Will E34 radio/deck work in E28's?

E28 technical advice asked and given! Troubleshooting, modifications and more.
Post Reply
DFWTX85
Posts: 113
Joined: Sep 27, 2017 10:26 PM
Location: US

Will E34 radio/deck work in E28's?

Post by DFWTX85 »

Hey everyone. I tried to search for this specific situation and wasn't having much luck after a few minutes. I have a pile of the "standard" cassette/radio units out of E34's that I had in previous years and thought, maybe I can install one in an E28. Is the wiring/harness the same? Or is there some other consideration I'm not thinking about beyond a plug-and-play situation? I recall E34's use that "odd" trunk-mounted crossover/amplifier setup from the factory, but maybe that's not an issue with E28's since they don't have it, AFAIK.

I'm certain the radio in my car has died and I might as well put some spare parts to use while I try to fix the original unit. Thanks in advance for the help on this.
Shawn D.
Beamter
Beamter
Posts: 21991
Joined: Feb 12, 2006 12:00 PM
Location: Alpharetta, GA
Contact:

Re: Will E34 radio/deck work in E28's?

Post by Shawn D. »

The first question would be whether the E34 unit is "floating ground." If not, it's definitely not a plug-and-play deal.
DFWTX85
Posts: 113
Joined: Sep 27, 2017 10:26 PM
Location: US

Re: Will E34 radio/deck work in E28's?

Post by DFWTX85 »

Shawn D. wrote: Jun 04, 2021 4:56 AM The first question would be whether the E34 unit is "floating ground." If not, it's definitely not a plug-and-play deal.
Thanks Shawn. I know E34's tend to need a floating ground adapter if you install an aftermarket unit, so I'd presume the stock/factory units have floating ground.
Post Reply