Entaille

iTrader: (16)

given that my audio and wiring knowledge is very limited, where should I begin to troubleshoot this issue?

I had an aftermarket exhaust setup on my car. I didn't realize there wasn't a place for the ground wire to connect when they installed it, they must have tucked it up and didn't mention anything when they did the swap.

while I had that setup, I had my head unit/sub/amp put in. everything is fine.

fast forward half a year, I sell my exhaust, have stock exhaust put on, find the ground wire just hanging out by the muffler/mid pipe connect area, ask them to reconnect it rather then tuck it up or let it hang somewhere.

drive away, realized my sub wasn't working later that night when I turned the tunes up.

should be something simple to fix, but what should I check into? The sub/amp/wiring etc were all untouched, it was just that ground wire that was reconnected. it is a stock ground wire that the Z I swapped exhausts with had as well.

thanks in advance for your help.

sintaxeror

iTrader: (3)

Gremlins!

CRIDDA

iTrader: (10)

Check to see if the amp has power(is the power light on), if not you might have blown a fuse(check fuse between battery and amp, also check to see if the amp itself has a fuse). I would 1st to check and make sure you have a good ground(this is usually the problem).

Entaille

iTrader: (16)

I usually blame gremlins and underpants gnomes etc for things I don't want solutions for. : P

the amp has power

I will check the fuses if I can find them (bad part about not DIY installs.. ya dunno where to look for easy answers) : )

How would the ground go bad from reconnecting a stock ground cable? not questioning your response, just trying to learn what I can.

CRIDDA

iTrader: (10)

I might be confused. What stock groud wire was not connected when your amp worked??

Sometimes a ground might not have been grounded properly(metal to metal, this is very important that there is no debris/paint on contact). Maybe it wasn't tight enough.

If the amp has power(no need to check fuse)- check to make sure your RCA are all connected. If they are, it is a good possibility that your RCA outputs have gone bad.

Maybe someone else can chime in as well.

Entaille

iTrader: (16)

there is a ground wire with an O connector that connects to the stock exhaust, where the mid pipe and muffler meet at.

I sold my exhaust to another Z owner, and we swapped exhausts at a shop since mine was torqued down too hard for us to loosen.

while his car was up in the air, I saw the same ground wire connected to that spot.

when mine was up in the air, I saw the ground wire just dangling in the air not connected to anything, so I asked them to reconnect it in the same spot the other Z had it at with the stock exhaust setup. the aftermarket exhaust piping was too far away for this ground wire to connect anywhere.

does that make more sense?

Entaille

iTrader: (16)

is there any way I can test to see if the RCA outputs are good, or am I pretty much stuck into going back to my audio shop for help?

CRIDDA

iTrader: (10)

Do you have a voltage tester?

Entaille

iTrader: (16)

negative.

CRIDDA

iTrader: (10)

PM this member, he might be able to help.

16psibrick(or something like that)

sintaxeror

iTrader: (3)

Check your grounds... but to me, this sounds like it is more coincidental.

Entaille

iTrader: (16)

Yeah. It could very well be coincidental timing. Just throwing it out there as it's the only change I can think of and I don't see anything else just randomly going bad, but what do I know.. : )

adamtaylorpcb

iTrader: (7)

try removing that ground... dosnt do a whole lot anyway

Entaille

iTrader: (16)

pretty sure the amp is just done. it's an older rockford fosgate amp, the timing must have been purely coincidental. the thermal light was coming on, but now it won't even get to that point.

all of the connections, grounds, fuses are all fine. if you push on the amp and apply pressure in just the right way, you can get it to turn back on briefly. there's something inside the amp that is f'ed up.

tis a bummer. not sure if I really want to blow 200$ on a new amp right now, but music is pretty depressing without the sub going.

sintaxeror

iTrader: (3)

Keep an eye on craigslist or something.. there are always great deals on luxury items due to the economy.

Entaille

iTrader: (16)

Word - very true, I really don't want to buy used again after having this amp last me less then half of a year. people tend to abuse audio equipment. I just like to feel the music a tiny bit.

for that very reason (economy sucking $hit) I also feel somewhat obligated to help out my local audio shop. good guys there, have helped me plenty for free, even spent an hour messing with it when I couldn't figure it out, tried to see if they could run it as 1 channel just to get me by for the time being. I will probably go new and through them, just not sure when.

Entaille

iTrader: (16)

thermal lights hanging out again turned on .. amps powered up. just not giving out the goods. : P

CRIDDA

iTrader: (10)

Amp is done with. You can get it fixed for like $60(most likely if it is just a wire that needs to be saudered(sp), but you might as well just get a new one. My RF did not last long(I feel they where cheap amps and put together by 6yo Japanese kid) Hope you get your tunes back soon.