kell

The radio in my 1994 Ram 2500 worked fine and then one day I tried to turn it on and got nothing.
I went to a junkyard and got another 2500 radio but when I connected it I still got nada.
I did a search on the board before posting and it seems that in addition to the radio itself, there may be an amp under the dash.
Since I find it unlikely that I found a second bad radio at the junkyard, I attribute my lack of audio to a bad amp -- at least I'll work from that hypothesis for now.
Any info like location of the amp under the dash greatly appreciated, it would make my job so much easier. I might go back to the junkyard and buy the amp out of that 2500.
Links to wiring diagrams, too... supposedly there is some wiring available that lets you jumper past the amp to connect the radio directly to the speakers.

KHoffman

I looked at the wiring diagram for my 97 and I don't see an amp in the system. Does the radio turn on but has no sound, or does it not even turn on?

98whitelightnin

I think the only trucks with amps have the infinity premium sound system with the tweeters and fyi you should be able to get a radio out of any dodge be it 1/2 ton, 3/4 ton, or 1 ton, but you can probably go get a pioneer from wally world for the same price.

stevenl

if it has an amp its not factory

kell

When I have the key turned on and then turn the radio on, I get no sound.

But if I turn the radio on first, then turn the key, I get a barely audible thump from the speakers.

This radio doesn't have a wiring diagram on it and the Haynes manual doesn't have a wiring diagram either, so I'll use the process of elimination, starting with the amp. Now, just so I don't have to take the entire dash apart, where should I look for it?

atc250r

I don't know if this applies to your 1994 but it might since the interior was the same. My 1997 had an Infinity system from the factory (I think it even said it on the radio) but no tweeters on the A-pillars. Tweeters didn't appear on the A-pillar until 1998 model year trucks, before that they were in the door panel a little above the regular speaker grill. The panel is shaped like the letter "U" with the closed end of the letter facing the front of the truck and the open end facing the rear. It's just in front of where the cloth insert on the door panel ends. An easy way to find out if you have the Infinity system is to pull out one of the door speakers and see if they have a little circuit board attached to the back of them. When I bought my 1997 back in 1999, I put an Alpine head unit in and got just a very "tinny" sound out of the speakers, you couldn't even listen to it. I ended up unsoldering the audio wires that went into the circuit board that was attached to the stock speakers and soldering them directly to the speakers. After that it worked fine. I'd bet money that if you pulled a Dodge radio out of something that didn't have the Infinity set up in it, you'd have a similar problem to what you're having and I had. Those little circuit boards on the back of the stock 6x9 door speakers are probably little amps and they are designed to have a certain "level" of input sent to them, too much will make them do strange things. I don't think there is a centrally mounted amp in the traditional sense though. Try pulling one of the door speakers out and bypassing that circuit on the back, it might start working for you. If you happen to be out in my area I'd be happy to give you a hand.

John

kthiemann

something else to look at is check both fuses....one is the IOD fuse and one is labeled radio.....if memory serves the IOD fuse powers the radios internal amp...if that one is blown you will get lights but no sound.

kell

kthiemann: I'll look for the IOD fuse next time I go out to the truck.

Thanks John atc250r. I'll have a look at the speakers...
As it happens I often drive back and forth between New York City and upstate New York/Vermont. I may swing over by Greenwood Lake next trip. I'll give you a heads up if I do. I like the area around Sterling Forest. Went hunting there once.

Kell

atc250r

Cool. Sterling Forest is just about my backyard.

Definitely make sure all the fuses are good. Its all to easy to overlook the obvious.

John

madhat

Have you hooked a volt meter up to the hot wire for the raido? Checked the ground connection?

kell

There are fourteen wires altogether, plus the chassis ground.
I did ascertain that one of the wires is hot with the the key in the accessories position.

Right now it's very cold outside, so I'll wait until the temps get a little milder and do some more work on it.

atc250r

If the radio is turning on then I doubt very much that its a fuse unless there is a different fuse that runs the amps. You're right, its too cold out there to do anything right now.

John