car audio gurus on here?

[flyfisher117]

Driving a '97 Toyota 4Runner, as the weather has gotten colder the sound quality from the factory driver side front speaker is going down. I never noticed this during the summer but now it almost sounds like its blown. Shouldnt be, I dont listen to music loud and usually only listen to country but I guess it could be

Its pretty quiet (compared to the other speakers) and is VERY staticy If I turn the heater onto full and drive for a few hours it gets a LITTLE bit better but not much. Its hard to explain how it sounds.

I guess is there anything it can be other than a blown speaker? Bad connection? I know the easy answer is to go pull it out and see but I dont have the time or space to do that in college. With a 10 hour drive home I depend on the radio and I cant stand the static.

Just curious if anyone here is good with car audio or might have an idea?

 

[athhud]

Re: car audio gurus on here?

Whatever the problem is, you'll have to pull it out to diagnose/fix it. It shouldn't take any more than an hour to do for even the most inexperienced person....

 

[MilsurpShooter]

Re: car audio gurus on here?

Cold/Heat are the major enemy of an audio component, so even if you don't tax it with loud music the extreme's a car interior encounters (Windows up during the summer baking the interior, ice cold conditions in the winter) will begin to have an adverse effect, especially on a factory installed speaker that uses a paper material for construction.

15 year old vehicle, chances are the cone and the surrounding foam has lost it's elasticity, becomes more rigid in the colder weather, but get's better when the heats on, static could be the wiring or the connection terminals to the speaker.

Only way to tell is gonna be popping the door panel off. Easier done on cars with electric wiring for the door locks and the windows. Usually 4-12 screws on the door panel and a bunch of locking clips around the border. Can't say for sure but on most of the vehicles I've worked on (Not all) the module for your power windows and locks will be able to be pulled from where it is on the door, unhook the electrical connection on the back undo the screws and gently pry the rest from the keepers (But make sure you get all the screws before you try)

Once you've got that off the speaker should be right there. 4 screws and two female to male clips that hook onto the terminal. Depending on car layout it could be as simple as a 5 minute job.

If you're going to go through all that though I'm an advocate of just grabbing 2 replacement front speakers and throwing them in rather then take it apart, diagnose, put it back together, then do it all over again once you've figured out if you need the new speaker or not.

I use a place called Crutchfield most often. They don't have the best prices compared to other places but they usually send you the mounting hardware and wiring harnesses for free. Plus they include a step by step instruction manual specific to your vehicle, website let's you punch it in and will tell you exactly what will fit into the car as well.

Can probably pick up 2 front door speakers for $40 on the cheapest, but don't let the price be a factor in deciding not to do it, they might be cheap but any speaker you get that's aftermarket is going to be a huge upgrade from whatever the factory put in there. But again, if you're gonna do the fronts, may as well do the back as well so you don't throw off your sound levels. New speakers in front but factory in the back can be overcome with some fade settings but if you've got a factory radio in there it might be a challenge to get the music sounding right.

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_023BGX542/Blaupunkt-BGX542.html?tp=105

Hope that helps a little.

 

[flyfisher117]

Re: car audio gurus on here?

I know I need to take the door apart to check but right now its cold out, my car is parked on the side of a narrow busy street and I have no where to do any work too it.

Ill have to get buy this winter then tear into it this summer

 

[Sean the Nailer]

Re: car audio gurus on here?

Take the vehicle to a 'wand wash' car wash, when it's slow. Won't take long, and it is a pretty good climate for doing so, uninterruptedly.

Or do you know ANYONE with access to an underground parkade?

I'm just sayin'

 

[MilsurpShooter]

Re: car audio gurus on here?

Best Buy parking lot. Park a little bit away and pull it apart. Anyone asks or stops you "need a new speaker, pulling the panel to see the size so I can buy it in Best Buy"

 

[flyfisher117]

Re: car audio gurus on here?

Only place I would be able to go is the Wallyworld parking lot. If it stops raining and blowing


I can try to pull a few strings and get into one of the schools heated shops but I dont know if I am that lucky

 

[The Mechanic]

Re: car audio gurus on here?

As said before 90% speaker is blown. The only difference I have with others is check a couple dealers first. You will find MANY times that prices a very near to aftermarket with better quality. I can tell you with almost 100% it is not wiring. Usually wiring will give you a working speaker and then a non working speaker and nothing in between. Always remember if you go to a dealer and see a lot of cars and trucks in the service dept many are close to being new vehicles that have had near new parts fail. It happens. Just because something is new, or not many miles or whatever it does not mean it won't break.
Shouldn't take more than 15 to 20 minutes to do. If I spend more than 10 minutes popping a door panel off and changing a speaker I am doing something wrong. (or checking out tail in the service drive)

 

[flyfisher117]

Re: car audio gurus on here?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: The Mechanic</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
Shouldn't take more than 15 to 20 minutes to do. If I spend more than 10 minutes popping a door panel off and changing a speaker I am doing something wrong. (or checking out tail in the service drive)

</div></div>

Well it is the season of Yoga Pants on campus, it may take me a while to get anything done..

Thanks for the help all! I think Ill wait till this summer when Im at home with the right space and proper tools to tear into anything.

 

[The Mechanic]

Re: car audio gurus on here?

You could always adjust fade and balance to minimize that speaker until you have time to work on it.