This is the 4th time this problem thread has been syndicated.

Please let me begin by saying EVERYTHING in my system has been either changed or replaced. The issue most lie within my car's original wiring.

I had this kickass system, it sounded amazing. However I was getting a slight headlight dim. So I got a Tsunami Competition Capacitor.

I followed the instructions and hooked it up. (This was verified by a pro audio shop *** being correctly hooked up.) I reconnected my battery and my cap began to squeal, it then blew my 150amp inline ANL fuse. I quickly disconnected it and started my car.

Ever since that incident I have gotten static and squealing (that matches the revs) out of my tweeters. It also seems to have weakened my whole electrical system. My lights dim while rolling the windows down (even with my sound system off). The pitch of the static and squeal changes when I roll my windows or turn my high beams on. My lights also dim much more than they used to while the woofer hits, this previously didn't happen. The tweeters also output the sound of the CD spinning in the headunit.The problem only exists while the engine runs.

This is not your common alternator squeal. I have tried everything I can think of.


A few things I have learned since the original help thread on CivicForums.

• The squeal and most static goes away when the head unit isn't in the dash the closer it gets towards the hole, the more noise it makes
• The problem was created because I didn't slow charge my 1.2 Farad capacitor
• The problem is not part of my system, see all the parts I have tried changing below.

Since the incident I have tried changing all of the following:

• Head unit
• Spark plugs
• Amps
• Speakers
• 4 gauge Ground wires
• 4 gauge Hot wires
• Shielded RCAs
• Remote wires
• ELD
• Head Unit Harness
• Spark Plugs
• Alternator
• Battery

I have also tried:

• Regrounding both my head unit and amp straight to the battery
• Power the head unit and amp straight to the battery
• Run the power on the seperate from the RCAs
• Tried 4 different head units
• Ground loop isolators
• Ground Noise suppressors
• Upgrading to 120Amp Alternator
• Upgrading my battery ground terminals

Also, my Pioneer headunit seems to squeal really bad. Like louder than my music, unless I touch my preout ground to the headunit metal. This happens even while the engine is off and never happened before the problem. It also didn't happen when I tried my other head units.

Crappy Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSTj9-duGB0

7th Gen Thread
Civic Forums Thread
Car Audio Thread

Person to figure it out gets $20

 

jesus i didnt even know that could happen and here i was about to add a cap to the system...
heres a thought did u try powering your speakers through the hu eliminating everything from amp.. rca... ground loop..power one side signal on the other.. everything leaving without a doubt the stock electrical 110% the culprit.. oh and ground your headunit from the chassis on the back of the hu to chassis of car and ground the ground on the harness to the same point at the chassis of car...

 

No, I have clipped and taped all my stock speaker wires. I may try to hook up my rear deck speakers to the head unit.

All the system components have been replaced, I guess I can't say 110% sure, but I am certainly 99.9% sure.

I am also located in central NJ, if anyone is willing to come take a peak.

 

yeah u dont need to connect all the speakers just 2 will do
its just to say absolutely 100% ya know..
and also hope u ground your headunit and the chasis of the head unit directly to the cars chassis where you stripe the paint exposing the metal before u screw down

 

Yeah, I stripped the paint off put a nice big bolt through my chassis

 

Pioneer HU you say? Sounds like you blew the pico fuse inside the deck.

 

Oh, and I "flash charge" caps from time to time. I've never had any issues with it.

 

he swap 4 head units before may not be that problem...

 

Op, when you changed your battery, did you replace it with a new one?

 

Yes, it was a brand new Optima Yellow top.

 

so whats the news on it?

 

Strange question, but are your RCAs directional? Many brands have directional designs, grounded at one end and not the other to help reduce noise. If they are ran backwards, they may cause ground loops/noise issues.

BTW, I have performed the "insta-charge" on capacitors, never had a problem........unless they are hooked up backwards.

