I just upgraded my sound system today, professionally installed. I got all of my stock speakers replaced with Alpines, added tweeters, 2 12" subs (Alpine), an Alpine deck and an amp running just the subs and another running the 4 speakers and deck. Well it sounds just great now...However, I now have issues:

Later in the night, I went to start my car and it made a weird "whirr, whirr" sound (almost in between the sound when accidently grinding your clutch and the sound of a dying battery) but then it went ahead and started anyways.

Even later this night, it made a louder grinding noise and then a very weak "whirrrrrr, whirrrrr" noise, but then started.

I have yet to check the fuse box, because I can almost guarantee it's not the battery... I recently bought a Red Top Omega gel battery (barely a year old) and I have awesome charge on it. (13-15 volts)

Also, since the first "whirr, whirr" my headlights won't go back down again either.

Tomorrow, I'll check the fuses, check how my battery voltage looks when I crank it, and see if a mechanically inclined friend of mine can tell if it really is a dying starter or not.

Any additional pointers or advice would be greatly appreciated if anyone knows anything PLEASE! Winter is almost here, and I don't wanna be left out in the cold! Thanks.

 

Okay,

I've checked all of the fuses, and none are blown. When I goto start the car, I don't really get a "whirr, whirr"... it's more like a grumble or crunch...hard to explain I guess. Anyways, it still starting but it sounds like it's giving up.

Also, my friend is out of town for a week so I can't get anyone to look at this.

 

kinda sounds like a starter issue...the whole system install is just a coincidence. does it sound like teeth grinding? It only makes it the first time or first few times your turn the key?

 

well, before the sound system, I was getting that intermittent loud teeth grinding sound (as explained in the "THE GRINDING NOISE" section at http://www.nellump.net/peri/epi/gen7Techs/starters.html).

but it's still a bit of the mechanical teeth ground but much more subtle and a tired crunching sound.

You know the sound that is made when crumpling up paper? It's that except more mechanical....arrgh...don't know what to do.

 

Man, that is hard without listening it. I don't know, still new to rotors, but I was born with a piston in my hand. If I had to guess, I would say starter.
One time I had a starter that wasn't fully engaging, and it sounded pretty bad; even worse when it got stuck engaged. I let off the key when the motor started, and them the motor started spinning the starter. Sounded really grumbly; like a manual tranny going south. But from what you say, it does it WHILE your are starting your car.........huh.

 

Check the fuseable links under the hood on the drivers side inner fender. One of them controls the power to the headlight retractors. When blown, they will go up, but wont go back down for safety. Obviously something is wrong which caused that to blow, like shorts or too much current from the circuit. As for the starting noise, I would lean towards starter problems. If its cranking slow or not engaging causing a grinding noise, I would say its time for a new one. If nothing changes at least you have one less thing to look at and a new starter.

~T.J.

 

I have the same problem with my 1st gen, what I usually do to not hear that noise, cuz its f*cking annoying, I just turn the ignition, like about to turn it on, and leave it like that for 5 seconds and then start it up and from my experiences, you wont hear that griding noise, and yeh,, it gotta be the starter... I feel your pain man!!! lol

 

I have a ghetto rigeed sound system in my 84 RX7 right now, I'm going to re-wire it this weekend. Anyway, I have a fuse under my dash that always pops when my lights are on and then my headlights don't go back down. As soon as i replace it they drop back down.
It's becuase my head unit is getting power from the wrong wire in the stock harness that would normally plug in to the original stereo.