Engine whine and ground loop fixes... take two

[Pfuse]

Hey everyone,

***Disclaimer***

I have very limited knowledge of car audio. The extent of my experience has been installing a HU and a portable xm. So, thanks in advance for putting up with my inexperience.

I have a JVC head unit. I have a XM Nexus 50. These are installed in a Kenworth T600.

Since the built in FM transmitter in the Nexus is garbage I decided to hook in directly to the HU through a AUX input. The AUX input required an adapter that went from the CD changer control to a set of RCA outputs. From there I have a RCA to 3.5mm jack adapter.

I get no whine when using the FM transmitter (just other FM interference), CD or regular FM stations. I do get a lot of whine when hooked into the AUX.

Here is my question. If I wanted to do supplemental grounding, where would I start? The adapter, the other RCA outs (like in the pics), or the HU chassis?

Any tips would be greatly appreciated. And please, remember that I am not a car audio guy and will probably need any guidance explained to me like I am 5.

 

[hoxie08 5,000+ posts]

maybe this has something to do with why my computer speakers are making a weird whiny noise...like, minimize or restore a window and you can hear a pitch that gets higher or lower...and when you move the mouse you can kinda hear a whiny clicky noise...its werrrrrrrd.

 

[Dana]

Hi All,

The best way to get rid of "Engine whine" is to run a fresh ground to anything your hooking up from a non popular ground area on your vehicle.

Most of the time you'll find after hooking up your entire system that you have some noise there. What most people dont know is that usually that noise is comming through your head unit.

Using your vehicle adapter stereo harness youll use the ground provided and tie right into a high ground traffic area.

Get away from it and you should see a very big difference.

Jason

http://www.StompAudio.com

 

[bigbang 10+ year member]

I have a pioneer deh8600mp that has served me well for 3years. After my new trunk install, terribly loud noise through all speakers even with the engine off.

Grounded the RCAs at the head unit, cleared ALL noise. Only took like half an hour, didnt even unplug the deck to do it. I was really surprised it was such an easy fix.

 

[rrmccabe 10+ year member]

I have posted this elsewhere, but the easiest way to ground and not worry about soldering is to buy these Steren connectors (310-460WH) used for home "in wall" wiring and remove the plastic and add a ring terminal.

Here is what it looks like.

And this is what you would do with the ring terminal

I made these (below) because I did not want to wait, but the Steren connector would work best.

 

[XxSuperAdamxX 10+ year member]

Wow...I'm gonna have to try that out. I own a pioneer HU. Thanks.

 

[Thedeadly1 10+ year member]

HOLY CRAP! fixed all my problems!!

 

[rrmccabe 10+ year member]

I think the Pioneers have an internal fuse that grounds the RCAs. They blow very easy. If you unplug the RCA while powered, etc.

The adapter I made above fixed it 100%. I have sent them to two other people and it fixed their Z1 and Z2 problems.

 

[SQL4Life 10+ year member]

is there a way to check and see if the internal fuses for the rcas are blown or not? i think i have that problem with my pioneer as i get no sound, and i know everything else is working well

 

[jda 10+ year member]

Mine weren't blown and I still had the whine. You can test it with a DMM if you want - take the unit apart and locate the little fuse. It is probably just easier to ground it like the pictures and see if you get sound.

 

[Jekku 10+ year member]

Does someone have inside pictures of 5900IB? I'd like to have them so I could replace the blown fuses in my HU. Size of the fuse would be nice too.

 

[indianbraker]

wow i am soo angry that all this time i had this whining problem and the fix would be this easy...THANKS A MILLION FOR THE INFO...even with Zapco amps and symbilink cable (supposed to give no alternator noise) i still had whine from this simple RCA messup....i have the 6900 UB from pioneer and will share this info to anyone else who has this problem.

 

[lawlyes2007 10+ year member]

On my avh5900 the rcas arent on the headunit...they are connected via a plug in...what should i do?

 

[biebs96 10+ year member]

works defintely dudes.

did it on my truck and two friends cars too.

 

[dre2390 10+ year member]

Had a horribly loud whining noise from my amped speakers up front after installing a kinetik battery in the trunk. Asked on here about a fix for that and ended up grounding my RCAs on the HU ( I have a pioneer) and it worked like a charm. Good stuff.

 

[ReDemoN 10+ year member]

Im trying this tonight on my girls car.

On a 4900 The whine is loud as hell.

Hopefully it will work.

 

[dragnix 5,000+ posts]

If i'm getting engine whine through my highs and no noise through my sub then my guess is it's not the headunit but the amp's grounding instead? Anyone know?

 

[ReDemoN 10+ year member]

I did it and it worked like a charm.

Thanks.

 

[x62705]

i have yet to try these methods as i am at work but i will attempt this when i get home.

just a quick layout of my problem:

I hooked up a 400watt jenson and when i turn my stereo on, it's perfectly fine. no noise or anything. when i "START" my car, the noise comes on the second my stereo kicks in. i thought it was the sub that i hooked up so i unhooked it and nothing happened. i have my remote, speakers, and rca's going through my center consol along my stick and e-brake (my car is a 97 tiburon 1.8l 5-speed) and under bout 1 ft of carpet to my trunk and i have my power cable running along my passenger door. my ground cable has an excellent connection.

can anyone give a suggestion on this?

 

[southbark33]

Does someone have inside pictures of 5900IB? I'd like to have them so I could replace the blown fuses in my HU. Size of the fuse would be nice too.

I have opened up my DEH-P5900iB headunit, but am unable to locate even a single fuse... I cannot find any tags labeled with FU-???

I am lost, I would be able to fix this headunit if only I knew where the dang fuse was... any help on this model would be appreciated