I want to replace my stock CD/radio combo with a bluetooth amplifier through which I can just play music off a phone. I don't want a head unit.

I took out the old CD/radio, and there were two eight-pin connectors on the back of it. One of them is power and controls, and the other is all the speakers. The wiring diagram is shown here: http://ww2.justanswer.com/uploads/IT...odinpinout.jpg

Based on other forum posts, I'm planning to get this Metra harness, which will take the eight-pin speaker plug and convert it into RCA:
From what I can tell, the right-hand socket on the Metra adapter handles all the speakers. The left-hand side contains pins 4-8 of the power/switching connector, which include power, illumination and so on.

I'm planning to use this Kenwood bluetooth amplifier:
I figure I'll plug the RCAs from the Metra harness into the Kenwood's line out. This should be straightforward and I expect it will work. I'll then solder the Kenwood's power and ground to the appropriate connector on the Metra, although I'm less sure about how this step is going to work. I'll follow the Kenwood manual as best I can: http://assets.sonicelectronix.com/ma...4bt_manual.pdf

I'm pretty sure this will work, but can anyone poke holes in it? Am I missing anything? It would be nice to still have the steering-wheel controls, but I don't see how I can manage that with this setup.

Note that I've looked high and low in my truck and I don't seem to have a stock amplifier anywhere.

 

Factory amp is under drivers seat, if it has one.
I see only 2 RCA outputs on the amp.
Question, are the two outputs line level or amplified?
If they are line level, you need to disregard using them and get the Metra harness that has wires instead of RCA plugs(70-1784, if I recall) and hook up to the speaker wires on the Kenwood harness. Otherwise, you will get no sound.
Steering wheel controls are not an option, because they would have to control your phone, since that is your head unit(so to speak)

 

Do some searching...

The head unit is only a control interface. The amp and crossovers are located elsewhere.

There are at least three variations of factory sound system.

I got a Kenwood head unit (something has to go in place of the old stereo) which has bluetooth and USB capability. Used the same speakers (need to upgrade) and added a three channel JL amp under the passenger seat to power the front doors and a JL sub. The head unit also feeds line level to the factory amp which feeds the rear door speakers.

My company paid to have bluetooth added to my car as I need to be available by phone while driving and live in a "hands free" only state. A car stereo store did the installation so I don't know what harness they used...

But what you are wanting is easily done and documented pretty well on this site and others.

Not that that marine amp isn't cool and priced well... but another amp is not what you need to play a phone into your system, just get a bluetooth capable replacement head unit and use what parts of the existing system are practical.

 

Thanks for the input – I've done a bunch of research and checked the car, and it looks like I don't have a stock amp. The amplification functions are within the stock head unit, it seems.

I don't want a head unit, so I'm replacing it with a Bluetooth amp. That's the idea, at least.