saregister

Has anyone successfully figured out how to eliminate the hum from the speakers while using the factory amp with an aftermarket head unit?

If I buy a new amp, could I use the same wiring and location of the factory installed amplifier?

PlatES300

iTrader: (1)

can't use the factory amp...you have to hook the speakers directly up to the headunit or have them powered by an aftermarket amplifier. Only problem with this is you will lose the rear deck speaker, but if you're going to put in a subwoofer, then its no big deal.

saregister

Why would you lose the rear deck speaker? If i were to get a separate 4 channel amp and throw in the same place as the factory amp, couldn't i achieve the same thing without having to rewire everything? Or would i have to run new wiring from each speaker to the new amp as well?

PlatES300

iTrader: (1)

rewire everything...the rear deck is a separate speaker (5th speaker) since the ES already has 2 in the front doors and 2 in the rear. If you run an aftermarket 5 channel amplifer, then yeah I guess you can. If you're going to put a sub in the back, you really won't even miss that deck speaker.

saregister

I c...i was confusing it with the rear speakers..i didn't even realize there was a 5th speaker.

A couple more quick questions, and thanks for the info so far, where is the factory amp located? I thought it was under the passenger seat, but when i looked i didn't see it...

Also, when i pulled the factory head unit, it had 2 antenna cables going into it of different diameter...any idea what that second, smaller, cable is for?

PlatES300

iTrader: (1)

for the 97-01, stock amps are located behind the glove box. you literally have to take out the glove box to get access to it. I'm not sure what the second plug was, but I didn't have a need for it.

saregister

I figured out the second plug...it was for the CD changer. not sure why I didn't think of that before.

I've got everything all hooked up, though i have that alternator hum...I've been told by a long-time stereo installer friend of a friend that if i run a clean ground from the battery to the chassis of the amp and the chassis of the head unit that hum should go away...I just need to find the time for that, it's not too annoying right now, so i can deal with it for a while.

My next task is to figure out where i can tap into the "speed pulse" cable (i've also heard it called VSS and Speed Sensor), reverse light cable, and e-brake cable. I think I may just ground the e-brake cable if what i've read is true so far as it will have the desired effects i want. The other two i don't "need", it just makes the tracking a little better for the nav. Any ideas where i can find those cables? the chilton's manual wasn't really as much help as i thought it'd be. the wiring diagram in that thing is horrid.