Thread: Whining noise by RPM -- eletrical issues?

Hi,

Wondering if anyone has had a similar issue. I have a whining noise in my b15 that almost sounds like an audio whine from a grounding/power/audio issue, but this problem doesn't go away when I have the radio completely powered off. It changes w/the rpm of the car.

It gets worse with the headlights on. In fact, with the lights off I don't hear it, but when I turn the lights on I hear it. I do notice other issues other than the noise..the car's other electronics like the dash lights come and go sometimes.

This issue seems to come and go. I remember having it a few months ago as well, but it lasted only one day.

Does this have something to do w/the alternator possibly?

I am running an audio amp underneath the seat, not sure if maybe that's contributing, but even w/the receiver and the amp both powered off I still get this issue.

Thanks for the help!

If its a constant whine then its coming from the alternator. If its a ticking type whine, then its coming from the distributor. My best guess is to clean your grounds and power contacts really good. Humidity can have an effect on this too, which may explain why it comes and goes.

I reread what you posted, are you saying you have audio feedback from your speakers with the radio turned off?

Phantom supercharger? Or most likely a ground loop.

What other aftermarket electrical parts are installed? HIDs? I recall something in the audio world about NOT routing power and ground wires next to each other...the do make inline noise suppressors.

If the speaker wires are running with the power cable it can pick up noise. Usually it is induced into the RCA cables since they are low power but in some cases it can induce directly into the speaker wires. Try to separate the speaker wires from the power/ground wire to see if that helps. Does the amp turn on with the car or when the source is on?

I 'think' the sound may be coming from my speakers but honestly I'm not sure. I still get the sound with the RCA cables unplugged from the amp. I've had very similar noise in the past when I first installed the amp and it sounded like this, but I moved the RCA/power wires away from each other and the noise went away. I never had other electrical issues associated with it though..that's the concerning part to me. The noise I don't care as much about as the electrical problems.



The power and ground wires running to the amp are pretty damn close to each other. I think they overlap.

I did recently remove the battery as well. Maybe that disturbed the power cable or something connected to the battery.



Amp turns on with the radio, not the car. I hear it with the RCA cables unplugged from the amp.

I'm convinced now it's something w/the amp power/ground/speaker cables...I'll have to do some more troubleshooting. I just never realized this can cause the car to have other electrical problems. I thought it'd be isolated to just speaker stuff.

There is your problem. The way I have always done it is the power wire is ran down one side of the vehicle, the speakers and ground are ran down the other side.

Exactly!

@gomba try disconnecting the power and ground (not the RCAs) from your amp.

edit: don't forget to protect the ends so there's no sparky spark!

Why is this causing electrical problems? Today I turned the lights on during the day time and the car hesitated and turned off.

-G

Interesting. You should go through the car and clean all the grounds. But by the sound of things you may have blown the capacitor at the distributor. It's a noise suppression capacitor that gives the ecu a clear ignition sine wave. Troubleshooting it can be a bitch without the right tools. But yes, start with the grounds.