2001 RSV speakers started cutting out

[rrs0725]

Bought a used 2001 RSV in April and it’s been really great so far. I did upgrade the speakers to Polk db401 all the way around. And they’ve also been great for about 2 months. Last week the speakers suddenly started cutting out or getting static in them a lot, all of them. And sometimes it’s affected by going from accessory mode with audio on to starting the bike which will cause them to cut out completely sometimes. And this happens in all audio modes. I bought the bike specifically so I can have music as an upgrade to an old bike that didn’t have any. It worked great for the first few months I’ve had it, now it’s acting up and I’ve tried checking all the wiring and nothing is helping. I’ve read the wiring connectors can get corroded and need to be cleaned and have die electric grease put on the and I will try that this weekend, but I’m baffled at how they were wiring great and then just suddenly one day started cutting out and that when playing in accessory mode, they will be working but with just a little static in them and when I start the bike they will cut out completely until I turn the bike off and put it in accessory mode again. Sometimes they’ll come back on that way and sometimes they won’t. It’s very strange how the static or cutting in and out seems to be affected by starting the bike. And sometimes changing the volume level to a higher volume when it’s playing ok will cause them to cut out as well.

 

any one experience this issue at all, and if so how did you fix it? Thanks for any help or advice in advance.

Edited August 7, 2019 by rrs0725

[Rafterd]

Take the front of the faring off, disconnect and reconnect all the plugs. I use Deoxit on the connectors instead of dielectric but whatever. That’ll probably take care of it. Oh I forgot, there are a couple under the seat too. Go ahead and do those too.

[RDawson]

Make sure the CB is turned off also. Check the ground bolt on left side of the radio.

[rrs0725]

Take the front of the faring off, disconnect and reconnect all the plugs. I use Deoxit on the connectors instead of dielectric but whatever. That’ll probably take care of it. Oh I forgot, there are a couple under the seat too. Go ahead and do those too.

 

 

I have already taken all the connectors apart and reconnected them but didn’t have the grease at the time. Will try again this weekend when I get grease or contact cleaner. Thanks for the advice.

[Rafterd]

I have already taken all the connectors apart and reconnected them but didn’t have the grease at the time. Will try again this weekend when I get grease or contact cleaner. Thanks for the advice.

 

 

The grease is not gonna change anything. But it will keep water and dirt out of the connector for future problems. So if you’ve already done that, I don’t think there’s any reason to do it again.

[Freebird]

It seems over the past few days that I've suggested checking the battery several times but I've had that exact same thing happen with a weak battery. Bike would start and run but sometimes just after starting it, the stereo would do exactly as you describe. As long as the charging system is good, it would charge up enough after starting for the stereo to start working ok again.

[rrs0725]

It seems over the past few days that I've suggested checking the battery several times but I've had that exact same thing happen with a weak battery. Bike would start and run but sometimes just after starting it, the stereo would do exactly as you describe. As long as the charging system is good, it would charge up enough after starting for the stereo to start working ok again.

 

 

I did check the battery and it’s good. I also put a jump starter on it for a few seconds for a little added voltage while the speakers were cutting out, but it didn’t change anything unfortunately. My issue once it starts with the bike running doesn’t line itself out once the bike charged up enough, the speakers still wouldn’t work right. But thank you for the tip. I’ll try anything at this point to get the speakers working again.

 

my father suggested that maybe when I changed the speakers out for the Polk dv401’s that maybe they’re a different ohm rating than the original speakers and therefore could be pulling too much power from the amp and could’ve started to fry the amp. Like if the original speakers were 8 ohms, lower power required, vs the polks that at 4 ohm and require more power, then that could be my issue. However I cannot find an ohm rating on the original speakers. But I have read on this site many people using the polk db401’s and they work great. So I don’t think that’s it either.

[videoarizona]

Not the speakers. The amp is forgiving enough. You would get lower/higher volume or music distortion at higher volume with impedance mismatch.

 

My guess is there is a ground you've missed somewhere. Noise into the audio system is almost always a ground/loose connection issue and the audio signal is getting ignition noise due to not being isolated. Also, I don't remember if the 2nd gen has a noise condenser to smooth and ground out the ignition noise like the 1st gen. You might want to download the electrical schematics and trace through the audio signal paths and well as the audio power paths.

