your just a big ol fatty, here wanna Popsicle fatty?

 

Gigitty, gititty.

 

I forgot all about the steering wheel controls.
OK then...let me ask all of you this: is there a HEAD UNIT that will enable me to keep all my Land Rover functions (such as steering wheel controls and keep the power amp) but also enable me to put in a CD from the front and keep the CD cartridge under the seat? Like I said, my big gripe is not being able to feed a CD into the front.
Also, if I did the Sirius FM frequency feed, and used a line in for my IPOD (but improved the frequency kbs as some of you suggested), would I be set? Is it even possible? I thought Land Rover had some CD head unit for the Discovery that enabled you to feed a CD in the front. Mine does not: it's just the 6 disc cartridge under the seat.

 

In order to keep your steering wheel controls you will need a LR head unit.
Yes they have a CD head unit.
If you use a FM modulator for your Sirrius you can also use that same one for your i-pod. You will just need a splitter.
http://www.autosportsunlimited.com/cgi-bin/search.cgi
These guys just got a '04 Disco in a couple of weeks ago, it might have a CD deck, and yes, it will fit.
You could always use a cassette adaptor.

 

Not quite...

You can retain your steering wheel controls with an after-market head unit; you just need an adaptor:

Click here to view the PAC SWI-JACK at Crutchfield.com

There are different versions of the item above for just about every application. As for bypassing the factory amplifier, I doubt there is much of a way around this. I havent pulled apart the stereo connection to see how the amplifier is connected to the head unit. My guess is that the amplifier takes 4 channels: front left, front right, rear left, and rear right. If that is true, then it should be possible to hook up an aftermarket head-units pre-amp outputs to the factory amplifier - though you may have to splice a few wires with different connections or quick-disconnects. Do I know this for fact? No, its an educated guess.

 

I did a bit of searching on google to figure out this factory amp crap. From what I can tell, it looks like you can connect the low-level (pre-amp) outputs from an aftermarket head unit to the factory amplifier:

Disco Stereo topic on FocalJet.com

Factory amplifier integration harness for Land Rover Discovery

Again, I cant confirm that any of the above works, but it looks like the factory amp takes 4 low-level channels (the pre-amp outputs on an aftermarket stereo), so you should be able to fit an aftermarket stereo and still use the factory amplifier.

I cant find anything on retaining the factory CD changer with an aftermarket head-unit. Its not really necessary, but Id rather not spend the time to remove the CD changer and at the same time, I would hate knowing that theres a perfectly good CD changer there that has no possibility of working because it isnt hooked up. A stupid conundrum, I know, but things like that bother me.

 

I can vouch for the SWI-JACK unit.

I installed one in my Rover when I swapped out the head unit last summer.

They can be had for $30ish on eBay.

 

ok to give you a better understanding you can change you head unit and it will work with all your 11 speackers. you will lose you cd changer, sell it on ebay,you will lose your steerling wheel controls, there is a way to get them back but its like 100 for parts plus labor. all you need an aftermarket head unit with a remot controll and your good. now as far as parts to change you head unit all you need is a small lip that you can get at the dealer for like 8.99 you need a VW radio harness and only use the big antena the little one dose not get used.

 

The first owner before me put in a pioneer reciver with xm ready (and a sirius reciver). IT SUCKS! I dont recommend it at all!! its sounds awful, theres either to much bass, or not enough. i usally leave it on the setting with to much bass, and recently the panels around the speackers started shaking! its horrible, and wrecks everything. id definantly stay stock, and use a fm transmitter, i use one for my ipod now (the pioneer one broke). plus the steering wheel controls would be usfull to me as i am a distracted driver.

anyways, dose anyone know how to fix a passanger side door bottom cone rattle?

if you get rid of your Rover stereo system, i might be intrsted! email me at sleds12@hotmail.com

 

