Nakamichi Update - '99 LX 470 (4 Viewers)

[PabloCruise]

PabloCruise, it's been a few months now since you finished this project up. I'm contemplating following your lead on this, and I've got a couple of questions.
1) How does it sound, and is it holding up well?
2) You've only used 14 pins of the 22 pin connector. Can you go over why you only used those 14, and if there's any negative effect from the unused pins (noise, functions not working, etc.)? And:
3) Other than the RCA sections, did you use anything else from the Metra LC harness that you bought? If not, are you aware of any option for buying the color coded RCA wires?

I'm sure that I'll have more questions after I dig into the project (when the tax return comes in), but I'd appreciate any answers to the above you could give me as I start to compile my parts list.

Thanks in advance!!!

Heck yeah, happy to help.

Where in SD are you? We go up to the BHCC every year and have a great time. Maybe we will see you there this summer. I am already looking forward to it...

1) Sound - this seems very subjective. The new head unit has EQ control, so you can make more adjustments than the stock Nak head unit. I did not replace the speakers (yet), so they are the same. The unit is holding up well!

2) If you take a look at my pin outs, I get the full function out of the new head unit and amp. The factory set up only used 18 of the 22 positions. I left off a 2nd power @ #2, and 2nd Illumination @ #13, the Mute lead @ #15, and the Beep @ #16. The head unit powers, illuminates, dims, mutes and beeps just fine. The speaker outs to the amp w/ the individual grounds are preserved. There is no odd noise or lack of function.

3) I do not think I used anything else from the Metra harness other than the RCAs once I realized their crimps were not clean. It was free from Crutchfield with the head unit, so I was not disappointed.

Does that help? Good luck on your project! This really added a lot of function to our LX!

 

[100serieslover]

Awesome! That answers my questions perfectly. We're really looking forward to all that extra functionality in ours as well.

I'm in Pierre. I don't know if we'll get to BHCC or not. Seriously considering it though.

Thank you!!!

 

[Robsando]

Excellent write up @PabloCruise!!! Thank you for providing the magical Toyota part numbers. Here is a link to a supplier of the male connectors ($0.20 each) in case anybody is interested:

●[SWS] 050 Type TS series male terminal Non waterproof /M050-SMTS

The Sumitomo TS series 050 type male terminal non-waterproofing notation is the price of "one".Toyot…

www.hi-1000ec.com

 

[PabloCruise]

Excellent write up @PabloCruise!!! Thank you for providing the magical Toyota part numbers. Here is a link to a supplier of the male connectors ($0.20 each) in case anybody is interested:

●[SWS] 050 Type TS series male terminal Non waterproof /M050-SMTS

The Sumitomo TS series 050 type male terminal non-waterproofing notation is the price of "one".Toyot…

www.hi-1000ec.com

That is excellent! That will save someone a lot of $ vs. buying the Toyota repair wire.
And you can use color coded wire!

Thank you!

 

[Colorplates]

I just ordered 90980-11503 from parts.westcoasttoyotalb.com

10.90 + shipping

Thanks for the pn!

Just an update, these are no longer available from this source.

 

[playdrv4me]

What a tremendous and well illustrated write-up. Makes me glad I love the look of these stock old Toyota Japanese made radios, though.

 

[Colorplates]

Adding this in.

@LoftyJZX thanks for the video and @PabloCruise thanks for all the info!! I Just wanted to confirm, I am installing a Sony avx1000 into my Nakamichi LX, splicing straight in. In the wiring diagram the amp (gray) from lx is going to a blue cable on your unit. I don't have that, so I'm assuming that is where the (black/red) and ACC from head unit splice takes place?

Also If you aren't using video playback on your device, is it important to wire the parking brake feature? Couldn't you put it into the ground?

Thanks,
Dustin

 

[PabloCruise]

I am going to have to go back through the wire diagrams to answer your question...

 

[BEG]

Also If you aren't using video playback on your device, is it important to wire the parking brake feature? Couldn't you put it into the ground?

Thanks,
Dustin

I used the Sony head unit and I just connected the parking brake wire to ground. Works fine.

 

[Colorplates]

I used the Sony head unit and I just connected the parking brake wire to ground. Works fine.

Thanks for that info, that was my suspicion.

