To avoid hijacking a thread I decided to create a new one just in case someone else has a similar issue as I did.
Thanks to Smurf and Guy, their thread convinced me to upgrade my sound system ($500 DIY Sound System).
BACKGROUND
Install started off great. I installed the new subwoofer, dynamated the speaker box, and installed the rear door speakers. Unfortunately, I had forgotten to utilize the metro wiring clips and just utilized the old snip-the-clip routine.
The next weekend, I installed the front door speakers, tweeters, and center speaker in that order. I tested after each install. After the install, I noticed a slight staticky sound our of the RF speaker. It was still playing music just fine, just the slight, inconsistent static sound. I figured I'd go ahead and install the rest of the speakers and troubleshoot later. Well, damn... who'd known it would take me so long to figure out this issue.
ISSUE: STATIC OUT OF SPEAKER
First thought: Since I high-schooled the connections, and static is typically a sign of a bad connection, I though for sure it was my connection. I hadn't heard/noticed any static prior to the install.
PROBLEM SOLVING
Step 1: Performed wiggle test.
Played with the speaker wires that I had spliced at the connection point to see if I could hear a variation in the static. No such luck.
Step 2: Swapped spliced speaker wires. Although I didn't hear any variation in the static, I decided this was the best route to go. I made sure the connection was secure, and yet again, heard static. Since these are the only things I've changed... I was 100% sure it was a faulty speaker.
Step 3: Swapped speakers. I ensured I plugged in speaker I knew was good. This was going to solve everything. Tested it, and static yet again. Now I knew this wasn't going to be an easy kill.
Step 4: Check for speaker grounding. I figured that perhaps the door was grounding out the speaker. So I dismounted the speaker from the door. Placed it on a flat surface and static will still coming out.
Step 5: Check for polarization. I swapped the connecting nodes and tested again... music sounded like crap.
Now I'm straight-up flabbergasted. All I did was splice in new speakers. I've done this on many-a-car in my lifetime. What has happened here? Now it was time to bust out the multimeter and engineer this issue.
WHAT I KNOW:
Speaker is good
Speaker is not shorting out on door.
Connections are correct and adequate
POSSIBLE CULPRITS:
- Connection from the Amp
- Wiring circuit is broken somewhere
Step 6: Continuity checks. I needed to start knocking things out. Utilizing Figure 1, I busted out the multimeter and tested for continuity from the amp to the speaker. Maybe I'll have some luck and find out I have an open line. I didn't expect it since I was getting music through the speakers during the tests. But it was a convenient test to do at this point in time. As expected, I got continuity from the speaker to the amp on both the positive and negative side.
FIGURE 1: SPEAKER WIRING DIAGRAM SONY AMP TO SPEAKERS
So now I am expecting the issue to be from the amp. Although all the clues are leading to it I can't be sure. So now, I decided to swap the pins at the amp connector.
Step 7: Swap connectors at the amp. At the molex connector, I moved the RF wires (White/Violet & White/Orange) with the LF wires (White & White/Brown)FYI: removing the pins from the connector is absolutely frustrating... I'd almost rather watch Fuller House... almost. Figure 2 shows the pin removals.
PROGRESS!!!! The static sound switched from the the RF speaker to the LF speaker. Its being produced by the amp. Swapping the pins allowed me to verify that the issue is coming out of the amp.
FIGURE 2: AMP PIN REMOVAL
So now I'm wondering if I have a bad amp. Well, I know that there is one other input into the speakers... the dreadful noise cancelling/fake engine noise that Ford likes to throw in our cabins.
So I did some research and came across this thread: https://www.f150forum.com/f118/active-noise-control-fake-engine-disable-how-312261
Thanks to i8iridium from F150forum.com. I did some more research and went to verify I have the same/similar setup.
Step 8: Remove the Active Noise Cancellation pins. So I do have the ANC as referenced by i8iridium. I wanted to see if perhaps the ANC was messing with the outputs of my speakers. Utilizing his procedure and Figure 3, I removed the LF and RF ANC pins from the harness. I pulled the pins, attached them to some headphones, and voila, heard the static in my headphones.
FIGURE 3: 2017 F-150 Wiring Diagram -- thanks to BBB Industries.
CONCLUSION
The Active Noise Cancellation was cause for the static in my speakers. Since I do not have FORSCAN, I left the pins pulled and sealed them off. My Raptor is put back together, sounds amazing for $500 (plus a crap-ton of my time) and I have ZERO static out of my speakers.
Now, I know I didn't resolve the root cause, and probably wont need to unless lack of ANC drives me nuts. My next step would be to trace back the ANC controls to see why the outputs are producing static... but I'm good for now.
Here she is all buttoned up (please excuse the nastiness):
Again, thanks to @Guy @smurfslayer and @dhmcfadin for helping me through this process.
