Little problem with my left side.

[BrooklynMW]

It appears my left side is starting to crap out. Was trying to figure out if it was just one speaker, woofer, tweeter, or rear, but it's the entire left side. If the volume is low enough, the left side will sometimes fade out and then die completely. I can jump it back on by cranking the volume up real quick. It'll go back on then. Sometimes it goes out after hitting a bump.

I'm presuming it's a short or wiring issue, just not sure where to look. This ever happen to anybody here? Any suggestions?

I'm about to drive 3k miles across the country, and I'll be damned if I don't have a working stereo system.

Thanks in advance.

[bmwguy325is]

Are you running and amp or stock or what?

[TurboJake]

Head unit had a stroke?
































Probably just the speaker ground if factory. It's symptomatic of a bad wire connection.

[BrooklynMW]

Haha total stroke.

Thanks for the tip. Where might I find this speaker ground so that I can fix it?

[BrooklynMW]

Are you running and amp or stock or what?

Stock amp, stock speakers, newer head unit.

[BrooklynMW]

frustration

[StereoInstaller1]

I would guess it is the amp.

My recommendation is bypass.

What year is the car?

[IRON-E]

Head unit had a stroke!

Probably just the speaker ground if factory. It's symptomatic of a bad wire connection.

At first I thought this

Stock amp, stock speakers, newer head unit.

But then I saw this

I would guess it is the amp.

My recommendation is bypass.

And I'm thinking this.....

[Wschnitz]

Yea. Someone did a amp bypass on my car before i got it. They took the amp out too. Too bad. I was gonna get stock stereo till i found that out. But my kenwood will suffice. Sounds good.

What head unit you running.

[BrooklynMW]

I would guess it is the amp.

My recommendation is bypass.

What year is the car?

It's an '87. No aftermarket amp installed. Hate to ask stupid questions, but is there a stock internal amp, or does it all come from the head unit?

Before this started, the left side tweeter pods been rattling and buzzing, sounding like it's on the verge of blowing. Is it possible that said tweeter is shorting out the left side? I just got a new pair of tweeters that I will be installing in the next few days. MAybe that'll help. If not, I'll take your advice and bypass the amp.

Also, I've dealt with PA systems with similar problems. Where one side would short out but would kick back in with a jolt of signal (usually a "HEY!"). Often it's a loose cable, but sometimes the power amp. I'm good with studio, live and rehearsal sound systems, but a little nervous about car audio wiring.

Yea. Someone did a amp bypass on my car before i got it. They took the amp out too. Too bad. I was gonna get stock stereo till i found that out. But my kenwood will suffice. Sounds good.

What head unit you running.

Kenwood KDC-MP345U. Great head unit for the money. Installed it about a year and a half ago. Really nice ipod integration, great bass response, compliments the BMW premium speakers well.

For what it's worth, I do NOT crank the system. I'm a musician and audio engineer, so prefer not to abuse my ears, nor a classic audio system. But I do like to get it a little bouncy from time to time.

[StereoInstaller1]

Since you have tweeters, you have Premium Sound.

Since you have PS, you have an amp.

You could re-wire your deck and run new wires to your front speakers and have fairly adequate sound, or you could use a 4 channel amp and do just fine too...but since time is of the essence here, most likely that buzzing and the channel out are a bad amp or a bad fader...but some installers change shit up on us.

What I would like you to do is pull the stock amp and show the connector and the wires going to it. It is not that hard to get to, the only tools you need are an 8mm socket and a Phillips screwdriver.

It is under the carpeted side panel, just in front of the antenna. Pull the antenna (which is not necessary, but makes it 1000X easier) and drop the amp out so you can get a decent look at the condition of the amp itself.

Leaky antenna grommets ruin lots of amps in these cars, when you drop the panel you will see why. If all is clean, I would have a spare stock amp ready to test with.

If it has been hacked, take pics and post them,.

GL!
Luke

[BrooklynMW]

Thanks, Luke! Sounds like something I can dig into this weekend. First I'll replace the tweeters, to see if that helps. Then I'l get busy in the back. I'll snap some shots and throw em up.

Keep you posted, thanks again.

[StereoInstaller1]

Don't bother swapping speakers at all until you get them a good signal.

[BrooklynMW]

Don't bother swapping speakers at all until you get them a good signal.

Right, got it! Keep you posted.

[BrooklynMW]

Haven't pulled the amp yet, but I was able to get the part number today. Don't know if this helps, but:

65 121 375 983