Radio, speaker or wiring

[Bushwack]

Installed a tuner and replaced all speakers in an '89 coupe. Sound from the passenger door speaker is barely audible no matter how I configure the balance. I've replaced that one new speaker but the problem still exists. Would this be due to a power supply issue of the tuner or more of a wiring issue (sound can be heard but it is faint).

[Guest Mc_Reatta]

Problem could be bad ground in the wires or in the tuner.

Switch speaker connections at the tuner either left for right or front to rear whichever is easier. See if problem goes with connection change, or stays where it was. That will tell you where it is.

[Guest steveskyhawk]

If this volume loss happened when the speakers were installed then the speakers were wired "out of phase". To determine which is the positive connection I use a 9v battery. If hooked up in phase the positive terminal will cause the speaker cone to extend forward. If the wires are reversed on any speaker it will cause the equivalent of active noise reduction much like the headsets worn by pilots. The miswired speaker will produce a wave that cancels the wave coming from its twin. No volume

[SeanR]

If you installed Infinity Kappas like I did, I kept having this problem on the driver side. That black box wiring thing was hard to find a place to keep without getting in the path of the window glass roller assembly. It kept yanking the wire out of the terminal. No matter how it looked, kept doing it. Would cause static and low audio on that speaker and sometimes the others. At the time, I assumed it was the radio brain capacitor everyone was talking about. I had the capacitors replaced, and it still does it occasionally. This time seems to be when it's high humidity//raining outside. I will check the wiring again sometime this year.

[Bushwack]

If you installed Infinity Kappas like I did, I kept having this problem on the driver side. That black box wiring thing was hard to find a place to keep without getting in the path of the window glass roller assembly. It kept yanking the wire out of the terminal. No matter how it looked, kept doing it. Would cause static and low audio on that speaker and sometimes the others. At the time, I assumed it was the radio brain capacitor everyone was talking about. I had the capacitors replaced, and it still does it occasionally. This time seems to be when it's high humidity//raining outside. I will check the wiring again sometime this year.

Sean - These are Infinity Kappas (had them professionally installed). I've used these are 5 other Reattas installed by the same technician (never had a problem before). I sense you haven't found a solution to your problem?

The original tuner was garbage (no AM and FM with heavy static) but all speakers did intermittently give off sound. Before I go back to the installer, I do want to be prepared with some possibilities what to look for (in case he shrugs off the problem on the tuner). Thanks.

[wws944]

Simply being out of phase wouldn't make things inaudible. Though the sound stage gets pretty messed up. Do you have a spare Bushwacker radio laying around? If so, you could try plugging it into the big 20 pin connector to see if it drives the speakers any better than your tuner box does. If not, your installer should easily be able to put a signal on the pins to test out the speakers and wiring. He just needs a 'reverse' GM 20-pin connector - which any good stereo installer should have.

[Bushwack]

Simply being out of phase wouldn't make things inaudible. Though the sound stage gets pretty messed up. Do you have a spare Bushwacker radio laying around? If so, you could try plugging it into the big 20 pin connector to see if it drives the speakers any better than your tuner box does. If not, your installer should easily be able to put a signal on the pins to test out the speakers and wiring. He just needs a 'reverse' GM 20-pin connector - which any good stereo installer should have.

Those Bushwacker units are valuable!

This morning when I started the car, turned on the radio and played with the balance, all four speakers (individually) put out acceptable sound. I took the car out again around noon to get a car wash, played with the balance and all was good (both AM & FM, if it matters). But later in the afternoon, leaving the office, the passenger door speaker was silent BUT the rear right speaker gave off some sound (not at full volume but audible).

Not sure what to make of it but I am logging what happens and under what circumstances so when I return to the installer, he'll have something to work from (and I wont feel like I'm imagining this). Any and all advice welcome. I'll print out the page and if I get 'attitude' (which I doubt) from the installer, I'll ask if what many of you suggest is a possibility and needs to be addressed. TIA.

[SeanR]

Those Bushwacker units are valuable!

This morning when I started the car, turned on the radio and played with the balance, all four speakers (individually) put out acceptable sound. I took the car out again around noon to get a car wash, played with the balance and all was good (both AM & FM, if it matters). But later in the afternoon, leaving the office, the passenger door speaker was silent BUT the rear right speaker gave off some sound (not at full volume but audible).

Not sure what to make of it but I am logging what happens and under what circumstances so when I return to the installer, he'll have something to work from (and I wont feel like I'm imagining this). Any and all advice welcome. I'll print out the page and if I get 'attitude' (which I doubt) from the installer, I'll ask if what many of you suggest is a possibility and needs to be addressed. TIA.

This was exact problem I was experiencing after a car wash! I suspect that water is getting into the window frame and running down onto the speakers. After a week of no rain or wash, the faint audio problem would disappear.