Amp Troubles - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

2SLW · 02-22-2017, 11:05 PM

Hey All,

So I have had my 13 Camaro for over a year now, and I just noticed the rear speakers do not work. I have a pretty loud exhaust set up... and well no one ever was in the back seat. I began looking up what it could be, but then looked and whoever had my car before me did a little upgrade in the back... Two Fosgate speakers. But again these do not make a sound. I found where the stock amp was and pulled the carpet aside and found this person had some splicing going on, I am assuming they probably had a different amp in it before trading it in. Attached is a pic, yes those wire hanging out look very bad. Does anyone have a diagram so I get get this back together? I saw someone made a FARK product to make this easier... just if it was done right the first time. I would be open to replace this with a new amp, just want it done right.

Thanks for any input, this site has taught me a ton!

Jazzzed · 02-22-2017, 11:57 PM

Ugh. I wish people would solder instead of crimp. Blah.

Jazzzed · 02-23-2017, 12:14 AM

By the way, it would seem that the Fostgate's would need to be biamped speakers in order to use them along with the factory amp. Its likely that your problem is more related to that. He needed a different amp to run the full range Fostgate's, and thus the splicing. When the car was sold, it was way too much effort to put the factory speakers back in, so he kept those in there and spliced the factory amp back in. If he hooked the Fostgate's up, they probably sounded awful. I bet they're disconnected on purpose, and probably right at the speaker if your wiring harness looks like its all connected.

Snoman · 02-23-2017, 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jazzzed

Ugh. I wish people would solder instead of crimp. Blah.

Amateurs don't solder...hell, neither do most pros

Reaper85 · 02-23-2017, 02:15 PM

He/she didn't even take the time to shrink the tube. Why buy shrink tube butt connectors and not even shrink them........

Snoman · 02-23-2017, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reaper85

He/she didn't even take the time to shrink the tube. Why buy shrink tube butt connectors and not even shrink them........

The picture looks like the aftermarket amp was gutted and the salesman told the original owner he would receive $2,000 less on his trade in without a working radio. The prior owner did the bare minimum to put an OEM amp in and hoped no one noticed the system didn't actually work. Job well done.

2SLW · 02-23-2017, 07:25 PM

Yeah, that is what I was thinking they took out the amp they had to keep it and had to rig it up so the sound worked. Do you think going through getting a FARK and JBL amp to replace the stock one is the way to go? Or should I just skip the FARK since its a mess already?

I read a bit about using after market 6x9 and it looks like that is what they were doing, but am going to trace it a bit more... I am sure they are not plugged in. And I do not think the stock would go back in the holes even if they tried..see the pic here... Seriously dont have a clue how I am finding this stuff a year+ later.

SnowyCamaro · 02-23-2017, 07:45 PM

Fark will not work because your wires are already spliced. Just cut his crap off, rewire and out new amp for all. You get upgraded speakers anyway, but I'm not sure if you will have to install a deck to make a new amp work. I've always just used the fark harness, but your spliced wired there defeat the purpose and reliabity of it.

2SLW · 02-23-2017, 08:31 PM

Yeah, I really do not want to change my deck.. I am going to do some more digging and try to find a wiring guide to see what all it would take to install a new amp without changing the deck. If all fails I could just splice it all back to how it is now. If anyone has a guide to what goes where that would be awesome!

Jazzzed · 02-23-2017, 08:55 PM

I would test those speakers with something other than the car stereo as well just to confirm that they're not blown. They look like they're wired in even if it is a bit of a hack job. Then on the amp's wiring harness, it would be tough to screw that up since all you would have to do is match the color coded wires together in order to reinstall the old amp. If there aren't wires dangling at the amp, then you should hear SOMETHING out of those speakers, even if it does sound bad. Do you even hear any hiss (or noise floor) in those speakers? I'd start there and verify that you do have two working speakers first. Beyond that, you are going to need a new amp to run those Fostgates or any other full range speaker for that matter, so a new amp is a given.

And that amp runs the front speakers too, right? So it is getting power, and properly wired to the front speakers. Are you sure that you don't have the front/rear fade setting in your radio turned all the way to the fronts?

2SLW · 02-23-2017, 09:32 PM

Wow... you are right. They are just barely working... I cant really hear them but I can feel the cone moving. I am assuming its just because the amp is not made for the full range. I read it would sound distorted, but I didn't know it would be almost silent. I hooked them up to the receiver in the garage and they sounded nice.

Well I guess I will get a move on it and grab a new amp. I did try to fade it all the way to the rear and didn't hear anything... that is the first thing I played with.. but now my car is not running I can barely hear it.

Thanks for your help!

Jazzzed · 02-23-2017, 10:26 PM

Ok, so I think your wiring is probably fine from a functional standpoint. I would definately check the speakers using some other method. It sounds like he may have the high freq channel of the amp wired to the Fostgates, and that may have taken out your tweeters.

Snoman · 02-24-2017, 07:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2SLW

Wow... you are right. They are just barely working... I cant really hear them but I can feel the cone moving. I am assuming its just because the amp is not made for the full range. I read it would sound distorted, but I didn't know it would be almost silent. I hooked them up to the receiver in the garage and they sounded nice.

Well I guess I will get a move on it and grab a new amp. I did try to fade it all the way to the rear and didn't hear anything... that is the first thing I played with.. but now my car is not running I can barely hear it.

Thanks for your help!

The OEM amp is bi-power for rears; Hi + Low. You probably plugged in the Hi (low?) input and speakers are fine. You have three choices;

1. Go find OEM rears, connect to OEM amp
2. Buy a 4-channel and replace OEM amp
3. Connect Low (hi?) output of OEM amp to those fosgate 6x9's and call it a day.

