Featured Was wondering if someone could help me make sense of an issue I stumbled upon?

[1aespinoza Premium Member]

After some research last night it seems I need a resistor spliced in too. So I drew that in.

That is new. Those Mach360 remotes must require some low power to activate. If you splice in an aftermarket sub amplifier, do the splice before that resistor.

 

[GomerPyle]

Got in the back today and found 2 of the black speaker wires run under a panel from the front, under passenger door runner, to back under the seats

They have seemed to cut the factory harness black/white and black/green, and spliced the speaker wire to it.

You can see here 1 wire to back left. One to back right.

Assuming I can splice the black/white and black/green back together, and be done with those 2 wires?

What do you guys think

 

[mahc 10+ year member]

Assuming I can splice the black/white and black/green back together, and be done with those 2 wires?

Yes and cast those black wires back to hell!

 

[1aespinoza Premium Member]

What do you guys think

Those splices do not make sense. If each pair of the black wires comes straight from the radio output, would not one pair be spliced only to the side going to the speakers? It seems like one of the black wires is going back to the OEM amp.

 

[GomerPyle]

Those splices do not make sense. If each pair of the black wires comes straight from the radio output, would not one pair be spliced only to the side going to the speakers? It seems like one of the black wires is going back to the OEM amp.

Right.

I was like wtfffff is happening here.

Literally insane that this was a standing brick and mortar shop that Literally does only car audio

 

[mahc 10+ year member]

Right.

I was like wtfffff is happening here.

Literally insane that this was a standing brick and mortar shop that Literally does only car audio

I worked in one. Always quantity over quality. Sometimes I had to do jobs that should normally be 4-5 hours in less than one. Probably the worst 6 months of my professional life. Boss was a cokehead too.

 

[1aespinoza Premium Member]

Right.

I was like wtfffff is happening here.

Literally insane that this was a standing brick and mortar shop that Literally does only car audio

I hate that there are these kind of shops. Many potential audio fanatics turned off from the hobby due to bad installs and shoulder shrugs when they return to fix the issue. Like many they just take the hit and lose interest.

 

[GomerPyle]

I hate that there are these kind of shops. Many potential audio fanatics turned off from the hobby due to bad installs and shoulder shrugs when they return to fix the issue. Like many they just take the hit and lose interest.

EXACTLY!!!

That's exactly what it was, too. "OH WELL" "Here... we can fix it for $700 extra dollars!"

About to update here.

 

[GomerPyle]

Here we go gang... After a month of wrangling the kids, I had a minute to breathe.

I'm about 75% done this job.... I would say 95% done, but I still have some stuff to do up front.

I got the new harnesses in the mail and all wired up with that voltage reduce I stumbled upon in another thread about this issue.

Now so far I had the back seats out for my convertible top and found 2 of the black speaker wires spiced to the back speakers.

I undid those and reconnected with the heat shrink connectors

I have yet to do the front door yet, but that's why I'm saying 75%, not 95% done.

I got these harnesses ready to go (pics below), and went out and plugged everything in, started the car.... no pop, full bass from the speakers I have done and the tweeters. So.... It worked.

I just have to do the front door speakers and I'm done.

Can't believe the headache this "professional" shop caused, only for me.... a novice... to fix it with some time and you guys helping.

I will final update what I find in the doors... hopefully no BS... and give the final result...

So far very promising and I'd actually be ok with it "as is", but I'm already this far and will have the 1 door off anyway for a window fix, so might as well, haha

CHEERS

 

[1aespinoza Premium Member]

Can't believe the headache this "professional" shop caused, only for me.... a novice... to fix it with some time and you guys helping.

On a good note, you gained experience and now know you can handle a future install. Maybe start helping friends as well and spreading the hobby.

 

[GomerPyle]

On a good note, you gained experience and now know you can handle a future install. Maybe start helping friends as well and spreading the hobby.

Yup. Exactly.

Overall, alot to take home with it

 

[1point21gigawatts]

Hi everyone, Thanks in advance if you're here looking at this as I am new to the forum.

I am probably 3/10 knowledgeable on car audio set ups, but recently stumbled upon some weird stuff in my first car I bought/newly found project car.

