Clicking Noise heard through my radio

[mrzzzr1]

Please help me diagnose this noise. I have a 90 ZR1 with a relatively stock motor. Only real engine mod is a Doug Rippe Chip.
I hear a fast clicking sound through my radio. It clicks very fast maybe ~3x a second. It does not appear to speed up or down appreciably with the rpm of the motor. It is loud and fast at idle also.

When the raido is off the sound goes away so it must be electrical.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks,
GM Krcek

[DaveK]

Sounds (excuse the pun) like your Bose amps/speakers might be on the way out. I get similar noises intermittently so mine will probably need replacing soon too.

Dave

[mrzzzr1]

I had all 4 speaker (I believe speaker amplifiers) circuit boards rebuilt a few years ago. At that time they began screeching unbeleiveably loud. The capacitors on the circuit boards (small bright green ones which they replaced and gave me the old ones back) began to leak with age until they finally short out the board completely. Could it be they are going bad again (it's been say 4-5 years ago) or is it the Delco-Bose radio itself you are referring to?

In either case what is the recommended fix. Gid rid of the original radio or speakers and replace them with something better or just rebuild the originals again?

Thanks, GM Krcek
PS- I need to change my profile to LT5.

[tomtom72]

FWIW, Doctor Don's.com, aka Dr Don does a rebuild on the speaker/amp assembly that they stand behind. You might go over and get the phone # and give him a call to see what they could do to help you guys out.

The other alternative with the speaker/amp assemblies is to call BOSE, do a google as they have a web site. They will replace the speakers and amps with updated versions. I used them before I knew about Dr. Don. They fixed me up on all four but it wasn't cheap, like $400.00 after the smoke cleared.

Also if you can find rear speakers to a C5...they work to replace the rears in our Z's and they are better units w/ more power from the amp. Wegone, Steve, from down Atlanta way did his rears that way.

Either way you go it isn't cheap to rebuild the speaker/amps unless you do it yourself. Over at the netreg site in the "how to" section is a coupla write ups on how to do it yourself....what parts ya need and how to do the work.

If you also have issues with the head unit & the cass or the CD I would say to see Dr. Don....but fix'in that ain't cheap either....his work is very satisfying but not cheap....but I'm satisfied with what all they did to my head unit for the $400.00....the cass and the CD sound soooo much better now!

:cheers:
Tom

[DaveK]

Thanks for the info Tom, I'll check those sources out. Mine isn;t so bad yet that I can't live with it for a while and I have other things I want to deal with before that.

The 'LT5' in the profile is based on the number of posts you make on the forum I believe, so the only way to 'change' it is to be more involved.

Thanks

Dave

[tomtom72]

Hey Dave you're welcome! I hear ya about "other issues" we all have them when we first get our Z's!:mrgreen: Heck I still have "other issues" with mine!:sign10:

Oh yea, the LT1 does change.....as we progress and become more involved our badges change. We all try to share the light so we all can get our cars squared away and ship shape! That's the brother hood of the beast!

Heck I'm just barely a 3rd year apprentice!:mrgreen:

:cheers:
Tom

[Z Factor]

This thread has links to the major players in the radio/speaker repair arena.

http://zr1netregistry.com/forum/showthread.php?t=643

:cheers:

[bldavis11]

There was some discussion on the Forum regarding the specificity of all Bose systems. Someone who sounded like they knew the ins and outs of the Bose packages stated that the speakers are standard, but the amps are tweeked for each car. Hence, replacing the speaker/amp assembly with one from a different body style or different vehicle manufacturer would lead to "sub standard" results. I can't find the thread though.

[mrzzzr1]

I had all 4 of my amps rebuilt at Royal Radio, Royal Oak, Mi and they were reasonable cost wise. I don't want to have to go through this every 3-4 years though.

[Z Factor]

There was some discussion on the Forum regarding the specificity of all Bose systems. Someone who sounded like they knew the ins and outs of the Bose packages stated that the speakers are standard, but the amps are tweeked for each car. Hence, replacing the speaker/amp assembly with one from a different body style or different vehicle manufacturer would lead to "sub standard" results. I can't find the thread though.

Might it be this one?

http://zr1netregistry.com/forum/showthread.php?t=731

:cheers:

[mrzzzr1]

A trusted fellow ZR1 owner says:
"The clicking sound is from the alternator or the coils. A noise suppressor is available for the alternator, if coils, then you get to find which one is noisy and replace it. It also could be the spark plug wires."

[mrzzzr1]

I am going to have to take it to a Radio place according to my mechanic. He did not diagnose the clicking due to it coming from my radio speakers.

[bldavis11]

Might it be this one?

http://zr1netregistry.com/forum/showthread.php?t=731

:cheers:

That's not the thread I remember, but the idea is nearly the same. Bose "tweeks" the amps and speakers to the specific application such that mixing and matching speakers from other vehicles would not (theoretically and according to Bose) produce optimum results.

Now whether anyone can actually tell a difference? I dunno.