 

Also, in my experiences with audio on a scoot... speakers cutting in/out can only be caused by bad connection at the speaker or cable at the amp, bad ground or power at the amp, Squelch for the CB set to high, an aux input cable/connection grounding out, or, a short in any of the above.

 

Go back carefully and look at what you did during install. Verify your connections at each speaker and the wires. That would be the first thing. Take your time and try to look at the install from a fresh viewpoint. We tend to overlook what we thought we did right and miss the obvious. At least I do that a lot!

You'll figure it out...

[rrs0725]

Not the speakers. The amp is forgiving enough. You would get lower/higher volume or music distortion at higher volume with impedance mismatch.

 

My guess is there is a ground you've missed somewhere. Noise into the audio system is almost always a ground/loose connection issue and the audio signal is getting ignition noise due to not being isolated. Also, I don't remember if the 2nd gen has a noise condenser to smooth and ground out the ignition noise like the 1st gen. You might want to download the electrical schematics and trace through the audio signal paths and well as the audio power paths.

 

Also, in my experiences with audio on a scoot... speakers cutting in/out can only be caused by bad connection at the speaker or cable at the amp, bad ground or power at the amp, Squelch for the CB set to high, an aux input cable/connection grounding out, or, a short in any of the above.

 

Go back carefully and look at what you did during install. Verify your connections at each speaker and the wires. That would be the first thing. Take your time and try to look at the install from a fresh viewpoint. We tend to overlook what we thought we did right and miss the obvious. At least I do that a lot!

You'll figure it out...

 

I appreciate the insight. I don’t think it’s a single speaker connection because when the static or cutting out happens it’s on all 4 speakers. It’s been well over a month since I replaced all the speakers which worked great until the other day when this all started happening. I will double check the squelch. I don’t even use the CB. It also has this problem whether is on AUX or AM or FM radio. So it probably is a main or ground wire somewhere. Just gotta see if I can find it. I got a can of deoxit that was recommended that i’ll be trying this weekend when I take all the connections apart and check them again. Hopefully i’ll stumble on to the issue and it’ll be fixed when I’m done.

[rrs0725]

UPDATE ON SPEAKERS CUTTING OUT

 

I took the fairing off and disconnected all the audio connectors and sprayed Deoxit on them and put them back together. I also took the ground wire off the amp while the speakers were playing and nothing happened. For some reason I thought they would affect the sound system. But I'm not really very inclined when it comes to wiring of any kind. I also disconnected the battery and made sure all those connections were nice and tight including the ground wire there. And I checked the wires under my seats. And the battery voltages are pretty decent. The problem is still there. The weird thing is that if I turn the bike on to accessory mode after it sits awhile, the speakers will work in all modes (am/FM, aux) of the sound system. But as soon as I start the bike the speakers cut completely out and won’t come back on while the bike is running. If I turn it off and let it sit awhile, then put it in accessory mode again, the speakers will work again. I am not sure what to look at next. Any one have any more ideas?

[videoarizona]

UPDATE ON SPEAKERS CUTTING OUT

 

I took the fairing off and disconnected all the audio connectors and sprayed Deoxit on them and put them back together. I also took the ground wire off the amp while the speakers were playing and nothing happened. For some reason I thought they would affect the sound system. But I'm not really very inclined when it comes to wiring of any kind. I also disconnected the battery and made sure all those connections were nice and tight including the ground wire there. And I checked the wires under my seats. And the battery voltages are pretty decent. The problem is still there. The weird thing is that if I turn the bike on to accessory mode after it sits awhile, the speakers will work in all modes (am/FM, aux) of the sound system. But as soon as I start the bike the speakers cut completely out and won’t come back on while the bike is running. If I turn it off and let it sit awhile, then put it in accessory mode again, the speakers will work again. I am not sure what to look at next. Any one have any more ideas?

 

 

That sounds like the amp is getting hot and shutting down. Comes back on when it's cooled off. I didn't mention it before because the amp units are usually trouble free.

But then it should also continue to run when the bike is started....unless there is an over voltage going to the amp. Do me a favor. Put a voltmeter on the battery when in aux mode. read the voltage. Then start the bike and check voltage again at the battery. If your stator/regulator is overcharging a touch...it might be to much for the amp.

