Engine radio interference...
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Engine radio interference...
I've installed a new radio and speakers in my truck, and they've been great for a month or so.
But after school today, I go out to my truck, and the radio is crackling and stuff. (It's everything btw, radio, cd, aux input) It's only on when the engine is running. It's related to the speed of the engine from what i can tell. Rev it and the crackles are faster..
Occasionally I could make it stop by tapping on the accelerator quick and it would silence it for a few seconds.
A friend of mine said it could be a bad ground, so I ran a new ground wire from the stereo and it didn't change a thing.
Any ideas? Anything would be helpful.
4cyl, regular cab, short box, 5spd, power nothing.
But after school today, I go out to my truck, and the radio is crackling and stuff. (It's everything btw, radio, cd, aux input) It's only on when the engine is running. It's related to the speed of the engine from what i can tell. Rev it and the crackles are faster..
Occasionally I could make it stop by tapping on the accelerator quick and it would silence it for a few seconds.
A friend of mine said it could be a bad ground, so I ran a new ground wire from the stereo and it didn't change a thing.
Any ideas? Anything would be helpful.
4cyl, regular cab, short box, 5spd, power nothing.
you might want to look into some new spark plug wires. If you go to a parts store ask them for some good ones likes bosch and your problem would probably be solved. spark plug wires can interfere with your radio, but wait for some input from others. its just a thought you might want to look into. its been a while since i learned about that kind of stuff, but i do remember them saying that spark plugs wires can affect how your radio sounds.
Record Breaker
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,970
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From: Clermont, Florida
The crackling sound is called ignition noise. The noise is from the spark plugs firing and can also be a result of EMI, electromagnetic interference. It can also be RFI, radiated interference. The noise enters the radio from several sources. The first thing to test is to have the radio playing, engine running and noise present. Then pull the radio away from the dash while it is still playing and the engine is still running. If the noise goes away when the radio is away from the dash, the noise is radiating into the radio from a wire harness in or very near the radio location. Try moving wire harnesses out of the way and see if it disappears.
The noise can also enter though the antenna cable. Have the radio playing, unplug the antenna and if the noise goes away, there is a filter you can buy at car audio stores to get rid of it. You can also try skinning the insulation back off the antenna cable, connecting a wire to the shield on the coax cable and grounding it and the radio ground wire to a good solid clean metal ground, preferably in one or the other of the kick panels. You may also try removing the antenna from the fender and removing the fender liner so you can clean the metal under the fender and the antenna mounting base to get a better ground for the antenna.
You did not mention whether you have an amplifier installed. If you do, it is possible you have a ground loop, which is a difference in the resistance or electrical potential of the ground points for the radio and the amplifier which if is a high enough resistance can generate ignition noise into the system. It is always best to ground all your system components to the same point, which needs to be a good solid and clean metal surface. Seat belt bolts make excellent grounds. You can also ground the shield of the RCA cables to try to eliminate ignition noise. There is also an RCA input ground loop filter you can buy at car audio shops, but it should be used as a last resort. It will cause a lack of bass response and can be detrimental to the sound quality. You can also try turning the gains down on the amp, and if the noise is gone and you still have good volume from the system, that is an easy way to fix it.
Check these few things out and see if your noise goes away.
Jimmy
The noise can also enter though the antenna cable. Have the radio playing, unplug the antenna and if the noise goes away, there is a filter you can buy at car audio stores to get rid of it. You can also try skinning the insulation back off the antenna cable, connecting a wire to the shield on the coax cable and grounding it and the radio ground wire to a good solid clean metal ground, preferably in one or the other of the kick panels. You may also try removing the antenna from the fender and removing the fender liner so you can clean the metal under the fender and the antenna mounting base to get a better ground for the antenna.
You did not mention whether you have an amplifier installed. If you do, it is possible you have a ground loop, which is a difference in the resistance or electrical potential of the ground points for the radio and the amplifier which if is a high enough resistance can generate ignition noise into the system. It is always best to ground all your system components to the same point, which needs to be a good solid and clean metal surface. Seat belt bolts make excellent grounds. You can also ground the shield of the RCA cables to try to eliminate ignition noise. There is also an RCA input ground loop filter you can buy at car audio shops, but it should be used as a last resort. It will cause a lack of bass response and can be detrimental to the sound quality. You can also try turning the gains down on the amp, and if the noise is gone and you still have good volume from the system, that is an easy way to fix it.
Check these few things out and see if your noise goes away.
Jimmy
Last edited by 01SilverCC; May 26, 2009 at 06:59 PM.
Champion
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,530
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From: poconos, pa
http://www.caraudio.com/forum/showthread.php?t=198477
did the RCA grounding trick for my pioneer unit when i hooked up the RCAs to both of my amplifiers. oddly enough when i did that, i eliminated interference noise that used to exsists only on AM/FM. everything else was fine, and now everything works like it should.
did the RCA grounding trick for my pioneer unit when i hooked up the RCAs to both of my amplifiers. oddly enough when i did that, i eliminated interference noise that used to exsists only on AM/FM. everything else was fine, and now everything works like it should.
Last edited by f0x672; May 26, 2009 at 06:29 PM.
Record Breaker
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,970
Likes: 20
From: Clermont, Florida
The spark plug wire reply is also a good idea. Make sure they say "Radio noise suppresion core" on the wire or the box for them. Also, make sure the ground connections at the battery and to the frame are tight, clean and free of corrosion. Same for the positive battery terminal.
Jimmy
Jimmy
Last edited by 01SilverCC; May 26, 2009 at 06:44 PM.
The spark plug wire reply is also a good idea. Make sure they say "Radio noise suppresion core" on the wire or the box for them. Also, make sure the ground connections at the battery and to the frame are tight, clean and free of corrosion. Same for the positive battery terminal.
Jimmy
Jimmy
^+1 thats what i was looking for when i recommended bosch.
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It's just a radio and speakers, no external amp. I tried moving the radio around, didn't make a difference.
I cleaned off the battery terminals earlier, didn't do anything. A bit later in the day the problem went away. Not sure why.
If it comes back, even for a second, I think I'm gonna go for some new spark plug wires anyway. They're cheap enough and my truck could probably use them anyway.
Thanks for all the responses, very helpful
I cleaned off the battery terminals earlier, didn't do anything. A bit later in the day the problem went away. Not sure why.
If it comes back, even for a second, I think I'm gonna go for some new spark plug wires anyway. They're cheap enough and my truck could probably use them anyway.
Thanks for all the responses, very helpful