Also if anyone else needs it, I found the 90980-11503 part on this site:

Toyota & Lexus Parts and Accessories | toyolexparts.com

Shop a large selection of OEM Toyota and Lexus parts guaranteed to fit your vehicle, and your budget. Save up to 35% when you shop now, and receive the factory direct solution straight to your door step!

www.toyolexparts.com

shipped yesterday.

 

[jLB]

I just received (2) 90980-11503 connectors, from Keyes Lexus, for our 99 LX.

Thanks @PabloCruise for the leg work, and sharing the information.

Just ordered 100 pins from [SWS] TS series 050 Type male terminal Non waterproof /M050-SMTS

 

[etarasoff]

Great work. I would pay $$$ for your time and labor to make one for me. If you have the time and interest, PM and let's talk.

 

[Qtonic]

Contrary to the reports that the basic radio and amp in early LX are the same as the LC, my '98 LX non-Nakamichi has all the same ports and plugs as the Nakamichi version of the same vintage. The amp and radio look nearly identical just besides the labels.

I guess my first step would be to verify the pin outs are all the same so I can follow the Nakamichi upgrade path. Is this commonly known? I fully expected to find the ports of the LC as indicated on the RobRed link.

 

[PabloCruise]

Contrary to the reports that the basic radio and amp in early LX are the same as the LC, my '98 LX non-Nakamichi has all the same ports and plugs as the Nakamichi version of the same vintage. The amp and radio look nearly identical just besides the labels.

I guess my first step would be to verify the pin outs are all the same so I can follow the Nakamichi upgrade path. Is this commonly known? I fully expected to find the ports of the LC as indicated on the RobRed link.

let us know what you find!

 

[PabloCruise]

Great work. I would pay $$$ for your time and labor to make one for me. If you have the time and interest, PM and let's talk.

Thank you! Right now life is a little busy, later in the year might be better?

 

[jLB]

Contrary to the reports that the basic radio and amp in early LX are the same as the LC, my '98 LX non-Nakamichi has all the same ports and plugs as the Nakamichi version of the same vintage. The amp and radio look nearly identical just besides the labels.

I guess my first step would be to verify the pin outs are all the same so I can follow the Nakamichi upgrade path. Is this commonly known? I fully expected to find the ports of the LC as indicated on the RobRed link.

In the "1999 LX470 Electrical Wiring Diagram", I only see the one 22 pin "R1" radio connector.

 

[PabloCruise]

In the "1999 LX470 Electrical Wiring Diagram", I only see the one 22 pin "R1" radio connector.

Interesting, even though there were 2 systems available...

 

[Qtonic]

I assume the internals are different between the only two that were available for the LX in 98/99, but they both use basically identical looking chassis with the same connectors on the HU and amp.

Nakamichi made both the HU and amp for that system, whereas the basic HU was made by Fujitsu-Ten with Pioneer making the amp.

So this is a great resource you created. It helps everyone with an LX from 98/99 (and possibly later, I haven't checked). I hadn't had a chance to verify all the pinouts, but according to @jLB and his wire diagram I think it's safe to say the process will be identical. It makes sense. If Lexus was going to have multiple manufacturers all use the same chassis then I assume they wanted to use the same harness.

 

[sbluker]

Hi everyone - jumping in on this thread as it seems to be the most recently active. I've got a 2000 LX470 and trying to install a new head unit and use the existing Nakamichi amp and original speakers. It's an Alpine ilx-f309, I'm pretty pumped about it. I've read all the threads on how to make this happen but am still not quite getting there...

I've wired pre-out RCAs into the existing speaker wires I cut from the original harness. I've got power to the head unit, but no sound. The amp must not be turning on, right?

I have a remote amp wire coming from the head unit. I've connected that to the red/black amp signal wire, nothing. (red/black with one dot which is what I've read is the correct wire, other red/black with two dots is antenna power)

I've also tried three-waying the amp signal wire, the grey ACC wire, and ACC wire from head unit as I've seen recommended, nothing.

Anybody got any ideas what I'm missing?

 

[PabloCruise]

Excellent write up @PabloCruise!!! Thank you for providing the magical Toyota part numbers. Here is a link to a supplier of the male connectors ($0.20 each) in case anybody is interested:

●[SWS] 050 Type TS series male terminal Non waterproof /M050-SMTS

The Sumitomo TS series 050 type male terminal non-waterproofing notation is the price of "one".Toyot…

www.hi-1000ec.com

What type of crimper would be best for these?