2008 Avalanche with Engine whine. Yes I read stickey, yes I searched, going crazy

[badstang123 10+ year member]

I have a 2008 Avalanche with the components in my sig. Upon original install I had a small (And I mean very small) amount of engine whine. After about a month I suddenly got extremely bad engine whine and had strange continuity problems with my rca's. No continuity with ground, continuity with power, etc. In addition, the left channel would play at low volumes and my amp started making a burning smell. I exchanged the unit with Sonic Electronics. They gave me a brand new unit (Yes I'm positive they did because the General Manager is a good friend) I installed the new unit and was back to my very small amount of engine whine.

After my second drive in the car the excessive whine came back (This problem will come and go. When it does go away, which is seldom, it will normally come back after playing the radio at high volumes). In addition there is a a small crackle or fluttering type noise from the front passenger tweeter. I checked continuity again and everything is fine. In addition, when I disconnect the RCA's from the amps the noise goes away. I proceeded to ground the RCA's to the head unit chassis externally as many do on the pioneers, I disconnected the antenna, gps antenna, mic, and steering wheel controls individually to see if any of those things were introducing noise. I also added an additional headunit to chassis ground so the unit would have a better and extra ground. All of these changes have produced zero progress to remedy the problem.

I need some new ideas as to what the problem may be and what to check. I am now considering the scosche onstar lan unit (which I cannot disconnect because it is where the factory harness provides power to the headunit and ties in) and also am considering the relay near the unit (Since the onstar unit is on at all times I have a relay between it and the head unit so the headunit does not stay on at all times. The unit could be it again but with the same symptoms I'm kind of doubting that. Anybody have any other ideas?.

I have also checked every power, ground, and other connection possible on amps and the head unit. And if it's in any sticky or thread in regard to engine whine I have probably tried it. But I'm open to any new ideas. If you guys have any other ideas or experience with something like this please help. I'm ready to kill myself //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/furious.gif.fc81ca146dbff91fede3ed290dbc4f4c.gif

Thanks

- Justin -

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[jco1385 5,000+ posts]

did you read the sticky?? lol

 

[badstang123 10+ year member]

did you read the sticky?? lol

Did you read my title? Did you read my post? If you read anything beyond the first 5 words of my title you would know the answer.

 

[loopkiller 10+ year member]

did you read the sticky?? lol

I see what you did there! lol //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/fyi.gif.9f1f679348da7204ce960cfc74bca8e0.gif

OP, sounds like you have a mofo of a mess on your hands. Does this noise happen with the ignition off? Is this only with the car running?

 

[badstang123 10+ year member]

I see what you did there! lol //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/fyi.gif.9f1f679348da7204ce960cfc74bca8e0.gif
OP, sounds like you have a mofo of a mess on your hands. Does this noise happen with the ignition off? Is this only with the car running?

It is only with the car on that i have the problem. In acc mode, or even power mode, the noise is not there. Only once the vehicle is running.

 

[denali804 10+ year member]

My friend who owns a stereo shop has installed that deck in his magnum and has had engine noise problems. Sent the first one back and pioneer sent a new deck. Hooked the new one up and instant engine noise. Had to ground rca shields behind the deck, to the deck. He tried ground at both ends of rca's and noise was even more. I think the ground needs a lift. Noise is not perfect now but at a decent level. I know you said you grounded rca's just want to make sure not at both ends.

 

[duece212 5,000+ posts]

Both pioneer decks I've had in recent times have had whine/noise. All my other decks including 60 dollar panasonic decks have had zero wine. Sorry it doesn't help your situation, but I refuse to buy another pioneer head unit due to issues like these.

 

[nimrod 10+ year member]

It is only with the car off that i have the problem. In acc mode, or even power mode, the noise is not there. Only once the vehicle is running.

Your sentence is confusing. You said you only have the problem with the car off. Then you said only with the car running. Sorry if I misread, but that is what I got out of your post.

 

[badstang123 10+ year member]

Your sentence is confusing. You said you only have the problem with the car off. Then you said only with the car running. Sorry if I misread, but that is what I got out of your post.

I fixed the sentence. It was supposed to say "ON" It is only when the vehicle is running that I have the problem. When in acc or when in the on position with the vehicle off there is no noise.

 

[badstang123 10+ year member]

My friend who owns a stereo shop has installed that deck in his magnum and has had engine noise problems. Sent the first one back and pioneer sent a new deck. Hooked the new one up and instant engine noise. Had to ground rca shields behind the deck, to the deck. He tried ground at both ends of rca's and noise was even more. I think the ground needs a lift. Noise is not perfect now but at a decent level. I know you said you grounded rca's just want to make sure not at both ends.

I did not ground at both ends of the RCA's. Only on the head unit side to the chassis. It made no difference in the whine whatsoever.

 

[loudaccent 10+ year member]

ive had engine whine, with all the pioneer units i used, wen i accendenly unpluged the rca, with the radio on, and wen they hit mental you **** out of luck goes down hill from there, gotta get a new head unit,, i mean there are temp soulions that will kinda help but not fix

 

[biebs96 10+ year member]

where are your amps mounted...had a similar prob in my silverado.

 

[badstang123 10+ year member]

The amps are mounted on the midgate behind the rear seats. I have 0 gauge wiring from the battery to a distribution block which then splits to (2) 4 gauge runs to each amp. Each amp is then grounded directly to the floorboard of the chassis with a 4 gauge about 4-6". There are two bolts that come through the floorboard. I used a abrasive tool to remove the paint from the floorboard so contact goes to floorboard that is bare metal and then a nut on the bolt secures it to the floorboard. I measured ohms of resistance to positive terminal on each amp from the positive battery terminal and it's about .2 ohms and I also measured resistance from the negative terminal on the amps to the battery terminal and it is also about .2 ohms.

 

[forbidden 10+ year member]

Disconnect all the rca cables at both ends. Next you need to take the cables one at a time and see if one of them is dead shorting either center conductor to exterior shield or to chassis ground. Verify this and post the results. If you find one cable that is dead shorting, it is more than likely the culprit. Those old Crossfire amps were highly reliable, I never once had a issue with noise from them in a vehicle.

 

[mazzasec 5,000+ posts]

Sony H/U FTW!