Pioneer AVIC-F700BT Problem

[PaulSeales]

Guys - I'm hoping someone can help me.

I've installed a Pioneer AVIC-F700BT into my 2000 Boxster S. The unit is powering up fine and working correctly.

It's wired in using the Audi\Porsche adapter as I'm still running the stock speakers from the stock factory 4x40w amplifier for now (and will be for some time yet).

When the car is moving, I'm getting a clicking noise. The faster I go the faster the clicking noise gets. I also get a high pitched whine all the time.

I disconnected the blue wire (turn the factory amp on\off) and the whine goes. Soon as I reconnect - it's there.

Anyone out there got an idea what this is? Thanks in advance.

Paul.

[chitowndad]

You typically see the whining issue when you install an after market amplifier and create a "ground loop" (Google the term to learn more). Go back to your grounds and reground them or if you cut any wires on the amp inspect them. You can use a ground loop eliminator that plugs into RCA inputs on the amp but I'm not sure how it works with the stock amp. I had the issue and moving my grounds helped but didn't eliminate the problem until I installed the ground loop eliminator.

Have you done anything with the stock amp?

-Steve

[PaulSeales]

The stock amp has been completely untouched. I removed the Becker, did the mods to the housing and installed the cage for the AVIC.

I bought an audi\porsche ISO adapter from a local store (I was told this would plug in and enable me to use the stock amp) and hooked them together. The HU powers on fine but there is a whine coming from the speakers. When the car is in motion there is a low clicking noise (like it needs a suppressor) which gets worse the faster I go but at standstill is gone.

I disconnected the blue power lead (that turns the amp on) and the whine goes. Plugging it in and the whine is straight there.

Do I need to mod the ground going to the stock amp? Re-ground it to somewhere else in the trunk?

If so - is it still the thick brown wire?

Thanks for the response Steve.

Paul.

[chitowndad]

I have my reservations on the ISO connector. The Avic D3 had 2 connectors, did you also get 2 ISO connectors? Can you return the connector and put the $ towards a better connector? I's also ask the guy that you bought it from about the issues.

When you disconnect the blue wire it turns off the amp and the sound goes away because the amp is off. Now I'm wondering about how the head unit connector (ISO) is grounding the head unit. Yes, the thick brown wire is a ground.

My recommendation is to contact trieullionaire and purchase his connectors should be just a few bucks. He also includes some great instructions that you can pull down from this thread, etc.
Recent Install - DVD Navigation

Trieu might also have some ideas but basically it's a ground loop issue and I'm stumped on the configuration of your ISO connector.

Puzzled...
-Steve

[PaulSeales]

The ISO connector did have two connectors. One that plugs into the amplifier (blue\green\yellow block - only the amp wiring is used however) and one which attaches to the speakers (both blocks)

I Have spoken to him about the problem but he's stumped.

I pm'd trieullionaire and I have his connector and instructions already (I bought his kit from ebay) but the F700BT has 1 pre-out which is for a subwoofer only - so I cannot use that harness.

Could I gorund the amplifier by just holding some wire on the chassis of the amp to a ground point somewhere in the car to see if resolves the problem? Do do I have to cut the brown wire to the amp?

Thanks for responding.

Paul.

[chitowndad]

I'm hoping that an electronics expert will also chime in on this thread...

I would try what you're suggesting if there is a way to push in a wire into the fat connector or the amp pin that connects to the ground. another way you can try this is to use one of those jumper clamps that allow you to connect a new wire to an existing wire. It's a plastic clamp that wraps around the main wire that allows you to conncet a new wire. Make sense? Connecting to the physical amp housing would not do it, I think.

The last set of details makes a lot of sense - I'm hoping True has the answer for you...

-Steve

[PaulSeales]

I know what you mean re: the plastic clamp. I have one spare as it happens so I could try that. Effectively the brown wire is still connected to the amp as normal but it'll be a Y shape with another earth lead coming out of it running somewhere to ground.

Will try this as soon as I get home tonight! It's 10 past 1 here and I'm still at work fretting about my head unit lol.

Paul.

[chitowndad]

You can also try this - install a ground loop eliminator on the Sub Pre Amp outs from the head unit. You can pick one up at Radio Shack - not sure if they are in the UK.

-Steve

[PaulSeales]

Even if they are not being used? Which they are not.

I can get one however.

Paul.