MaxDD

So....
I finally changed the stock head unit after all these years.
I have installed several aftermarket units in my time, including on other Nissan vehicles.


I purchased the correct wiring kit from BestBuy and installed the unit.
The new head unit had a ground (black) wire of course, and through search I see the stock harness doesn't have a ground, but the stock unit is grounded by the 4 screws holding it to the metal bracket (and I believe the antenna hookup acts as a ground too (?)).


Thus - I extended the ground wire (because it was so darn short!) with some home speaker wire (not sure if this is an issue???) and attached it to bare metal which is behind the dash (drilled a new hole and screwed the ground wire into the hole). I also purchased the antenna adapter so the factory antenna is plugged in (and working). I also screwed the head unit to the mounting bracket (like the factory unit was).


NOW - the unit works, sound isn't great but I didn't change the stock speakers, however when I gas it I hear the alternator whine through the system (and it's even worse while using the A/C). Where/how is the best method for grounding the new unit on a 99 Maxima?


I've researched this A LOT, and it seems like most issues are with BOSE systems.
NOTE: There is an orange wire and a blue/white wire on the harness that are currently NOT connected to the new head unit.


Thanks in advance!!!

DennisMik

iTrader: (2)

Many times the whine is because the radio does not have a good ground, which is what you are thinking. The radio antenna does connect into the radio chassis and gets grounded, but it is not a good source for a ground.

Maybe it is how you accomplished the grounding or maybe it is where you created the ground connection. Using speaker wire to extend the ground wire is not a problem. Wire is wire. Speaker wire is just 2 wires in one plastic "tube".

When I have replaced radios, I have never drilled a special hole for the ground. I have always used some existing screw/bolt in the vicinity that was not part of the radio mounting brackets. Maybe you just need to try a different spot for your ground. Double check that the connections you made to extend the ground wire are good and tight. If you just twisted the wires together, this is a possibility. I am a firm believer in soldering.

These 2 wires you say have no connection. I am thinking that these wires are in the short harness that came with the radio because the Nissan wire harness does not use an orange wire for the radio. Going with this assumption, this is OK. The blue/wht stripe wire is the trigger to turn on an external amplifier. The orange wire is illumination if needed by the external device/amplifier.

MaxDD

Thanks Dennis
My guess is my ground spot isn't a good (or great) one.
The 2 wires that aren't connected are from the BestBuy wiring harness (which plugs into the Nissan harness). I actually used all the wires coming from the head unit's harness.
To lengthen the ground wire, I used Heat Shrink & Crimp Butt Connectors.

jerrod99_se-l

What brand stereo did you install? I have seen some lesser quality head units have a lot of whining no matter where you ground it to...whereas some higher end units have none at all....my pioneer double din has no whining...and i do not have the grounds from the head unit hooked up to anything...crimped off and my head unit has no whining and works perfectly fine

MaxDD

I'll admit it was VERY cheap - off Amazon
I ended up trying a new ground spot, and the whine got a little better.


Then I tried not using the ground that came from the head unit wiring harness (only ground now is screws through unit into bracket and the antenna connection) and the whine was even less, but still there.
It would still make a little noise with radio really low, A/C on, and punching the gas pedal.


It will be good enough for the purpose it's serving!
Thanks fellaz!

DennisMik

iTrader: (2)

Here is a link on how to figure out what is causing the noise. Maybe this will help you.

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-qiEeBge...ion_guide.html

usurped

Replacing dying head unit and speakers as my next project. Great info guys, thanks. Looking at double din and new 6.5" speakers. Glad I don't have Bose to worry about.