Adding the Factory 12 Disc Player - **PART 1**
 

Adding the Factory 12 Disc CD Player (2000+ Bonneville)

Although I have tried to ensure the information provided is complete and accurate, errors or omissions may exist. If I find or am made aware of any, I will post corrections as applicable.

General Information:

The 12 disc player connects to an audio input on the rear of the factory head unit. Depending on the model year of the vehicle, an S-Band receiver (XM Tuner) may share the same input. OnStar also connects to the radio but has a separate input which is not shared with other devices.

The 12 disc player is a Class 2 device. Since it connects to the “network” of other class 2 devices (including the radio HU), it can be controlled by receiving signals over this data bus. Control signals include such commands as changing which disc or track is playing. Since the input may be shared with the S-Band receiver, the 12 disc player can be commanded to turn on or off its audio output. The radio can also receive signals from the 12 disc player such as which disc and track are playing and whether a cartridge is installed.

This diagram illustrates the basic concept of the Class 2 Serial Data Bus:

https://i174.photobucket.com/albums/...yer/Class2.jpg

About the wiring:

In this section, part numbers of terminals, connectors and connector housings are all Delphi Packard Electric numbers. In many cases, these are the same as GM numbers. Regardless, your local GM Parts Department may not be able to look these up as a valid item. The Service Department will have a connector repair kit which will contain all terminals shown here. It is up to each individual Service Department as to whether they will sell these items as parts.

There are a total of 8 connections made at the rear of the changer. These are shown on the diagram below:

https://i174.photobucket.com/albums/...scPlayer-1.jpg

The connector which plugs into the back of the 12 Disc Player is P/N: 12047531. It is available through you GM Parts Department.

https://i174.photobucket.com/albums/...r/IMG_1038.jpg

You will also need the following terminals in order to populate the above connector:

https://i174.photobucket.com/albums/...r/IMG_1037.jpg

GM has used 0.35mm2 wire (SAE 22 gauge) for all conductors.

To prevent electrical noise, the audio conductors are wrapped with a foil shield. A bare conductor (drain wire) travels on the outside of the shield. Only ONE end of the drain is connected (at the 12 disc player). The other is a blunt cut just before the audio wires enter the main radio HU connector. For the purpose of this procedure a 3 conductor, 22 gauge shielded audio cable with a drain wire should be used (below).

https://i174.photobucket.com/albums/...r/IMG_0887.jpg

For the Bonneville, GM has used the following colour coding for the 12 disc player circuit:

Battery Positive Voltage – ORN (Orange)
Ground – BLK/WHT (Black w/ White Tracer/Stripe)
Class 2 Data – PPL (Purple)

For consistency, it is recommended that this colour code be used.

Making Electrical Connection into the Vehicle:

The following terminals are required to connect into the factory splice pack (Ground) and the power distribution block (Positive Battery Voltage).

https://i174.photobucket.com/albums/...r/IMG_1041.jpg

*** It is recommended that you disconnect the battery prior to making connection into the vehicle wiring harness. Damage, personal injury and/or unnecessary repairs may result. ***


Connecting the Ground:

Since a BLK/WHT wire is often not available, solid BLK is the next best option. There is a splice pack located in the trunk behind the right side trim panel. This is where the factory installed 12 disc player is grounded. It doesn't matter which vacant cavity is used in this instance.

https://i174.photobucket.com/albums/...r/IMG_0601.jpg
https://i174.photobucket.com/albums/...r/IMG_1042.jpg

Connecting the Battery Positive Voltage (+12 VDC):

This connection, at the factory, is made in the rear power distribution block. Use of the factory fuse should be possible. Many vehicles, even those without the factory installed changer will have a fuse pre-installed. You can check this by looking at the fuse reference label on the cover for the fuse block.

https://i174.photobucket.com/albums/...Picture017.jpg
https://i174.photobucket.com/albums/...Picture018.jpg
https://i174.photobucket.com/albums/...r/IMG_1043.jpg

Connecting into the Class 2 Serial Data Bus:

PPL is used for the data lines between all Class 2 Serial devices (varies with other vehicle lines). PPL is not exclusive to Class 2 Data and it can’t be assumed that any PPL wire will be a part of this data bus. Where the connection is made into the Class 2 Data Bus isn’t important, only that it be made correctly. The wiring harness at the RCDLR (Remote Control Door Lock Receiver) is one of the easiest and most convenient. The RCDLR is located in the trunk, below the rear deck on the LEFT side.

