Stereo help please!!!

[cdscowboy]

I'm working on a 99 F350, and the stereo's in, along with the speakers. It worked fine when I was installing it. It's now two weeks later and the sound keeps cutting out...possibly when there's more bass. I don't know much about the symptoms because it's not my truck and I've never been in it when the sound cut out. I went out just now to see what was going on, and there was no sound going to the speakers. The deck has plenty of power, all graphics displayed, etc, but there is no sound being put out except for a really high pitched whine, which I can't really tell where it's coming from. Any suggestions are welcome!!



Oh, just as a side note, all the connections are those crimping ones, with an adapter coming from the stock wiring harness to the stereo. It was working when I installed it and it worked for a full 2.5 hours when I was bringing it back to the guy who owns it.

Thanks in advance, audio gurus :D

EDIT: The high-pitched sound may not be related to the stereo. Also, the speakers pop when the stereo is shut off.

[catalin]

Do you also hear a popping sound when the deck turns on??

Pull the windows up and listen for it. If you do hear a popping sound from one or more of the speakers then check the connections at the deck or the speaker. It is most likely shorting to ground.

If you are 100% that the factory speakers are in the doors then the problem will most likely lie at the deck. You'll have to take sometime and check all the wiring before blaming it on the deck.

[shepherd79]

oh i bet your ford has stock external amp somewhere, and it is overheating and cutting out.
find the amp.

[87DXHatch]

You've tapped the stock speaker wiring for the Line Out Converter off the stock head unit, so I'd start looking there for shorts, like this says \/ \/ \/



Originally posted by catalin
Do you also hear a popping sound when the deck turns on??

Pull the windows up and listen for it. If you do hear a popping sound from one or more of the speakers then check the connections at the deck or the speaker. It is most likely shorting to ground.

If you are 100% that the factory speakers are in the doors then the problem will most likely lie at the deck. You'll have to take sometime and check all the wiring before blaming it on the deck.

[zero.counter]

Originally posted by cdscowboy
I'm working on a 99 F350, and the stereo's in, along with the speakers. It worked fine when I was installing it. It's now two weeks later and the sound keeps cutting out...possibly when there's more bass. I don't know much about the symptoms because it's not my truck and I've never been in it when the sound cut out. I went out just now to see what was going on, and there was no sound going to the speakers. The deck has plenty of power, all graphics displayed, etc, but there is no sound being put out except for a really high pitched whine, which I can't really tell where it's coming from. Any suggestions are welcome!!
Oh, just as a side note, all the connections are those crimping ones, with an adapter coming from the stock wiring harness to the stereo. It was working when I installed it and it worked for a full 2.5 hours when I was bringing it back to the guy who owns it.
Thanks in advance, audio gurus :D
EDIT: The high-pitched sound may not be related to the stereo. Also, the speakers pop when the stereo is shut off.
I always follow through with the basics before moving into the intermediate troubleshooting techniques.
First, I would check all of the connections all over again and make sure nothing is crossing. Then I would recommend grounding any aftermarket high-power stereo to a common ground chassis point. Verify that you have not reversed polarity on the speakers. You can test with a 9v battery for - /+ by the way the speakers moves. It also might be there listed on the basket or the connectors or have dummy-proof spades. Then check all of your fuses for any pops. Lastly use a volt-meter to check the constant and switched for proper voltage and then check resistance on the speaker leads for their 4ohm impedance.

If you still turn up nothing, try using testing the speaker lead's with known good speakers and seeing if you can produce any sound. If nothing still, then I usually check the line outs with an amp to speaker setup and can rule out a popped internal transistor on the board for the speaker leads.

Make sure that you have completely discontinued usage of any stock amps present and bypassed appropriately. If not, you could end up burning either the stereo, the speakers or both because of its intended resistance. I had that happen with a maxima factory bose system quite some time back and had to stick with the pre-outs.

[cdscowboy]

Thanks for all the advice fellas.

I'm pretty sure this pick-up doesn't have a stock amp. All that was in it before I put the new stereo in was an AM/FM stereo and two speakers. Also, I know I have the polarity correctly...I took great care in that!! Most likely it's a grounding issue, so I'll tell the owner to check that.

Thanks again :wave: