[sm=boohoo.gif]so im driving home and bumping some music and all the sudden there is a static noise comming from the interiors i thought it was just a bad cd so i take it out and put a new one in same thing so i get home climb into my trunk from the back seat (2 15's are not easy to get around) and tap on the factory amp *** to find that the problem stops and starts due to vibrations in the car. i head down to the audio shop all to find out (with out any test being done on the car that my amp is dead and it will run around 180 bucks to do something called a amp bypass plus i need a new deck. in the ss the cd player can be controlled by the steering wheel and now all of that will be useless[:@]went down the the chevy delership and the hit for the amp again without anyone actually looking at the thing will be about 325 any help? please my system now was being ran from spliced wires from my 6x9s and i have a factory deck does anyone know a quick fix or a way to tell if the amp is really dead???????[sm=repost.gif]

 

O'Reilly's and I assume AutoZone can run tests on your alternator, while in car, to determine whether or not it is good. I definitely would not do anything unless I had definitive evidence that the problems you describe are caused by the alternator. Additionally, I'm confused as to what effect a bad alternator would have upon the operation of your steering wheel controls. And secondly, I have no idea what you mean by an amp bypass, and again wouldn't do anything until I know exactly what they're talking about. Hope this helps.

-Adrian

 

no the amp nothing is wrong with the alternator i have power just no music

 

Most amps are MOSFET based nowadays, and these are pretty soild systems. Taking these out usually takes vibration, and a lot of it. I have run my amps for testing on a battery charger before to verify that they are good, only to find that they are good, and that the wiring to them is bad. If you have a bad amp, you've most likely demanded more than it can power, ruined your MOSFET step-up converter, and will need to actually replace your amp. I'm not sure what your power requirements are, but replacing an amp shouldn't be too bad, and additionally, I have no idea why your stock deck would be affected by this. Sorry for the confusion earlier, and hope this helps.

-Adrian

 

thanks and just to be sure you are saying that i need to check the wiring before i go and ditch the factory amp[sm=goodidea.gif] how do i get it out its kind of a weird angle oh and as i was looking i noticed a wire with a clear clamp looking thing that is not plugged into anything could this be a part of the problem? doubt chevy wold have random wire hanging around

 

b4 you pay that for a amp bypass. do a serch on googel for a factory amp by pass for the monte carlo or the Impalla.
there was a web site that actually told you how to do it and gave a wire code to do it also.

AND the other thign you can do is go to abone yard find a car that has had the factory amp in it If it is still there get it and replace yours OR. you can cut the pigtail off on it. and get the wires from it. Now here is the tricky part. see if you can find a pig tail that will match the pins on the factory amp plug. now you can take the wires from one tha tyou need for speaker wires and run them threw to the new plug and out this will allow you to hook after market amp up with out damaging your wireing harness. I belive you can actually by this same pig tail and i would think they cant be to bad.

But you can run aroudn that amp and with good results.
As faras the factory head unit you will not have to replace it if you do the amp by pass.
if you dont then yes you would have o get a new stereo. BUT they make a adaptor for it so you can get it and your wheel controlls will still work for you to.

 

Your best option IMO, is to pull out the stock head-unit and speakers, get the PAC steering wheel control interface to keep the controls, and rip out the factory stereo wiring all together. Install the new headunit, run RCAs from the back of the headunit (the sub outputs)to the sub amp, run RCA's to another 4 channel amp, and run new wire to 4 new speakers. You will get better sound with the right headunit and speakers. Just amke sure to keep an eye on the battery guage, if it starts to fluctuate, you will need a bigger alternator to handle the power. PS, the second amp can be powered off a distribution block on the cable that is already ran for the sub amp.

I myself am combating power drops, I am looking into a 300 AMP alternator.

 

thanks will try oh and when i discribed what was going on did it sound like the amp was dead or could it be something else?

 

Unless you're talking GOBS of power in the new amp, just install a yellow top Optima, or 2, in the trunk and run the system off that. Works fine for me, but I'm only running a 600 watt JL Audio 6 channel. A capacitor will help with the power fluctuations, also. A new alternator should be the LAST resort for power loss. If you're running a 3000 watt system, you might need one, maybe. Try the additional batteries FIRST!

 

actually the new Alt. might be areal good option.

Our cars tend to make lights strobe pretty easy. even with my system before someone took it. I had the hyponics amp in there that was amono block and a 4channel one also. and they caused the lights to dim if i was hitting real hard on it . It would also tend to heat up the amp on my and shut it off once in a while also.

the cure was a optima yeallow top and a cap. but still foudn i had the same isses with the flicker in the lights . i went with a bigger alt. (think it is a 100 or a 120amp?? been to long to remeber) But that cured the whole issue. and was cheaper to do it and run a good AMP KIT to the distroblock then to the amps. caused a night and day diffrence.

but right nwo i dont have any issues with this at all. matter of fact you cant even tell it is in the car any more . [:@]