can your audi system affect engine performance?

[Stang_1973]

Currently my electrical sytem is completely stock except for The petronix module. Stock battery, stock alternator, everthing right. Is it concievable that I install a pretty hot audio system that it could take away performance from an electrical standpoint. I ask this because after installing a sound systm I noticed that my lights are dimmer and sometimes even dim drastically when the woofer hits. Also i noticed that when i nail the gas there seems to be more hesitation in the engine, the audio sort of cracks up.

Naturally I am going to get a better alt and battery to start off with but what I really want to know is that for stock electrical components, can a hot audio set up be impairing engine performance?

 

[mustangdave]

Yes. The alternator cannot put out enough for your system and therefore is not able to properly power your ignition system. Your spark is suffering terribly. It is even possible to have a car not run at all due to insufficient power to the ignition system.

 

[Jester67]

Yes

 

[iskwezm]

It depends what you have for the audio system.Yes you will need a bigger alternator,stock is 65 amps or less.I have a 100 amp 1 wire,dual batteries and my amps total about 2000 watts and have no dimming problems.As far as performance,when the bass hits it draws amps from the system,the alternator gets a load put on it from trying to keep up and that will cost a little HP,so basically your starving the rest of the electrical system.

DO NOT get talked into a power cap,they are a waste and only look pretty

My MSD needs about 9 volts to operate,so if the stereo takes enough,the car will sputter

 

[Jester67]

With out getting to deep into this it all has to do with the way the charging system regulates itself. The resistance in the wiring has a part to play in it as well. You will need a better alternator I personally like the 1 wire “3 wire type “.

 

[CochinoFilipino]

It think you need a capacitor. Basically it's another batttery dedicated to your amp. Should be lighter than adding a second car battery
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-MemwE4...re=true&g=710&I=495LS103&search=capacitor#Tab

 

[krash kendall]

Turn your heater fan on full, hazards on, wipers on, cigarette lighter in, hit the brake pedal then honk the horn while clicking on the high beams with amps on and car at idle and you might just stop the engine. Stock alt probably put out 32amps at best brand new.

 

[Stang_1973]

Holy crap I just noticed I wrote Audi system in the title. My bad.

Any way I can get a 100 amp alternator. Will this be enough? What battery specs would you guys suggest?
Right now I have a 200W stereo along with a kenwood Amp that I have no idea how many watts puts out. I have a 12" bazooka tube hooked up to one channel and two pioneer 6x9's on the second channel. The woofer basically can dish out a beating the way it is set up now.

In the future I plan on getting an elictrical fan as well.

It also occured to me that I am probably losing gas mileage as well, huh.

Thanx for the input.

 

[iskwezm]

Holy crap I just noticed I wrote Audi system in the title. My bad.

Any way I can get a 100 amp alternator. Will this be enough? What battery specs would you guys suggest?
Right now I have a 200W stereo along with a kenwood Amp that I have no idea how many watts puts out. I have a 12" bazooka tube hooked up to one channel and two pioneer 6x9's on the second channel. The woofer basically can dish out a beating the way it is set up now.

In the future I plan on getting an elictrical fan as well.

It also occured to me that I am probably losing gas mileage as well, huh.

Thanx for the input.

A 200 watt amp should not be causing you problems,but like you said its a stock alt. I have used the Red tops and they arent any better to me and the Yellow is just a deep cycle Red and the Blue is a marine deep cycle.The only good thing about them is they can be cycled up to 300 times without damaging the cells inside.So this time I stayed away from the Optima's and got me 2 MAXX Eveready's from Wall Mart for $56 bucks each and they have more CCA and reserve capacity.

ant the fan you will need a bigget alt, the fan might dray up to 50 amps on start up then about 15-20amps to run

 

[ForceFed70]

Well, letse...

It could result in a weak spark when you have the stereo turned up loud.

Also all that electricity makes the alternator work harder and thus requires extra horsepower to spin it. But we're only talking about approx 5hp there.

Do not buy a capacitor. The amount of energy stored in a capacitor doesn't even come close to the amount of energy stored in a 12V battery. The only advantage to a capacitor is that it's able to deliver it's energy (and recover it) at a very fast rate.

Unless you are getting into SPL competitions (where they play a single tone for a split second) a capacitor is useless. Put the money towards a 2nd battery before you buy a capacitor.

If you are planning on using less than 1000 watts, I'd just install a 100amp alternator and make sure your battery is in good shape.

 

[351carlo]

As already stated, but I'll gladly back it up.....

Ditch the capacitor idea. WORTHLESS on a car of this nature, and a second battery is MUCH more beneficial if needed. However...

Install a 100 or 130 amp alternator. You can go one of a few routes.
1) One wire alternator. Self explanatory.
2) 130 Amp 3g conversion. Plenty of links all over the net for this swap
3) 100 Amp Early 80's Ambulance package. This is what I have. I took an alternator and voltage regulator off of an early 80's E350 Econoline stripped chassis. The wiring is all the same, and in the same locations. Make sure to upgrade the gauge of wire going to the solenoid, I learned the hard way after I caught the stock wire on fire. Also be certain to upgrade the Voltage Regulator to the electric one off the E350 as your stock one will not handle the amps (learned this the hard way too). This is the most cost effective in my opinion.

Be sure to add grounds. It is a proven fact that improper grounding will hurt performance. I run multiple ground straps and dual ground wires to my battery. I have NEVER had a problem since doing this, and I run dual electric fans, dual amps with over 1200 watts, aftermarket head unit, Aeromotive Fuel pump, Silverstar halogens, and an MSD ignition box with Mallory distributor.

 

[Route666]

I agree that it is going to affect engine performance, especially without a good high-amp alternator, but then again maybe moreso with one. The more power you're sucking has to come from somewhere, so not only are you reducing the ability of the ignition system, but you're increasing the turning resistance on the alternator, sucking more power. Plus big systems weigh a lot - bringing total car performance down, not really engine performance, but weight effects performance in the seat of your pants.

I said you may have even less performance WITH a better alternator and what I meant is that if you've got a bigger one, then you probably have it for a reason, ie - need more electric juice, for a sound system most likely. Since you're likely to have a bigger sound system with a bigger alternator (unless you're an idiot and like draining your battery, leaving you with no starting AND no big bad stereo) then you're going to put a bigger resistance on the belt at the alternator - sapping power. Of course if you overpower your stock alternator enough to kill the engine outright, well, that will be worse.

Things like electric fans and water pumps don't actually take work away from the engine, they, combined with timers and/or sensors and the battery - spread out the work over a longer time frame - leading to less instantaneous power loss. Sound systems however, that constantly drain because they're constantly pumping out beats at a usually high energy level, will put a constant drain/strain on electrical and/or accessory drive belt/crankshaft.

That's just how I see it at this point in time.

EDIT: PS You guy's rock, I love the rational, intelligent discussion that occurs incredibly more frequently than any other forum.