very faint ticking, but only when engine is running

[cpkdude]

New install of x920BT. In ACC mode, everything is dead quiet and beautiful. All sources, FM, AM, iPod, DVD, and SD card are behaving as should be and are sonically lovely.

 

But . . . when the engine is turned on there is a very faint ticking sound. When I say faint, I mean that when you hit the road and turn the volume up to any appreciable level, the ticking becomes relatively inaudible.

 

If the x920 is removed completely, ticking goes away.

 

If each unit is unplugged, one-at-a-time, aka iPod cable, antenna cable, GPS cable, phone cable and steering wheel controls, the ticking remains through-out. Makes me think none of those are likely culprits, however, since all the grounds are soldered, they are still connected.

 

2007 Mazda 3 hatchback with factory Bose amp, speakers and subwoofer.

 

Before the Pioneer, I installed a Griffin iPod holder in the cigarette lighter socket, which had a 3.5" connector that hooked into the Mazda's factory Aux input in the cargo holder.

Same ticking sound then. I installed a ground loop isolator (GLI) in the path and the problem went away.

 

I also tried grounding the Pioneer to the chasis, independently, and ticking remains.

 

So....what is the likely cause. Could a weak battery cause this, as it is over three years old and slow to crank somethimes. Or, is it more likely the Mazda just isn't well grounded or shielded. In any case, how would one install a GLI with so many RCA plugs to consider? And . . . if anyone says wrap a bunch of wire around the RCA jacks, I'm returning the unit. LOL

[1loudls]

i leaning on the problem being with a very sensitive bose amp, thats why it made the same noise when you used the aux in and power from the cig plug (that is a very common problem with factory aux inputs in toyota's) and there is either a ground issue or the bose amp doesn't like the signal that the avic is putting out.

 

you could try to ground it at the bose amps ground, but i doubt that would help as wit the toyota's that make the same noise, its nearly impossible to get rid of (with the factory equipment) i think it has a lot to do with the audio system picking up interference from the vehicles ignition system

 

how are you interfacing the bose amp with the AVIC, are you using the speaker level outputs to the amps inputs directly or are you using the RCA plugs to deliver the signal out of the radio, if you are using the RCA you could try another ground loop isolator to see if it could filter out the noise.

[cpkdude]

i leaning on the problem being with a very sensitive bose amp, thats why it made the same noise when you used the aux in and power from the cig plug (that is a very common problem with factory aux inputs in toyota's) and there is either a ground issue or the bose amp doesn't like the signal that the avic is putting out.

 

you could try to ground it at the bose amps ground, but i doubt that would help as wit the toyota's that make the same noise, its nearly impossible to get rid of (with the factory equipment) i think it has a lot to do with the audio system picking up interference from the vehicles ignition system

 

how are you interfacing the bose amp with the AVIC, are you using the speaker level outputs to the amps inputs directly or are you using the RCA plugs to deliver the signal out of the radio, if you are using the RCA you could try another ground loop isolator to see if it could filter out the noise.

 

Great minds think alike - fools seldom differ . . . As you were writing this I was out at the local audio auto shop picking up a pair of PAC, stereo Ground Loop Isolators - put one pair on the front, one pair on the back, and that was the end to all the noise and ticking. It's apparent that the Mazda plant was snoozing the day they assembled my car, cause' I seem to be the ONLY Mazda 3 owner who's had this problem. Thanks for the tip - it was the correct one!

 

See - these forums are good!

[1loudls]

no problems bud, like ive said before, i've ran into that issue a couple of times, just not with a mazda. but fords are knows for having weak factory grounds and one of the more "noisy" electrical systems.

[cpkdude]

no problems bud, like ive said before, i've ran into that issue a couple of times, just not with a mazda. but fords are knows for having weak factory grounds and one of the more "noisy" electrical systems.

 

unless of course, you're using the Ford radio. The Mazda OEM was dead quiet, and if you plugged anything into the Aux port via 3.5" connector, also dead quiet.

As soon as you tied anything in the car that wasn't in the original sound plan: crazy noise

[1loudls]

im sure that their engineers spend way too much time trying to fix those issues before the cars actually start getting built

[cpkdude]

im sure that their engineers spend way too much time trying to fix those issues before the cars actually start getting built

 

you would hope, but their main design process likely doesn't take into account all the possibilities a home-hacking, high-rev-tuner unleashes on the vehicle.

[1loudls]

im sure that their engineers spend way too much time trying to fix those issues before the cars actually start getting built

 

you would hope, but their main design process likely doesn't take into account all the possibilities a home-hacking, high-rev-tuner unleashes on the vehicle.

the fact is that they hate people doing any thing like that, they all believe that their vehicles are perfect right out of the factory doors