Here's the deal, good timing, I am just doing another in an 03' for a customer. There are several options and it's not the basic swap you'd do in most cars. First, there are three options on the sound system. The "basic" system, the amplified system with a deck on the dash that contours with the opening of the dash and is not quite a one DIN unit, and not a 1.5 DIN unit. (relates to size of deck) Then there is the amplified system with the navigation system which is standard 1 DIN size, has a cd instead of a tape deck AND the face pops open to put in either one of the "lame" navigation CD's or you can play regular cd's as well. The two last set ups also have the 6 disc changer unit under the passenger front seat. Here's the rub, you also have the volume and mode control on the steering wheel. Some folks like it, some don't give a wit. I use mine all the time and have the Navigation system but only use the cd player for cd's. The changer works, I just don't use it much. Being a Mechanic, I like to listen to the vehicle more than anything. Anyways, another issue to contend with is how to get the amplified system to plug and play with an aftermarket deck. So here's what ya do. 1st, find a deck that has two sets of pre amp outputs on the rear. Might aswell get one with an I pod harness as well since it's nice to have that option built in and it's almost standard nowadays on decks. Many come with remote controls as well and if you want, use it and you won't needand interface to retain the volume control on the steering wheel. Yep, there are interface couplers to do that if you want it. Crutchfield has em for one example. But, to get back to the amplifier and speakers/...... You can get for 39 bucks, a harness that plugs directly into the factory harness so NO wiring to be cut on the vehicle which saves time (read that to mean saves $$$$) AND also has 4 RCA plugs that will tap the amplifier system as well so you plug everything in and tada! I like this set up cause the sound system, (excluding the decks which are marginal at best as far as reliability) reallysound good especially with thebase in the rear door. Thenice thing is that if you are careful, and use the CORRECT tool, you can pull the olddeck using theEuro keys inthe small slots to remove the deck. now, if you have the tape deck version with amp (amp is under drivers seat) then you'll notice a problem right away, the 1DIN deck does NOTlook right with the 1/2" gap underneith,BUT the center console is the same for both the big deck and the navigationdeck. the only difference isa finisher plate that snaps into placeto fill thegap. Landrover sells em for about $25 bucks or they are available all over the internet as well. As far as the CD changer is concerned, this customer's changer is toast anyways, and she uses the I pod so for a nice finishing touch,I just ran the harness discreetly under the facia of the consoland into her cup holder and the same web site that had the interface harness sells a blackIpod docking station that fits the cup holders and she can now look down atit and it looks good as a finished product.There is an interface for the changer as well if you marry it up to the right deck. Do the homework and plan it outwell in advance and you'll be very pleased. Trust me whenI tell you, thewiring schematics on the system are typical of most other systems in land rovers, over engineered and prone to all sorts of "issues" if done wrong. Having said that, this is a60k vehicle, asis another 02' in myshop and my personal 03' has 80k. I have another customer with an 03' that had 60K too and all have been head gasket leakers. (gee, didn't see that on the 60k service sheet lol. anyways, I have been working on these for so long that I stock most parts. The Brits have a Navy right? why it isn't at the bottom of the ocean I don't know, cause they can't seem to seal an engine to save their lives! I say that with a grin, I own em' love em' and fix em. Hint, don't put em back together with dry gaskets and they actually don't look like they've puked their guts out from the underside! I mean this all light heartedly of course cause I love a challenge. I should also mention, while I am listing the litany of leaks, the throttle body coolant housing, yep, do those so much I quit using the "repair" kit that LR provides. Just pull the TB and remove the three fasteners, after snapping off the plastic cooler lines, (good grief, how much did they save with that idea?) use REAL hose routed properly with split loom for chaffing protection and a few tastfully placed zip ties for them. Then take the TB and the housing piece and on a quality belt sander, reface them flat, then use 3M TWO PART epoxy and glue the two together and put the fittings back on. A good amine-nitrate and phosphate free antifreeze like Pentosin while flushing the system, cause ya probably just did the top end too and since the first Bosch managed unit I did was done, not one has leaked since. works like a charm.

Another good old "fun one" is the ABS SLABS trio of lights that in my opinion are a bad deal. I mean, I know as a mechanic and as someone who actually READS the manual, that the TC light comes on as it is being actuated. BUT when you get the TC light, the ABS light and the rear suspension light on followed by the cash machine "ding" something is awry. Here's where I think it's a bad deal.... EVERY customer, most women, but that's not being sexist, it's purely based on numbers, will tell me (if they even mention the problem) that it's NOT a problem cause they just turn the vehicle off and the lights go away so it must be fixed! right? Good grief! No, it's generally the left front speed sensor and/or the shuttle valve having issues. Since people are obviously running around with this "triad" of lights coming on intermittently (until its a hard code failure) many customers are suprised to learn that there is indeed a problem and it will only be a PROBLEM when they NEED the traction control and/or ABS in let's say and EMERGENCY What I am getting at is that the lights should stay on, as consumers are generally conditioned to "check engine" lights which stay on when a problem persists that needs help. If it goes out, they figure no more problems. Anyways, off that soapbox, without exception, if the left front sensor has not been changed to the new long wire version that does away with the plug and goes directly to the SLABS unit, I put one in. Second, instead of just installing a whole new modulator assembly, I think the dealer gets about $2100 for them, I get the repair kit from Atlantic British which has the shuttle valve assembly AND get the valve body as well. The shuttle valve assembly is only about $65 and the valve body is about $675 but do the math, it takes about 10 more minutes to do that rather than the whole enchillada and as long as the system is clean, as well as your workspace and hands, put it all back in, bleed the brakes using the extended life ATE dot 4 that's good for 36 months and then bleed thesystem. (of course you need testbook, rovacom ugh! or T4) and you've already pulled and verified codes, so then you bleed the modulator and then the ABS with the software and due the regular bleed at all 4 corners. The fluid is cheap compared to the neglect. Remember hygroscopic and complex system. Oh, and corrosion, yeah, that's the ticket. The reason some might (and do) ask that I'd replace all three parts is this, I'd rather the car didn't run before it didn't stop.... Working on Land Rover vehicles all these years and loving the adventure in just keeping them from peeing all over the lot, I have to say, once they are PROPERLY sealed, and all the common failure issues are fixed PROPERLY, they are a great vehicle and I wouldn't sell mine for twice the price. *mostly cause they usually have that much into them already!

This last one is for the ladies` Do you have leather seats but no heated seats?? is your backside a bit cold this winter on the way to work? Maybe you know this, maybe you don't but all the leather seats already HAVE the electric resistor wiring in them from the factory and they are wired in already to the console. No, I wouldn't mess with ya on that. For about $50 you can get a new face plate with the heated seat buttons and put it in place where your current window switches are, guess what, you got a warm tush! I put this conversion in EVERY vehicle a lady drives in. On the bottom of the invoice, I put a little "invoice for $99 bucks and it says, "Your seat is set for heat, drive down to the market on 1st and back, if you aren't thrilled, it's free. If you like it though, drop that invoice off with a check, oh, and cookies are always welcomed. It's like the aftermarket cup holders for P38 range rovers, they cost $10 bucks and I give one away with every head gasket replacement or big service. You know, the one that goes in the little stash spot if you don't have the nav system. Man, I can't get a customer to smile over the fact that the car isn't puking and overheating anymore (probably cause of the bill) but they always come back to say "thanks for the cup holder, that was really nice"

anyways getting writers cramp.. peace