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I have installed a new Retrosound radio during a rewire of my truck. Everything is working now, but the radio is having problems.
Sometimes when I turn the truck on the, the radio comes on normally. Sometimes it does not come on at all. Sometimes it will come on and make a high frequency squealing/squawking noise. Sometimes it will work normally for several minutes before making the noise.
After doing some research I thought it was either a bad ground. I found out the cab, engine, and alternator were not grounded to the frame. Ran all of those, and a ground from the cab to the hood (supposed to help with FM antenna).
Even after all of that, I am still getting the same problem. Probably less, but still definitely there.
I have not tried running it on Bluetooth to see if it makes a difference.
Incidentally, the new tachometer I put it will intermittently not come on. I assumed it was also because of the grounding issue. I am about to swap it for an old tachometer that has always worked.
Does anyone know if there is a specific ground for the radio antenna?
Not that I know of for the antenna, and the ground for the radio itself was just installing it. Where did you get the power for the radio OEM wiring?"The OEM radio was powered by a GREEN 2-terminal pigtail. YELLOW with a BLACK stripe is switched power, BLUE with RED stripe is dash illumination. Do not mistake the BLUE with RED stripe wire for ground. The OEM radio grounded through its mounting chassis. The speakers were connected over a separate pigtail.
Look behind the glove box and find a black 3 port connection the goes off the green and yellow. GREEN with YELLOW stripe wiring is 12V hot-at-all-times power for the courtesy lamp circuit. Use that. It is a black 3-connector pigtail behind the glove box and to the left (which also goes on to power the cigarette lighter) and glove box light."
Not that I know of for the antenna, and the ground for the radio itself was just installing it. Where did you get the power for the radio OEM wiring?"The OEM radio was powered by a GREEN 2-terminal pigtail. YELLOW with a BLACK stripe is switched power, BLUE with RED stripe is dash illumination. Do not mistake the BLUE with RED stripe wire for ground. The OEM radio grounded through its mounting chassis. The speakers were connected over a separate pigtail.
Look behind the glove box and find a black 3 port connection the goes off the green and yellow. GREEN with YELLOW stripe wiring is 12V hot-at-all-times power for the courtesy lamp circuit. Use that. It is a black 3-connector pigtail behind the glove box and to the left (which also goes on to power the cigarette lighter) and glove box light."
I installed a new fuse block during the wire job. There is a switched wire coming straight off the block for the radio.
The antenna wire is shielded by ground wire braiding surrounding it. If it's a Ford antenna it is grounded when it is screwed down to the cowl. You can check continuity at the outside of the cable at the radio end. The metal outside part where it plugs into the radio. Should be 0 ohms resistance from outside antenna cable to ground
I never count on the mounting screws or the antenna lead for ground. I always connect the radio's ground wire to a convenient screw or bolt after making sure I've scraped away any paint to ensure good contact.
I finished my speaker box and installed it. I don't know if the additional ground on the amplifier helped or if my previous grounding efforts were sufficient. Either way, when I took it out on a test drive everything was working. I will come back if it goes out again. Thank you for all the help. BTW-the radio is now loud enough to hear over the engine and exhaust! It thumps.
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