80 (1.2 16v). Sorry if it is a bit simple-minded, but I found some of the messing around with the head unit and trim a bit of a bother, since I don't have the service manual. Hopefully some of you will find it useful.
First of all, I found that this model had no pre-wired cable running to the boot or anywhere else, so I used the cable provided with the MCD36, which has an 8-bit round DIN plug at one end and a rectangular ISO plug with three coloured sections at the other.
I withdrew the radio head unit from the dash. There is no need to remove the power or disconnect the battery provided you are careful not to cause any short circuits. That way you can avoid having to re-enter the code, etc., later. Use the back edge of two thin-bladed knives (e.g. paring knives) and slide them into the crack between the front fascia and the rest of the dashboard, on each side of the head unit about 2cm from the bottom, to lift up the locking arms. Once you have started to prise the unit out a millimetre or two, you can use a flat bladed screwdriver to depress the spring catches beneath two small slots you will find behind the top of the fascia about 1cm in from the edges. Now you can easily and pull the unit all the way out.
Connected to the back of the head unit there are three rectangular block plugs and a coaxial antenna plug. Two of these carry power and speaker connections. The third is an ISO connector block with three snap-together sections, yellow, green and blue, just like the plug on the end of the CD changer cable. The yellow and blue sections on the ends of the block had no wires attached in my case. The green section in the centre had just a couple of connections (not sure what to). The CD changer cable has a similar plug, with connections only to the blue section. Unclip the unused (green and yellow) sections from the changer cable and the blue section from the cable going into the radio from their respective blocks and clip the blue section from the CD changer to the green section from the radio. Plug the whole block back into the radio.
Post the CD changer cable down the gap on left hand side of the stereo compartment, pull it through under the glove-box and feed it under the carpet in the foot well towards the passenger (left side) door. Now push the head unit back into its compartemnt until it clicks into place.
Remove the plastic trim from the front and rear passenger (left-hand side) door sills (undo the two screws, one at each end, and pull up about a third of the way in from each end to release the two plastic clips underneath, for the front trim; undo the three screws, one at the forward end and two under the rear seat, for the rear trim, and pull up midway to release the plastic catches, again). Loosen off the lower end of the door pillar trim, where it covers seat belt mount.
Now feed the cable under the carpet, clipping it into the cable clamps, across the passenger foot well, along the front door sill, across the door pillar (this is a bit fiddly), and along the rear door sill into the space under the rear seat and under the loose felt mat across to the centre of the space under the seat.
Replace the pillar trim and the door sill trims.
I decided to mount the changer unit under the rear seat but, instead of cutting the carpet covering the letterbox-sized access slot in the centre of the front under-seat bulkhead, I mounted it using self-adhesive Velcro strips (I did not feel happy drilling holes or screwing things into the metal just above the petrol tank...) in the space just behind the access slot with the door facing to the rear, away from the slot. This makes less work and mess, and the installation is less visible. I think it also gives easier access to change the CD cartridge. You just flip the rear seat up and you have plenty of room to see what you are doing. With the door facing forward through the slot, it is more awkward to reach because the driver's seat is in the way of your head and shoulders, and it's dark down there.
Plug the 8-pin DIN plug into the unit, turn on the stereo, and put in a loaded CD cartridge (it won't load/eject until the power has been on for the first time). Hopefully it all works fine!
Close the rear seat, drive somewhere and enjoy the music...
All the best,
Ian.