Thanks to Smurf and Guy, their thread convinced me to upgrade my sound system ($500 DIY Sound System).
BACKGROUND
Install started off great. I installed the new subwoofer, dynamated the speaker box, and installed the rear door speakers. Unfortunately, I had forgotten to utilize the metro wiring clips and just utilized the old snip-the-clip routine.
The next weekend, I installed the front door speakers, tweeters, and center speaker in that order. I tested after each install. After the install, I noticed a slight staticky sound our of the RF speaker. It was still playing music just fine, just the slight, inconsistent static sound. I figured I'd go ahead and install the rest of the speakers and troubleshoot later. Well, damn... who'd known it would take me so long to figure out this issue.
ISSUE: STATIC OUT OF SPEAKER
First thought: Since I high-schooled the connections, and static is typically a sign of a bad connection, I though for sure it was my connection. I hadn't heard/noticed any static prior to the install.
PROBLEM SOLVING
Step 1: Performed wiggle test.
Played with the speaker wires that I had spliced at the connection point to see if I could hear a variation in the static. No such luck.
Step 2: Swapped spliced speaker wires. Although I didn't hear any variation in the static, I decided this was the best route to go. I made sure the connection was secure, and yet again, heard static. Since these are the only things I've changed... I was 100% sure it was a faulty speaker.
Step 3: Swapped speakers. I ensured I plugged in speaker I knew was good. This was going to solve everything. Tested it, and static yet again. Now I knew this wasn't going to be an easy kill.
Step 4: Check for speaker grounding. I figured that perhaps the door was grounding out the speaker. So I dismounted the speaker from the door. Placed it on a flat surface and static will still coming out.
Step 5: Check for polarization. I swapped the connecting nodes and tested again... music sounded like crap.
Now I'm straight-up flabbergasted. All I did was splice in new speakers. I've done this on many-a-car in my lifetime. What has happened here? Now it was time to bust out the multimeter and engineer this issue.
WHAT I KNOW:
Speaker is good
Speaker is not shorting out on door.
Connections are correct and adequate
POSSIBLE CULPRITS:
- Connection from the Amp
- Wiring circuit is broken somewhere
Step 6: Continuity checks. I needed to start knocking things out. Utilizing Figure 1, I busted out the multimeter and tested for continuity from the amp to the speaker. Maybe I'll have some luck and find out I have an open line. I didn't expect it since I was getting music through the speakers during the tests. But it was a convenient test to do at this point in time. As expected, I got continuity from the speaker to the amp on both the positive and negative side.
FIGURE 1: SPEAKER WIRING DIAGRAM SONY AMP TO SPEAKERS
So now I am expecting the issue to be from the amp. Although all the clues are leading to it I can't be sure. So now, I decided to swap the pins at the amp connector.
Step 7: Swap connectors at the amp. At the molex connector, I moved the RF wires (White/Violet & White/Orange) with the LF wires (White & White/Brown)FYI: removing the pins from the connector is absolutely frustrating... I'd almost rather watch Fuller House... almost. Figure 2 shows the pin removals.
PROGRESS!!!! The static sound switched from the the RF speaker to the LF speaker. Its being produced by the amp. Swapping the pins allowed me to verify that the issue is coming out of the amp.
FIGURE 2: AMP PIN REMOVAL
So now I'm wondering if I have a bad amp. Well, I know that there is one other input into the speakers... the dreadful noise cancelling/fake engine noise that Ford likes to throw in our cabins.
So I did some research and came across this thread: https://www.f150forum.com/f118/active-noise-control-fake-engine-disable-how-312261
Thanks to i8iridium from F150forum.com. I did some more research and went to verify I have the same/similar setup.
Step 8: Remove the Active Noise Cancellation pins. So I do have the ANC as referenced by i8iridium. I wanted to see if perhaps the ANC was messing with the outputs of my speakers. Utilizing his procedure and Figure 3, I removed the LF and RF ANC pins from the harness. I pulled the pins, attached them to some headphones, and voila, heard the static in my headphones.
FIGURE 3: 2017 F-150 Wiring Diagram -- thanks to BBB Industries.
CONCLUSION
The Active Noise Cancellation was cause for the static in my speakers. Since I do not have FORSCAN, I left the pins pulled and sealed them off. My Raptor is put back together, sounds amazing for $500 (plus a crap-ton of my time) and I have ZERO static out of my speakers.
Now, I know I didn't resolve the root cause, and probably wont need to unless lack of ANC drives me nuts. My next step would be to trace back the ANC controls to see why the outputs are producing static... but I'm good for now.
Here she is all buttoned up (please excuse the nastiness):
Again, thanks to @Guy @smurfslayer and @dhmcfadin for helping me through this process.
