88 and up stock cassette head unit differences

[Jeepeta]

My 88 GW stock cassette head unit was funky with the drivers side channels not working, so I sourced a replacement one here from a FSJ member out of a 90 GW, (which as far as we believe was the original unit).

My 88 had cooling fins on the back, but the head unit from the 90 did not. They also had different point of origin lables, one korea, the other japan. The front display panels and button looked essentially the same. The font on the 88 buttons may have been a little different, but hardly detectable.

I'm not going for concors points, but I was wondering if perhaps the absence of cooling fins meant it might not be amplified the same. Perhaps its from the smaller wagoneer? The previous one did sound very good until the drivers side went dead. Not sure about how the replacement will work if indeed it is from the smaller jeep.

I do realize replacing stock for stock isn't necessarily the norm, but I'm going for the stealth to deter stereo bandits. (I do run a 6 disc changer hidden under seat).

Does anyone know if there are differences in the 88 and up factory head units?

[yankeedog]

thier was a deluxe stereo system that used jensen speakers.i know thats what came in mine, that is probably the difference.heat sink would indicate this .the stocker with stock speakers would not have it ,the upgrade would .am not 100 percent sure on this.as long as the pin out is the same you should be good to go i would think.

[Jeepeta]

thier was a deluxe stereo system that used jensen speakers.i know thats what came in mine, that is probably the difference.heat sink would indicate this .the stocker with stock speakers would not have it ,the upgrade would .am not 100 percent sure on this.as long as the pin out is the same you should be good to go i would think.

I do have the jensen upgrade, although the only thing remaining is the speaker grills. Speaker have been long gone replaced with rockford fosgates. Wonder what power output difference is between the upgrade and stock unit?. I wonder if there is a way to find out?

Even if the replacement works you can bet it will not sound as good. Like I said the original one sounded pretty darn good for an factory unti until the drivers side died

[Jeepeta]

BTW if anyone has there old stock head unti for sale that has the upgrade (cooling fins on back), im interested it buying it from you perhaps. Let me know.

[yankeedog]

Might try your local boneyard . last year the same thing happened to me only the whole radio up and died.local guy had one for 50 bucks,likewise i replaced it with a non heat sinked unit.maybe those high power units are reaching the end of thier usefull life span ,capacitors going bad and such.any way the replacement unit is working well enough,does it sound better or worse?i am half deaf anyway so i could not tell you.and the jensen speakers i replaced with cheaphoriffic things from the clearance shelf at rattyoshack.it makes noise.i am happy.usually i only listen to am radio anyway.besides no idiot yodeling on the radio sounds better than a healthy V8.Except MAYBE natalie merchant.

[red mistress]

AMC radio- repair guy

AMC guy, Ken Parkman, has fixed a Jeep CJ radio and clock for me. He goes by Trickey One on Ebay. Or I can find his address and phone # if you'd like.