I'll put the "short run down" first and explain details later as to not discourage anyone from helping (don't want to bore anyone).
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Car: 2002 Mustang GT (convertible - Not Sure if its relevant)
Audio: Mach 460 with the 2 factory amps under the seat

Aftermarket unit: Pioneer FH-X720BT (Pioneer Unit Link)
Aftermarket Speakers: Unsure (I remember just picking them)

Parts Purchased So Far: Metra Wiring Harness
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Short Run Down

Issue:

Sound to speakers works but sounds VERY diminished. Like an old radio with no bass.

Incidentally found 2 AMPS unplugged under back seats. Plugged them back in with factory harnesses. Now ZERO sound to speakers. (unplugged, sound back)

After researching, I found my car needs a special secondary RCA harness to integrate the amps, to allow the aftermarket speakers to function.

Was ready to add the secondary harness (Metra linked above + RCA), got the dash off and found 4 speaker wires spliced into a Metra harness to the Pioneers unit harness. No secondary RCA harness.

UNIT --> Pioneer Unit harness--> Metra + 4 speaker wires --> Vehicle Lines (Pics attached)

The research (Here) says it should just be:

Pioneer unit harness--> Metra Harness + RCA harness included spliced together --> Vehicle lines

The 4 speaker wires threw me for a loop and I didn't want to mess anything up!

Can someone help me make sense of the correct way to proceed?

I am assuming that the RCA harness, speaker wires, METRA harness are able to be all spiced together with the RCA harness, but I didn't want to cause more problems.

Unfortunately, I will have to leave it as is, if that's the outcome here, but wanted to 100% confirm before I started "splicing and dicing" like an idiot.

THANKS again, I appreciate any input!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LONG Version (May have more Info to help, but wasn't sure)

Many many years ago, My factory speakers were blown and rattling and very bad sound, head unit/disc changer broken. Had them replaced at a "professional shop"

Picked the car up and the speakers had sound, and worked, but they sounded like they had zero... absolutely zero depth. Think old 1995 radio with FM tuner. No bass or anything. More on this in long story.

Working on convertible top here last week, I took back seat out to get to the convertible motor and cylinders, I notice 2 amps that were unplugged.

Racking my brain I remembered the only time seat was off was during speaker install. "They must have forgot to plug them in, and that's why it sounds crappy"

Plugged them in and checked.... no sound. Unplugged them.... sound, but as before (crappy)

Did a deep dive and found this write up (Here) that many people had this issue with aftermarket units in this vehicle with the Mach 460 system.

Purchased the items listed, got into the dash.... found speaker wires all spliced in and didn't want to mess anything up.

My understanding is that I just need to splice in the RCA harness where it is advised, and it will integrate those amps, achieving normal sound?

I feel the shop took the lazy route and tried to sell me aftermarket AMPS and such, but who knows. I don't really care because 1) I have no idea if that's the case, 2) I drove it for almost 15 years as is and accepted that I would have crappy sound forever (haha)

I am hoping there is a fix.

So.... Thanks to anyone here still reading and can help.

Cheers!

Gomer

One amp is done and one amp is not grounded properly. Only 2 speakers are running. Wire the other 2 speakers up.

 

[1point21gigawatts]

You are already bypass the amps.

 

[1point21gigawatts]

By the way, nice car. Good year model. Anything from 1994-2002 is dope to me. I died in 2002 and woke up 3 days later. I was struck by a car going 60 mph it slowed down from 90 mph. Took 2.8 seconds to impact and 0.2 seconds to wake up. 2/12/2002-2/15/2002. Happy Valentine’s Day. Love.

 

[GomerPyle]

One amp is done and one amp is not grounded properly. Only 2 speakers are running. Wire the other 2 speakers up.

Hey. See the whole story here.

Shop totally bunged up the job.

Amps were completely unplugged. I posted links to other threads and stuff explaining the issue

It's very bizarre.

This shop was "brick and mortar" car audio too. Not a best buy or circuit city place.

I do still have to resplice the front, but will get to that soon.

As of last update I have sound and good depth, the shop completely tried to rip me off.... or no one should ever use them because of incompetence!