Kirk R

 

you slow charge the cap? use the resitor/bulb?. that coulda damaged the amps/eq/equipment from the initial hook up of the uncharged cap..the cap holds a little ground before its charged... GL

 

Did you actually read the article....

I haven't had time to putz around with the wires yet, been busy at work,

 

This is a ground loop and has nothing to do with the how you charged the cap.

You may have damaged the alternator causing a bad ground within the alternator. Go get it load tested. (*Edit* I see you installed a new alternator)

Recheck all of your grounds. Not just your stereo grounds check the ground that goes from the engine to the frame of the car then the frame of the car to the battery.

Where is the cap in relation to your stereo?
Do you just have 1 amp or 2?
If you have 2 do both amps squeal?

Pioneers are notrious for having a noisey ground.

The ONLY way this is possible is if you have a bad electrical connection between the alternator and battery. Again I suggest you recheck the grounds. take them off take a wire brush or sandpaper to the connection then reconnect.

When a cap is being used it instantaneously drains and then instantaneously charges. No different then when you initially charge your cap. The only purpose is to prevent the sparks and possibly burning someone from the large current draw from the initial charge.

 

Thanks nsxxtreme. I will try replacing my alternator wiring this week.

I have 2 amps, but because the noise is so high in frequency only the tweeter picks it up.

The cap is no longer a part of my stereo.

You wouldn't happen to be near NJ would you?

 

Nope was out there a few month ago now back in Oregon.

 

A little update.

I reran all my engine grounds and power leads with competition grade 4 gauge. Didn't fix the problem.

I also tested out plugging my iPod straight to the amp and it was perfect with no static.

 

try muting plugs, if you know what that is.

 

Its clearly being induced by the head unit, or RCAs. Have you tried grounding the RCA outer shield at the head unit (all RCAs) to see if that suppresses the noise?


Kirk R

 

did u try running the speakers off the hu...? it seems all the changes u made involve the amp.. try it... let us know for sure that there isnt a problem with wiring ect...

 

You will rarely (if ever) get engine noise out of a HU, factory or aftermarket. An amplifier will only amplify what is coming in thru the line level inputs, unless you have some serious alternator/rectifier issues, you generally wont get any noise with the RCAs disconnected from the amplfier.

Most comon causes of noise issues are:

-ground loops, which happen when there are impedance variations between the ground of the amplifier(s) or processor(s), and the head unit. Solution, run a reference ground from the head unit to the amplifier grounding point, remove the factory ground from the deck so you are grounding the HU and the amplifer at the same location. Also keep your amplifier gounds as short as possible.

-induced noise, often caused by RCAs running parallel to power wires or existing vehicle wiring. Solution, when crossing existing wiring, cross at a 45-90 degree angle, avoid running RCAs next to existing wiring if poss.
This can also be caused by a vehicles ignition system, high voltage ignition systems are comon problems.

Kirk R

 

correct it sounds like you have a bad H/U. Were the other radios that you swapped in there brand new? I would suggest investing in a new radio to check things out you can always return it if that does not fix the prob..

 

I know I was asked to directly hook up the speakers to the headunit, I just haven't gotten to do it.

I still stand by my statement that it isn't part of my system being that every cable has been rerun and replaced. I have also tested it running the RCAs right over my arm rest straight over the seats.

Its crazy the sound radiates into the head unit the closer it gets in the dash, the ignition sounds like a good theory, I am going over my civic buddy's place tomorrow to take another look.

If anyone is interested here are some pics from the 4gauge wiring.
http://s206.photobucket.com/albums/b...ivic/?newest=1

If any experts are near NJ I would happily drive out to meet you if you're willing to take a look.

 

Again the problem is a ground loop. The reason your IPOD doesn't reproduce the problem is its not connected to the power supply so there is no path to create a ground loop.

So your problem is between the deck and amplifier.
Have you ran a ground from the chassis of the deck to the ground on the amplifier?
Have you changed decks?
Where are you getting the ground to power the stereo?