single din in 89 riv

Id like to install a single din head unit in my 89 riv. The cassette player doesnt work, but if I could get another one, or my old one repaired I would be happy with that. I was thinking about trying to put a head unit where the cassette player is, but I am worried that if I unplug it then the computer might not work right. I could always put it in the glove box, but I want it to be easy to access, and to look clean. Anyone know anything or have any pics of an install like this?

Does the '89 have the touch CRT like the '86? If you unplug the cassette player, I would expect the thing to show you an error message, but otherwise still work fine.

Yeah its got the CRT. I would like to try to put the head unit where the cassette player, im just not sure on the depth. Do you know anything about the front door speakers? I have read that they have a reallow shallow mounting depth.

No, sorry. The '86 we had was about 18 years ago. I don't remember a lot about it besides how to sneak the CRT into diagnostic mode... My favorite thing because you could see the speedometer reading even above 85 where the main speedometer would stop...

If you don't know how to do it, press "Off" and "Heat" at the same time from the HVAC page, and it will turn into a full engine diagnostic display, better than any scan tool we could ever find!!!

Sweet, I didn't know that. I need to go out and try that now. Do you know any other tricks with the CRT? I have had slot of troubles with mine, we had to replace it with a remanufactured one. I'm really hoping someone will chime in about the head unit. Do you know where I can get a interior wiring diagram, I'd like to know what wires are for the radio.

89riv wrote:

Do you know where I can get a interior wiring diagram, I'd like to know what wires are for the radio.

Try Ebaymotors and search for Factory Service Manuals
I've had good luck finding the manuals for many different makes and years on there.

Yeah I just looked they have one for 37, thats a good deal. A local dealership tossed all their service manuals last year, I really wish I would have "barrowed" the 89 riv manual. I got the manuals for my two s10s, but at the time I didn't think about getting one for my riv.

Is this site mainly for the later model rivs?

Not necessarily, It's for all Riv's. Just that the most active people on here have 95-99's.
But we also have a lot of older Riv's too. Everyone try's to help everyone.
Sometimes you just have to wait until someone with more experience on your year log's in and offers help. That's all.

Oh, well from what I have read the only interchangeable part from the 86-93 to the 95-99s seems to be the wheels lol. I have found a few guys on here that have already helped me out alot.

I just went out and tried the of and heat thing, it works! I didnt want to mess with to much, can I do any damage to the computer by doing stuff in there?

89riv wrote:

I just went out and tried the of and heat thing, it works! I didnt want to mess with to much, can I do any damage to the computer by doing stuff in there?

Awesome! As far as I could tell, you can only monitor, you cannot change anything, so feel free to browse around. It's very very very comprehensive! You can see the raw output of every sensor in the car...

So they went from having an awesome self diagnostic tool to having a plugin for diagnostics to which no commonly availible scan tool fits (1995) OBD1.5? lol.

As far as the deck goes, If you tell me your state / nearest city, I could tell you if theres any cass units in your area.

deekster_caddy wrote:

89riv wrote:

I just went out and tried the of and heat thing, it works! I didnt want to mess with to much, can I do any damage to the computer by doing stuff in there?

Awesome! As far as I could tell, you can only monitor, you cannot change anything, so feel free to browse around. It's very very very comprehensive! You can see the raw output of every sensor in the car...

I will probably get into an accident playing with that lol. That really cool, I just need to figure it out now.

89riv wrote:

Do you know anything about the front door speakers? I have read that they have a reallow shallow mounting depth.

That's correct. I had to get some factory sized replacements for when I swapped the drivers side speaker (the lower mid range speaker). I think I ordered a pair of them and still have a new one left.

I'd help you out with the onboard vehicle diagnostic system, but I threw the service manual in the car when I traded it in. I should have kept that manual....

jamie wrote:

So they went from having an awesome self diagnostic tool to having a plugin for diagnostics to which no commonly availible scan tool fits (1995) OBD1.5? lol.

As far as the deck goes, If you tell me your state / nearest city, I could tell you if theres any cass units in your area.

Im in moundsville WV 26041

Ash wrote:

89riv wrote:

Do you know anything about the front door speakers? I have read that they have a reallow shallow mounting depth.

That's correct. I had to get some factory sized replacements for when I swapped the drivers side speaker (the lower mid range speaker). I think I ordered a pair of them and still have a new one left.

I'd help you out with the onboard vehicle diagnostic system, but I threw the service manual in the car when I traded it in. I should have kept that manual....

So the rivs have a seperate midrange and a tweeter? Thats a plus! Do you think you could measure that midrange for me? I was thinking about putting a spacer behine it to put it out some, but I didnt know what kind of space they have in front of them between them and the grill. My cousin is a manager at a local gm dealerdhip in the part dept. He can score me a manual and I will copy everything I need.

I have a nib jvc kdlh1150 that I think I am going to try to put where the cassette player is at. I would like to find the trim panel around the cassette player so I dont butcher the stock one. I think I will run all new wires to the head unit rather than splicing into the stock harness. I am afraid to cut a wire in that harness and f somehting up.

I have been riding around with the diagnostic mode on ever since I found out about it. That is a great feature.

I got some new wheels, well not new, 2002 buick regal 14 spoke wheels. They look way better than the wire hub caps.

I will just do this,

http://carphotos.cardomain.com/ride_images/1/550/3041/1374020001_large.jpg

89riv, I'll try to remember to get you measurements of that door speaker, after work.

That was about the biggest thing I hated about my '89. The inability of adding/replacing the factory head unit with a cd player.

That would be great if you could measure the speaker. I think I have the head unit situation figured out.

I talked to a guy at crutchfield and he said the max mounting depth is 1.16. So I could run a polk db comp set midrange in the door with a spacer. The pold midrange is 1.6 deep, so a .5 spacer would be fine. I am just worried about the amount of room between the speaker and the grill.

Well, I'm finally posting some dimentions. These are of the factory speaker.

From bottom of mounting flange to bottom of speaker. 2 1/16"

Speaker protrusion from mounting flange (the part that would be just behind the grill). 3/8"

Magnet diameter. 3 1/8"

Speaker mounting flange hole spacing. (square pattern) 3 7/8"

Diagonal measurement of mounting flange (largest speaker dimention). 6 1/4"

I hope this helps you out. Sorry for the delay. My computer web browser is messed up.

That helps alot! Thanks, so that speaker isn't as shallow as crutchfield said. What year exactly is that speaker for? You said there is a seperate midrange and tweeter? I really apreciate the help!

Those measurements are of the factory (5 1/2" ?) Drivers Side door speaker. The one I replaced. (I seem to keep stuff like this.)

The tweeter is behind the fake woodgrain trim panel located higher on the door. It has a few large slots to act as the speaker grill/cover.

Oh, I always thought there might be a tweeter behind there. What year riv was that from?