guywitha968

Thanks bbain, I have read your post in the past, and actually participated in that discussion in 2011! It looks very useful but I am still in search of knowledge, most particular is where the external amp is, if I even have one! Another user is trying to help identify which option I have, and from that I am hoping that illusive knowledge will eventually be found!

guywitha968

Well, some progress. I was able to pull the console unit, it was pretty tight, but it's out. Three connections. Antenna, 6-pin Molex type connector and 8-pin DIN. The label on the unit identifies the Molex pins so that's helpful. The label only identifies the DIN as Pre-Amp output, but no pin assignments . But that does answer at least part of the Amp question, there has to be one. After contorting my head and neck around I was able to locate what looks like an amp, under the driver seat. Still don't see anything under the passenger seat. If I can find the correct DIN pinout, I can hook this up to another unit I have with Pre-Amp outputs long enough to see if the Amp is causing the static or if it's the head. The other unit is not one I want to keep long term, but if it can help me find the failed component, that is a start.

Yogii

Just for static, I would check the wires going to the speakers. Old thin wire can easily short out creating the static. Could also be a million other reasons.

-Yogii
AKA 968 Novice

guywitha968

I'll keep that in mind

jeff968

Hmmm, I show you have the hi-fi sound option.

You own RS820076? A black/black coupe? You also have the following options: LT Partial leather, XD4 Painted crest center caps, 437 8-way full power divers seat, and 490 Hi-Fi sound with 10 speakers and amp, 691 am/fm CD player (CD2). But if you have the window sticker all that should be there. On the early cars, if you purchased the CD2 player the hi-fi sound option was mandatory. You should have one amp under your passenger seat.

guywitha968

RS820076 is me. Painted crest caps and partial leather seats with full power on the left are listed on the invoice so that all matches although there is no "XD4" or "437" printed anywhere. There's no "691" or "490" anywhere either but maybe it's like you said perhaps the H-Fi Sound... was mandatory with the CD2 so it's just not listed. Although it would seem strange if a 1994 would qualify as an early car, unless you meant "early 1994".

I've tried to see under the seats as much as I can short of pulling them, and there is something that has a heat sink top that is most likely an amp, bit it is under the driver seat. If there's an amp under the pass seat I sure can't see or feel it! I wish it were under the pass seat, if I have to pull one that one would be the easier seat to pull since I wouldn't have to maneuver around the steering wheel, and it's probably lighter. (Anyone out there seen of a version where the amp is under the driver seat instead of the passenger seat?)

Anyway, I am going to try and dig up the necessary DIN connector to mate my other head unit RCA outputs to the DIN connector cable in the console and try to determine if the failure is the head or the amp. If I am manage to get lucky here, I'll find out it's not the amp, and not care where it is!

Stay tuned!

GregAmy

Installed an aftermarket radio in my 968 just last week...dunno if I have the special amp options but my car already had an aftermarket radio in it...

What's your goal? Keep it looking stock or have better features? My requirement was pretty simple: Bluetooth connectivity for streaming and phone tethering. I rarely listen to radio any more, pretty much never got into satellite radio (I dislike subscriptions), and I have not inserted a compact disc into a car radio since probably Obama was president (Which ones of the hundreds do I take? What if I change my mind?). Everything I do now is Bluetooth: streaming "radio" (free services, though I hate commercials, too), podcasts from my phone, and streaming my ~35-yr CD collection from the phone, all ripped to my home theater system that's accessible via the Internet (cellular data is one of the few subscriptions I tolerate).

Once that was decided, a $130 single-DIN Alpine off Amazon resolved it with two-day shipping. A couple hours making connectors to the existing wiring and I had tunes and a phone connection with hands-free microphone.

Decide what yor requirements and desires are. The aftermarket can easily abide.

jeff968

Those codes (XD4, 437, 490, 691) are the codes for your options. You can find them printed on page 2 of your maintenance manual. Another copy can be found stuck to the rear taillight panel under the rear hatch carpet. But your window sticker should read as pictured below which indicates that you do have the option code 490 hi-fi sound system with amp. As for your car, it is a 718 car which means it was born a 1993 and reVINed by Porsche to be a 1994.

You have the amp. It is under your passenger seat. easy enough to pull out and you will find it.

guywitha968

Yeah my sticker looks like that. It's interesting you mention 1993. I recently had to have the lower side panel replaced, and the shop had trouble matching it up, and they said it was really a 1993 because they had to get a 1993 panel to match. It was a little suspicious though since one of the fasteners was actually not the correct one, one at the end so more important than the middle ones, and when I tried hunting down the right one, exploded parts drawing showed two different fasteners where one goes! I ultimately had to slightly modify the fastener so I could actually snug it up. Perhaps it is a 1993 with 1994 trim, or visa-versa, or maybe the body shop just got one the looked right and tried to get by using it even though the fastener was not tight. Oh well, this has nothing to do with my audio problems....

I found a couple DIN plugs that mate up to the harness, so now it's time to build up a diagnostic test cable.

guywitha968

My goal is still to change only what I have to change. I'm working on a diagnostic cable so I can determine if the fault is the amp or the head. I'm kinda hoping it's the head since that, as you noted, should not be all that difficult to swap in an aftermarket. I am a little concerned with comments in the thread created by bbain, part of that thread brings up the security alarm aspect, and notes that if the alarm is triggered, you have to input a code (presumably via the radio presets) to cancel the alarm. I have not tried to dig into that further at this time, waiting to see if the failure is the amp or the head, TBD!

jeff968

Good, then mystery solved. Your car is indeed a hi-fi sound car (option code 490/494) with the amplifier and you will find it under the passenger seat, as it says on your window sticker. Phew....

You also have 10 speakers which is part of that option.

jeff968

Yeah, no, all the lower trim pieces (body cladding) are the same no matter what the year. The parts book will tell you that. The shop is feed you some kind of story.

To learn more about your car check out this page from the register site:

Option Code 718 – Porsche 968 Register

guywitha968

Interesting stuff! And at the risk of hijacking my own post , does this mean my car was the 16th one built in 1993?
RS820061 (#1) RS820062 (#2) RS820063 (#3) RS820064 (#4) RS820065 (#5) RS820066 (#6) RS820067 (#7) RS820068 (#8) RS820069 (#9) RS820070 (#10) RS820071 (#11) RS820072 (#12) RS820073 (#13) RS820074 (#14) RS820075 (#15) RS820076 (#16 - Me)

jeff968

Nope, They made 608 North American 968 coupes in 1993. PS820061 is the first one, PS820668 the last produced in 1993 with 1993 VINs. If we were looking at your car from a manufacturing date perspective, then you would have the 624th North American 968 coupe produced in 1993 production year. If we are looking at it from the VIN perspective, then your car is the 16th North American 968 with a 1994 VIN (R).

guywitha968

Ah OK, I understand. Thanks for the education!