TeamSwift

A mid-summer update - as the lazy summer days continue.

The radio installation is partially done, with provision for back up camera and forward facing cameras.

First, the factory Cultus Diatone radio was removed. Mitsubishi supplied this radio, and since Japanese radio FM frequencies are incompatible with North America radio frequencies, a new radio was required. The factory radio was single DIN sized, with a DIN sized storage compartment directly below.



A spare Double DIN case was used so that a new Double DIN radio could be installed.



The original power and speaker connectors (shown on right) were retained and soldered/shrink wrapped to the new wiring harness that came with the Pioneer radio connector (on the left). The new radio has a parking brake input wire so that the DVD player can still play whenever it receives a ground signal to signify that the car is stopped with the parking brake engaged. It also has a Reversing (backup) camera input trigger wire so that the rear camera image will appear when the backup lights are powered. I am thinking of doing something different with this wire.

As the Cultus is RHD, and I will be driving on designed for LHD roads, connecting this trigger wire so that whenever the left turn signal is activated (primarily for safer major intersection left turns) may engage power to the forward facing camera (to be mounted in the left external mirror housing). However, the low position of the radio screen may be too hard to see while driving, and make it necessary to mount a second small monitor higher on the dashboard to display a forward image.



A universal Double DIN trim plate (not yet cut to size) was purchased for a few dollars to fill the gap between the radio and the center radio trim panel.



This is an inexpensive video input switch adapter, needed to support manual selection of front or rear camera views on the radio screen. I will be removing and relocating the A/B slide switch portion of this switch adapter to a more convenient location, such as one of the unused switch blanks located on the instrument panel)



The back of the Pioneer radio has a USB output jack and camera RCA video output jack.



Here, the new radio is powered up, and it displays the home page screen on its touch screen.



Here is a picture of this Cultus overhead map light. Normally, the interior light on a Swift or Metro has just a light and/or digital clock. I have not seen a NA car with these dual map lights before buying this car. It was sure handy while working on the wiring; the light beam was more focused on the center of the car interior.

Which I have. I bought the LED stop lamp (3RD LAMP) when it was the craze back in 2009. PM me for details.

_________________



An eye for an eye will leave the whole world blind.

1989 Suzuki Swift GTi: Red "My PocketRocket"
1989 Suzuki Swift GTi: White (Being resurrected)
1996 Geo Metro (Stocker)
1999 Suzuki 1.6 Esteem (Baleno) Wagon (Sleeper creeper)

Hey Thanks for thinking of another option. But I have since decided to just use a non-permanent LED third light with a magnetic mount attached to the top of the hatch frame. This way, the car will be compliant without requiring mods (IE. new holes).

Well, this project is hitting a pause for further upgrades, while I diagnose a potentially expensive sounding engine noise. The testing which will start with engine oil pressure measurements.

A Glow Shift 3/4 UNF 16 oil filter adapter plate is being installed between the oil filter and the engine block so that I can hook up a permanent electric oil pressure gauge sending unit as well as an extra tee so that I can have a test port to attach a mechanical oil pressure test gauge.

After reading many posts about how to best mount an electric oil pressure sending unit to the engine so that it would not be prone to early vibration failure, I decided to use an 18" long Lincoln high pressure grease gun hose with 1/8 NPT fittings attached to the Glow Shift adapter plate. The sending unit will be mounted on the other end of the hose, in a rubber damped metal bracket attached to the upper radiator mount area.



Here is what will be attached to the sending unit/test port: Mechanical (full sweep, diagnostic use only) and Electric (half sweep, permanently mounted) oil pressure gauges.

Hi! Greetings from Indonesia ,

Your car looks really cool! How's your cultus now? I think I would like to use your car as my reference. Anyway, I thought the original radio head unit was supplied by Kenwood, so it's Mitsubishi huh?

Cheers!

Hello and Thanks for reading about my project.

The noise diagnosis using a mechanic's stethoscope, was a worn water pump bearing and a defective timing belt tensioner. I am currently replacing these parts and will post some pictures soon.

And factory installed Cultus radios for the JDM market in the 1988-1997 period were either Clarion or Mitsubishi.

In North America, Kenwood and Clarion also had Suzuki-branded car radios. I remember seeing these as dealer accessory items in the Suzuki parts department, or as a dealer installed radio for cars delivered to the dealership without a radio.