What's wrong with my head?

[RayDunzl]

Well, the head unit in my car?

Other than it's a Bose.

From 1995.

Sometimes (too often) when I turn the key, and it comes to life, it squeals loudly and continuously at about 1.5khz, enough to make you get out of the car until it quits, with the regular programming heard far below, with some Engine Control Unit noise in there - sort of pink like...

Over a period of a minute or two, the ECU noise slowly increases in frequency, then quickly drops, then both the ECU noise and the 1.5kHz scream cease.

It may, or may not do it the next time it starts.

This device has amps at the speakers, I'm assuming it is the head unit, since I've done no actual investigation.

 

[amirm]

What happens if you bang it with a mallet?

 

[RayDunzl]

I haven't tried that, I'll let you know.

 

[Blumlein 88]

Yes, it probably has amps at the speakers. So replacing isn't a simple plug and play situation. Thanks Bose.

So what's wrong with it. It is broken. You need a replacement.

You can probably use a head unit with line outs. You'll have to make some long line outs to run to the amps on each speaker for it to work. They probably have a weird unique wiring harness to do that as it was originally made.

 

[RayDunzl]

But once it settles down I can listen to all the right-wing wacko talk hosts with no problem.

Plus, I only use it about once or twice a week.

Average time between local fillups is 38 days over the last 18 months.

Lemme try the mallet idea.

 

[cjfrbw]

Well, don't pee on the amplified speakers, and Bose head units are pretty cheap on ebay and not TOO difficult to install.

 

[RayDunzl]

Bose head units are pretty cheap on ebay

I looked in that direction previously, but my displeasure with the sound has yet to exceed my anticipated displeasure with the task of changing it out.

I'm mostly just wondering what would cause this symptom.

 

[AnalogSteph]

Probably a bad electrolytic or two (maybe some bad solder joints as well). Sounds like an oscillating amplifier stage (motorboating). Surface mount electrolytics from the '80s and '90s can be rather... incontinent, their rubber seals apparently were easily damaged while soldering. If it's some of those, thorough cleaning of the board would be in order as well.

 

[RayDunzl]

Thank you for the replies, but any concerns with the radio are now on hold...

I thought I hit a real Cop...

Turned out to be a Security Guard...

His "fault".

 

[restorer-john]

Oh dear. Pretty sure the radio was fine until the accident...

 

[Blumlein 88]

Oh dear. Pretty sure the radio was fine until the accident...

My thoughts exactly.

 

[FrantzM]

lol

You are crazy people.. No wonder you can't hear the differences between Ethernet Cables..

 

[amirm]

Ouch. Good to see you OK Ray.

 

[SplitTime]

Glad you’re okay! Did you see if the security guard needed a new in-car Bose system?

 

[RayDunzl]

Ouch. Good to see you OK Ray

Thank you.

Other car:

Somebody turning right from the right lane, traffic lined up behind the turner, he pops out invisibly from the side street across my lane to turn left.

Boom.

 

[FrantzM]

Sorry Ray

Didn’t notice the accident. Glad you’re ok

 

[RayDunzl]

The Insurance Estimators came by today.

Progressive guy took a picture of everything. Crazy.

The State Farm guy took a few pictures, seemed enamored of the Bose radio (I'm not) and mentioned his teenagers buying a turntable and vinyl.

I didn't invite him inside.

 

[RayDunzl]

What happens if you bang it with a mallet?

I think there will be some banging now.

Turned the key on, the wipers started and the washer motor ran. They shouldn't have. Dug around under the dent where the washer bottle was, un-shorted whatever was short.

Asked the State Farm man if I was "In Good Hands". He said, "That's not us. I'm your Good Neighbor".

 

[RayDunzl]

Decided to go new car shopping late this afternoon.

Didn't take any money. Jeans with fresh paint splatters (new roof and fascia, about 1/3 of the way through priming the new wood), flip-flops, tee-shirt.

Bought a Camry SE.

Signed all the paperwork, figured I'd pick it up in a couple of days. Noooooooooo...

Saleslady drove home with us to write a check. I thought she had a Spanish accent. She sorta does, but is from the Phillipines.

She said they turn about a thousand cars a month at that dealership. This one was delivered today.

Didn't spend much time thinking about it. I figured my choices were Accord/Altima/Camry after spending some time online looking at various used cars. Most of what looked good were off-lease cars, most with accident history on the Carfax data.

If this lasts as long as the Maxima I'll be 90 years old.

Accord has a dinky 1.5L turbo engine now.
Altima is ok. Drove one last year. Has CVT slushbox.
Camry has a 2.5L non-turbo. and an 8 (count 'em) speed auto.

It's sorta cool to be putting along, give a little gas, downshift, a little more, downshift again, a little more, another downshift.

The on-board economy meter said I got 39.6mpg over 20 miles with redlights and 40-60mph. The accuracy of that remains to be seen.

It's a little longer than the old Maxima. The garage door would have clipped the back bumper parked in the same spot.

Cost about as much as a pair of big Revels, or the big MartinLogan, or 4 JBL M2. What's wrong with that picture?

 

[bravomail]

Congrats on new car! How is audio there? Do u have satellite radio?