Folks:
I installed a pretty good stereo setup with a powerful amp a few months ago. Because of the low number of amps output by the stock replacement amp, I installed a stiffening cap. I'd drive a while, listening to my iPhone play, and the cap would beep and the sound would drop out.
This happened often and I thought I had a defective cap. I switched it out, and the same thing happened. Being the same brand, I thought I had a bad lot.
Time goes by and the amp powering the subs died. I replaced the two amps with a five-channel amp. All's looking good, no more beeps from that pesky amp. I'm happy.
Guess what - the amp drops the signal and then comes back a second later. This goes on and it drives me nuts.
I checked all connections and found my problem. The ground wire connected to one of the nuts securing the roll bar was loose. I played the stereo, jiggled the connection. Presto - I recreated the problem.
I removed the nut when I got home from work, sprayed it with W-2, sprayed the hole and connected everything up again. I made sure the nut was tight and secured ground.
What a hassle and I could have fixed it some time ago. I had blamed my blessed 4Runner's electrical system and alas, it was my sloppy ground installation.
Lesson learned.
I installed a pretty good stereo setup with a powerful amp a few months ago. Because of the low number of amps output by the stock replacement amp, I installed a stiffening cap. I'd drive a while, listening to my iPhone play, and the cap would beep and the sound would drop out.
This happened often and I thought I had a defective cap. I switched it out, and the same thing happened. Being the same brand, I thought I had a bad lot.
Time goes by and the amp powering the subs died. I replaced the two amps with a five-channel amp. All's looking good, no more beeps from that pesky amp. I'm happy.
Guess what - the amp drops the signal and then comes back a second later. This goes on and it drives me nuts.
I checked all connections and found my problem. The ground wire connected to one of the nuts securing the roll bar was loose. I played the stereo, jiggled the connection. Presto - I recreated the problem.
I removed the nut when I got home from work, sprayed it with W-2, sprayed the hole and connected everything up again. I made sure the nut was tight and secured ground.
What a hassle and I could have fixed it some time ago. I had blamed my blessed 4Runner's electrical system and alas, it was my sloppy ground installation.
Lesson learned.