 

The CB squelch will cut out all speakers, but it would do so intermittently as a CB signal hits the radio. But you haven't mentioned if you turned the CB off. Should be by default....unless it's been on all this time. Motor running shouldn't change that though.

 

Is the display on the radio remote working good? No display problems or hanging up on one source?

 

Don't know what else to mention.....Anyone else???

[Rafterd]

UPDATE ON SPEAKERS CUTTING OUT

 

I took the fairing off and disconnected all the audio connectors and sprayed Deoxit on them and put them back together. I also took the ground wire off the amp while the speakers were playing and nothing happened. For some reason I thought they would affect the sound system. But I'm not really very inclined when it comes to wiring of any kind. I also disconnected the battery and made sure all those connections were nice and tight including the ground wire there. And I checked the wires under my seats. And the battery voltages are pretty decent. The problem is still there. The weird thing is that if I turn the bike on to accessory mode after it sits awhile, the speakers will work in all modes (am/FM, aux) of the sound system. But as soon as I start the bike the speakers cut completely out and won’t come back on while the bike is running. If I turn it off and let it sit awhile, then put it in accessory mode again, the speakers will work again. I am not sure what to look at next. Any one have any more ideas?

 

 

Put a volt meter on the battery check battery voltage while static and also running around 2-3k rpm. You’ll have to guess. Sounds like maybe an over voltage as in bad regulator/rectifier putting out to much voltage? I’ve seen those put out 18vdc when they go bad. Other than that, a bad amp maybe? I don’t know.

[rrs0725]

That sounds like the amp is getting hot and shutting down. Comes back on when it's cooled off. I didn't mention it before because the amp units are usually trouble free.

But then it should also continue to run when the bike is started....unless there is an over voltage going to the amp. Do me a favor. Put a voltmeter on the battery when in aux mode. read the voltage. Then start the bike and check voltage again at the battery. If your stator/regulator is overcharging a touch...it might be to much for the amp.

 

The CB squelch will cut out all speakers, but it would do so intermittently as a CB signal hits the radio. But you haven't mentioned if you turned the CB off. Should be by default....unless it's been on all this time. Motor running shouldn't change that though.

 

Is the display on the radio remote working good? No display problems or hanging up on one source?

 

Don't know what else to mention.....Anyone else???

 

 

 

Voltage in aux mode is 11.6v

Voltage with bike running at about 2-3000 rpm is 13.65v

 

The CB is definitely off and therefore the squelch shouldnt be an issue I don't think. I don't use the CB. Display is working fine. No hanging up on any one source. The issue just started one day when I was riding where the speakers would cut in and out. Now, when the bike is put into accessory mode without starting, the speakers will work on all sources. But when the bike is started, the speakers immediately go out.

 

I'm not very inclined when the comes to this stuff so I'm wondering if I'll ever figure the issue out.

I appreciate everyone trying to help though.

[Rafterd]

Just a thought, do you have headsets? Or know someone who does? Just wondering if the speakers in the headsets quit too. If they do, I’m going with a bad amp. If they don’t, I’m still going with a bad amp.😀

[Rafterd]

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F303257989658

[rrs0725]

It seems over the past few days that I've suggested checking the battery several times but I've had that exact same thing happen with a weak battery. Bike would start and run but sometimes just after starting it, the stereo would do exactly as you describe. As long as the charging system is good, it would charge up enough after starting for the stereo to start working ok again.

 

 

So just for curiosity purposes, I went and plopped down $135 for a new top of the line AGM sealed battery for the bike. My old one started the bike just fine, but was a little under the proper voltage when sitting for 24 hours. Unfortunately this didn’t solve the issue either. I believe I’ve pretty much ruled out everything at this point, wiring, battery, stator, etc. All except the amp, but without headsets I don’t know how to test it aside from buying another one.

[rrs0725]

FINAL UPDATE

 

As I believe I eliminated all other probable issues with the speakers cutting out, I found a used AMP on eBay for $86. It was from a 2002 bike so I knew it would fit my 2001. Took less than 15 min to swap the amps out and it solved the issue I was having. Thanks to anyone who tried to help.