stereo snaps crackles and pops

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walty220

Copper - Posts: 75

Joined: January 15, 2004

Location: United States

Posted: January 15, 2004 at 8:14 PM / IP Logged

ive gotta 83 cutlass hurst/olds, when the accy is on, the stereo sounds great, when the engines on.. my stereo snaps crackles and pops. ive tried inline bass filters, inline sound supressors, new grounds new speaker wires,i have no idea wat it is. any ideas??

geepherder

Platinum - Posts: 3,668

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Joined: October 27, 2003

Posted: January 15, 2004 at 8:57 PM / IP Logged

You did not mention when the problem started, or if you made any changes, so here are some guidelines.

You said you tried new grounds- did you check for reference back to the negative battery post? Did you ensure your antenna is properly grounded? It should be tight, and clean, free of rust/corrosion. Check all your chassis ground connections.

Your stereo wiring must be as far away from factory wiring as possible.

Use an analog voltmeter and test your alternator output at the battery posts. It will fluctuate, but shouldn't move more than maybe 2 or 3 tenths of a volt at idle. If the needle's all over the place, this is likely your cause.

You didn't mention whether or not you have an upgraded ignition system or not. This can definitely cause a problem. Ensure your hood is grounded properly with a ground strap that is tight and clean, again, no rust. Also, you may need a custom steel box to cover your ignition components and tie to ground.

DYohn

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Joined: April 22, 2003

Location: Arizona, United States

Posted: January 15, 2004 at 9:19 PM / IP Logged

I agree with geepherder's statements, especially the last paragraph. In older cars, I've often found noise related to engine operation to be from the ignition system, or from bad (or inadequate) spark plug wires, and not from the stereo installation at all. In these cases, there is not much that can be done except to ugrade the components causing the problem. Sometimes new plug wires or distributor cap is the ticket.

walty220

Copper - Posts: 75

Joined: January 15, 2004

Location: United States

Posted: January 17, 2004 at 12:04 AM / IP Logged

just put in a brand new alternator,its done it since the day we pulled out of the electronics place that installed it. there was a new ignition installed in the car by the previous owner, how could this possibly be affecting it?? ill try the antenna and i might try and reground the engine strap, looks like its been painted over. also im going to replace my radio capacitor, it only does it once and a while,so it could even be the capaictor goin bad?

geepherder

Platinum - Posts: 3,668

Joined: October 27, 2003

Posted: January 17, 2004 at 10:16 PM / IP Logged

If the problem started with the replacement alternator, then this is likely your problem. Get a cheapo volt-ohm meter from RadioShack or some place similar, and test for fluctuating voltage. It's likely the capacitors in the alternator aren't up to par. High performance ignition systems have a stronger electromagnetic field than do stock systems, which makes them more prone to cause noise.

richs

Member - Posts: 37

Joined: January 18, 2004

Location: United States

Posted: January 18, 2004 at 3:21 PM / IP Logged

Snaps, pops and crackles are typically ignition noises. Have the spark plug wires ever been replaced? If so, are they the radio suppression type? If they haven't been replaced, it may be a good idea. Also, most GM's also came (and are supposed to be equipped with) resistor spark plugs. Check your plugs to make sure they are resistor type (normally have an "R" in the part number). Alternator noise is usually a higher pitched whine that varies in frequency with engine RPM's. It sounds as if you have an ignition related problem.

Best Regards,

Rich

superstreet786

Silver - Posts: 339

Joined: August 12, 2003

Location: United States

Posted: March 14, 2004 at 9:20 PM / IP Logged

probably a ground problem

---- 1996 Chevy S10 ----

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Ravendarat

Platinum - Posts: 2,806

Joined: February 23, 2004

Location: Canada

Posted: March 15, 2004 at 11:45 AM / IP Logged

I am going to go with spark plugs on this one. The symptoms are classic signs of either a hole in the wire or just old improperly shielded wires

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stereo snaps crackles and pops

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