i spent a good 3 hours testing stuff...but i think the PO really screwed it up cuz the pink wire is just spliced to a green wire and im not seeing any pink further in... guess ill do some digging tomorrow....i was really hoping not to have to tear apart my dash lol

 

Here's what i would do:
- Go to the junk yard with your wire cutters and find a stereo wire harness. The one you need will be one plug. The newer xj's have two plugs for the stereo.
- Cut it out leaving as much wire as possible connected to the harness
- Match color for color with the wires in your jeep. Take your time and solder or crimp in your new harness and wrap your connections w/ electrical tape. You now have a "stock stereo harness".
- Go purchase a wire harness adapter for your jeep that plugs into the stock harness and allows you to wire your aftermarket stereo. If the PO did the is one easy thing, you wouldn't be in this mess!!
- You said the pink wire has no power? It is likely you blew a fuse trying to wire it a bunch of different ways. Check all your fuses.
- If all fuses are good, bust out the test light and find out where your losing power.
- Jeeps are notorious for having bad grounds. When you re wire your stereo find a solid ground.

 

This plug has an orange/black and a black ground wire does anybody know where this plugs into and where it goes??
it is off a 1988 xj 4.0

 

This is a 10 year old thread. Make your own post if you want help.