QuestionQUESTION: I installed an aftermarket double din stereo in my truck.(the truck has a Bose systems and Onstar) The Unit works fine, but I have that "whine" coming through my speakers. I've tried wrapping the wires/connectors in electrical tape to try and insulate them, but it didn't help. Please give me some direction to go in! I love the unit, but I HATE that noise!
Thanks.
ANSWER: There is a nice tutorial/guide on how to find and suppress engine noise at Crutchfield.
http://www.crutchfield.com/learn/learningcenter/car/noise_suppressors_installati
Go through that and it might provide you with the proper action to take.
Grounding, proper grounding, can be a solution often.
If the noise is a function of the air/heater fans it could be a capacitor will take care of it.
If it is ignition (spark) radiation getting into to the radio you might have to put suppressors on each spark plug wire.
And, so on.
Good Luck; let me know if there is more to the story.
C
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: I don't have an aftermarket amp in my truck. It's the factory installed one that comes with the Bose system. Do I need to take out the console and get to the amp? Or is there an easier way to go by taking the radio out and working in there?
AnswerNot sure I understand. Let me see if I got it right: You removed the head unit in the pickup and replaced it, but you did not replace the external Bose amplifier that was already in the truck. Did I get it right?
If so, the whine could be coming from either the new radio or the current amplifiers. Can you do this? Remove the outputs of the new head unit that connect to the input of the Bose and see if the engine whine goes away.
What you want to do is isolate where the whine is getting into the system. For example, it could be coming from interference getting into the cables that go from the head unit to the amp. Once you have determined the problem is either associated with the head unit or with the power amps you can start targeting that component.
If the head unit has a poor ground where the antenna is mounted that can be a cause (very common one, I might say).
Also, try this; rev the engine up and turn off the ignition: Does the whine go away instantly as soon as the ignition goes off or does is die down quickly with the engine dying down in speed.
Also, do you have to turn the volume up very high to get good sound level out of the system? This is because Bose requires about 3 times the signal input as conventional amplifier products. That could aggravate the interference problem you are witnessing.
I don't know where the Bose amps are located in your truck; but if there was not whining noises in the old system but there is now it still could be getting into the amps, but not so likely I would think.
Unfortunately, these ignition interference problems follow no logical rule and the only way, usually, of tracking them down is by trial and error.
Hope this will help.
C