2SLW · 02-24-2017, 10:15 PM

4 channel amp on its way!

02-22-2017, 11:05 PM	#1
2SLW Drives: 2013 SS Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Mesa AZ Posts: 30	Amp Troubles Hey All, So I have had my 13 Camaro for over a year now, and I just noticed the rear speakers do not work. I have a pretty loud exhaust set up... and well no one ever was in the back seat. I began looking up what it could be, but then looked and whoever had my car before me did a little upgrade in the back... Two Fosgate speakers. But again these do not make a sound. I found where the stock amp was and pulled the carpet aside and found this person had some splicing going on, I am assuming they probably had a different amp in it before trading it in. Attached is a pic, yes those wire hanging out look very bad. Does anyone have a diagram so I get get this back together? I saw someone made a FARK product to make this easier... just if it was done right the first time. I would be open to replace this with a new amp, just want it done right. Thanks for any input, this site has taught me a ton! Attached Images

02-23-2017, 07:25 PM	#7
2SLW Drives: 2013 SS Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Mesa AZ Posts: 30	Yeah, that is what I was thinking they took out the amp they had to keep it and had to rig it up so the sound worked. Do you think going through getting a FARK and JBL amp to replace the stock one is the way to go? Or should I just skip the FARK since its a mess already? I read a bit about using after market 6x9 and it looks like that is what they were doing, but am going to trace it a bit more... I am sure they are not plugged in. And I do not think the stock would go back in the holes even if they tried..see the pic here... Seriously dont have a clue how I am finding this stuff a year+ later. Attached Images

02-23-2017, 07:45 PM	#8
SnowyCamaro Drives: 2013 Camaro ZL1, 2006 Chevy Equinox Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 833	Fark will not work because your wires are already spliced. Just cut his crap off, rewire and out new amp for all. You get upgraded speakers anyway, but I'm not sure if you will have to install a deck to make a new amp work. I've always just used the fark harness, but your spliced wired there defeat the purpose and reliabity of it. __________________

02-23-2017, 08:55 PM	#10
Jazzzed Drives: 2015 Camaro LT Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: Fox Lake, IL Posts: 393	I would test those speakers with something other than the car stereo as well just to confirm that they're not blown. They look like they're wired in even if it is a bit of a hack job. Then on the amp's wiring harness, it would be tough to screw that up since all you would have to do is match the color coded wires together in order to reinstall the old amp. If there aren't wires dangling at the amp, then you should hear SOMETHING out of those speakers, even if it does sound bad. Do you even hear any hiss (or noise floor) in those speakers? I'd start there and verify that you do have two working speakers first. Beyond that, you are going to need a new amp to run those Fostgates or any other full range speaker for that matter, so a new amp is a given. And that amp runs the front speakers too, right? So it is getting power, and properly wired to the front speakers. Are you sure that you don't have the front/rear fade setting in your radio turned all the way to the fronts? Last edited by Jazzzed; 02-23-2017 at 09:12 PM.

02-22-2017, 11:57 PM	#2
Jazzzed Drives: 2015 Camaro LT Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: Fox Lake, IL Posts: 393	Ugh. I wish people would solder instead of crimp. Blah.

02-23-2017, 12:14 AM	#3
Jazzzed Drives: 2015 Camaro LT Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: Fox Lake, IL Posts: 393	By the way, it would seem that the Fostgate's would need to be biamped speakers in order to use them along with the factory amp. Its likely that your problem is more related to that. He needed a different amp to run the full range Fostgate's, and thus the splicing. When the car was sold, it was way too much effort to put the factory speakers back in, so he kept those in there and spliced the factory amp back in. If he hooked the Fostgate's up, they probably sounded awful. I bet they're disconnected on purpose, and probably right at the speaker if your wiring harness looks like its all connected.

02-23-2017, 02:15 PM	#5
Reaper85 Drives: 2013 2SS/RS Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Barrie, Ontario Posts: 598	He/she didn't even take the time to shrink the tube. Why buy shrink tube butt connectors and not even shrink them........

02-23-2017, 08:31 PM	#9
2SLW Drives: 2013 SS Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Mesa AZ Posts: 30	Yeah, I really do not want to change my deck.. I am going to do some more digging and try to find a wiring guide to see what all it would take to install a new amp without changing the deck. If all fails I could just splice it all back to how it is now. If anyone has a guide to what goes where that would be awesome!

02-23-2017, 09:32 PM	#11
2SLW Drives: 2013 SS Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Mesa AZ Posts: 30	Wow... you are right. They are just barely working... I cant really hear them but I can feel the cone moving. I am assuming its just because the amp is not made for the full range. I read it would sound distorted, but I didn't know it would be almost silent. I hooked them up to the receiver in the garage and they sounded nice. Well I guess I will get a move on it and grab a new amp. I did try to fade it all the way to the rear and didn't hear anything... that is the first thing I played with.. but now my car is not running I can barely hear it. Thanks for your help!

02-23-2017, 10:26 PM	#12
Jazzzed Drives: 2015 Camaro LT Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: Fox Lake, IL Posts: 393	Ok, so I think your wiring is probably fine from a functional standpoint. I would definately check the speakers using some other method. It sounds like he may have the high freq channel of the amp wired to the Fostgates, and that may have taken out your tweeters.

02-24-2017, 10:15 PM	#14
2SLW Drives: 2013 SS Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Mesa AZ Posts: 30	4 channel amp on its way!