A splice can be made into the wiring at the RCDLR connector in order to avoid having to try and locate difficult to find connectors. This is easily done by anyone with some degree of experience with a soldering iron.

To accomplish this:

1. Unplug the 4 conductor connector at the RCDLR (blue in colour).
2. Peel or cut back the tape wrapping the wires to expose about 4 inches of wire.
3. Cut one of the two PPL wires. Strip approximately 0.5” of insulation from each wire end.
4. Place a piece of heat shrink tubing onto each of the wires large enough to insulate the connection once it has been soldered.
5. Attach one PPL wire to each of these ends long enough to reach behind the 12 disc player. Routing is easiest by attaching these to the support running across the back of the trunk compartment.
6. Solder each of the connections. Carefully using a heat gun, shrink the tubing over the exposed connection.
7. Re-tape the wiring with the new conductors in place.
8. Plug-in the connector to the RCDLR.

Pictures of this process will be added soon…

Watch for PART 2 Soon!!!

GREAT POST Darcy!!!

I am interested in getting those "hard to find" connector shells for the RCDLR. Do you have a part number, or did you clip them out of a harness from the junk yard?

Also, what do you think of these guys as an alternative way of splicing into the RCDLR?
http://www.hawkjet.com/car/splice.jpg

personally I hate them lilbastards I prefer to splice solder and heat shrink (yup no tape guy here) all my wire connections.

I'm trying to find part numbers for connector housings which would allow connection into the harness without cutting or splicing wires. So far no luck. GM had done this when they manufactured the 12 Disc Player Install Kit Harness so I know it has been done. I just need to dig around a little more. I'm not aware that the connector I'm looking for was used in any other application.

I'm really not a big fan of them. I like the solder and heat shrink process myself. Particularly when connecting into the data bus, the best possible connection is recommended since poor or loose connections could cause a world of grief with any of the devices connected. Because of the type of splice into the circuit, butt connectors would be better suited. This will be easier to visualize once I'm done the next segment. I still prefer a good solder connection to the butt connectors though.

So this is our long-awaited writeup Chris? It looks to be worth the wait, very well done. I am patiently awaiting Part 2. Once you have this finished I will have Chris explain it to me in the most basic of explanations so that even I can understand what I will need to do to make my ipod mod work. Oh, and I give another negative vote to those connectors. I tried them for regular speaker connections and they sucked, connection was on/off/on/off, very frustrating.
Grant

i cant wait for the cable to come......i will also do a follow up on the install

My car had to go into the dealership for a water leak before the warranty is up. Got it back this afternoon though. Now I can snap some more pics and carry on with the write-up. Look for it soon!

On those "hard to find" connectors for the RCDLR, is it just the plastic connector body that is difficult to find, or are the pins difficult also?

The terminals themselves are quite easy to get (I have access through work to purchase from a Delphi distributor). I just bought a bag of 200 (min. quantity) because I needed some for another project I was working on. Even the connector housing isn't tough (except I would have to purchase large minimum quantities).

The ideal situation is to build a harness with a male and female connector so that you can unplug the RCDLR connector, plug it into the new harness and then take the new harness and plug it into the RCDLR so as to add another device in series with the data bus. The problem is getting a male in-line connector. Delphi makes one but it is a male PCB header connector (the same one that is a part of the RCDLR itself) which unfortunately is of limited help. There is a similar 4 cavity connector in the same series but the keying is different so they won't mate correctly. I've searched the Delphi technical docs and basically come up empty handed. They don't appear to make what would be the ideal part. Even if they did, it would need to be purchased through one of Delphi's distributors in quantities of 100 - 1,200 per package (depending on the specific product).

I'm working on another solution, but I'm waiting to get some feedback from another user before I get too far into it.

Great info, This should be a sticky!