E36 Install. Horrific squealing. Help.

[southsails]

So, I took the plunge, chopped off both amp connectors, wired up the rear speakers fine to one amp (Amp A)...

Then I tried wiring up the front speakers (using this (http://www.unofficialbmw.com/e36/stereo/e36-pinouts-b.gif) and this (http://www.unofficialbmw.com/e36/stereo/e36-pinouts-a.gif) wiring diagram. Keeping to all the BMW wiring, I take the signal in from the smaller amp connector (brown/orangs, blue/red, etc.) and put that into my amp. Out of the amp goes to the crossovers. Then out of the crossovers goes tweeter+/- (this again (http://www.unofficialbmw.com/e36/stereo/e36-pinouts-a.gif)) and woofer +/- on the other amp connector.

Basically, the signal in is good, but when I go out using the factory wiring, it turns horrific. The noise is only when the engine is running. A little bit of a hum when engine is not running. It's not the ground wire (I assume) b/c I've tried with Amp A's wiring (which is normally a good clean signal) and get the same results...

Please don't tell me I need to run more wiring. Its already been 8 hours on this damn install. Or just tell me nicely. Maybe I'll buy something from Best Buy and have them install it. Amp busted? Funky BMW wiring? What gives? I'm just crossing some wires somewhere, right? Right?

its just a huge pain in the ass to drive 45 minutes each way each day with no sound. Other than bass. Ugh.

Thanks very much in advance.

-southsails

[FriedKalamari]

where did u run the RCA's? most likely an alternator whine. if so, yes u willl have to re-wire everything.

[southsails]

Ran the RCA's off the +'s from the smaller (http://www.unofficialbmw.com/e36/stereo/e36-pinouts-b.gif) amp connector (from the radio).

The funny thing is, if I connect the RCA's from the front out to Amp A, which powers the rear speakers, it's fine... But, then again, is this b/c the greater distance the line out's are running from the head unit?

-southsails

[FriedKalamari]

Originally posted by southsails
Ran the RCA's off the +'s from the smaller (http://www.unofficialbmw.com/e36/stereo/e36-pinouts-b.gif) amp connector (from the radio).

The funny thing is, if I connect the RCA's from the front out to Amp A, which powers the rear speakers, it's fine... But, then again, is this b/c the greater distance the line out's are running from the head unit?

-southsails
no....the reason i ask where u ran the RCA's is because when RCA's come in contact with power wire thats what causes the alternator to whine. So im not asking where u plugged the RCA's into but where did u run the wire. The passenger side, the driver side, or through the center?

[southsails]

I actually just spliced the RCA's from the amp connector (out from the radio) and ran a (non grounded) wire with RCA conectors on the end. So I didn't actually physically run a wire from the front of the car to the back...

I'm guessing this is where the whine is coming from, and that the newer amp (Amp A) is just dealing with it better. I bought some coax so I can rewire and ground the RCA's... sound right?


Related... is that smal (16 ga?) wire that is also tapped onto the battery the factory amp wire?

And related 2, is the best place to ground to the battery, or to the chassis?

-southsails

[southsails]

Fixed. The signal in wasn't carrying the ground.

Even after I bought a ground loop eliminator from Craaaaaaaaaazy Gideon's.

-southsails