This year I swapped in a computer & harness from an 87 TPI car to replace my 85 junk, and converted from an auto to a 5 speed. While the car was apart I replaced my Kicker components with Diamonds. I finally got it back together a couple weeks ago, and I have an interresting noise coming through the passenger speaker. When I accelerate, I hear a noise that I can only describe as a tingling static. The faster I accelerate, the more of this static there is (although it doesn't get louder... there's just more of it).

This isn't an alternator whine of any kind. I've never had a noise like this before. Tracking this down is going to be fun.

 

is it when the radio is ALWAYS on or just a certain function? and also do you have off board amps? Give us all the info and I'll try to help ya out. that is if "I" can :-)

 

I think it does have something to do with the alternator... I ran into this problem once before one a friend's car way back... I just can't remember exactly what it was. It might be a ground interfering with the speaker somewhere. That, or something's screwy with the harness you put in. Well hey, why not blame the new computer, too? LoL... I'm almost certain it's a ground problem, just not sure where.

 

i had that problem, and it went away when i ditched my amp. check your ground wire from your amp, and all the other wires.

 

Also make sure that your speaker is connected on the terminal well. Don't laugh. I've had it happen. Does the sound drop out or anything?

 

how are your spark plug wires?? thoes can make sound interferance as well.

 

Does it do it just when you accelerate, or will it do it just by reving the engine at a stop? Might be plug wires arcing.

 

check your ground wires on your amp or your deck sounds like a bad ground

 

This is exactly what I think it is, although I haven't checked yet. I did notice today that it does it even when I'm not accelerating. I doubt that it's got anything to do with grounds or with my amps. None of that has changed, and I know that it's all grounded well. Plus, I'm very familiar with grounding issues and the symptoms that they can cause. I spent some time listening to it today while I was driving, and the cracking in the speakers sounds just like the sound you hear when a spark plug fires. I have a feeling that I've got a bad wire that's producing EMF that my speaker wires are picking up. It seems not to be volume dependant, so that would indicate that it's getting picked up in the speaker wires and not the RCAs. If I get time this week maybe I'll order up some new plugs & wires and see where that gets me.

 

From the description of the symptoms,I would definitely check for EMF radiated noise. Sounds like interference from the ignition system.It could be possible that the antenna is picking up the EMF and causing only the pass side speaker to pick it up because it is closest to the antenna cable.

 

something similar happed to me awhile back. it was a crimp in a wire. yeah, strange, huh?

 

Makes sure the speaker wires are not run closely parallel to any other wires. Cheap or poorly shielded cables will easily pickup any kind of interference they can. I've been playing guitar for 8 years and I've seen similar incidents to the one you describe. Guitar and car amp are roughly the same. Although I've never heard spark plugs firing through the wires, Hope this of some help to you. Good luck man