Walkman car kit = audio tachometer

[Daddycat]

just bought a 'car ready' walkman kit, has an cassette-like thingy to input the audio to the rodeo's stereo. nice unit except i can track the engine RPMs (static buzz) while using the walkman . i belive i need resistor type spark plugs to stop this noise, i also think spark plugs with the letter R are the resistor type. so....... i bought some AC Delco R43XLS (see reply below) spark plugs but have not installed them. i wanted to get some feed back from you people before i did. i can't say for sure what's in the rodeo now but i think they may be platinum.
thanks in advance, Joe

[bighops2000]

you could be getting a voltage feedback from the power connection. if you are using the cigarette power cord dont useit just use the batteries. also factory stereo's have very weak grounds (very thin wire). you can bump up the gauge of the wire and this will help.

[Daddycat]

Originally Posted by bighops2000

you could be getting a voltage feedback from the power connection. if you are using the cigarette power cord dont useit just use the batteries. also factory stereo's have very weak grounds (very thin wire). you can bump up the gauge of the wire and this will help.

dang! i knew i forgot some bit of info. sorry bighops, the static is present if i use the DC power cord or if i use the walkman's battery power. i will look into the grounding wire if the new Bougies (spark plugs) don't solve the problem. thank you for the info!

[Daddycat]

AC Delco R42XLS would be the correct size plugs, seems the counter person sold me the wrong plugs. while returning the wrong plugs i had a nice conversation with a nice guy who seemed to think spark plugs ain't gonna help me. he suggested a filter..... i'm gonna try bighops idea and attach a larger ground wire. i hope i can find directions to access the stereo, i seem to remember some links in the faq.
will keep you posted, i doubt i'm the only person having this issue.

[Daddycat]

hell's bells, new ground wire did not help (stereo's chassis to firewall), cleaning the cassette head didn't help, new cassette adapter has the same noise even tried an FM transmitter (that sucked, try finding an unused freq. around chicago)
i did notice the same static even while using the cassette head cleaner.
mabey my first idea, non-resistor spark plugs, needs to be
re-investigated.

[suvguy]

The static you are hearing is the radiated RF you're walkman is picking up from the vehicle ignition and electircal system. Since you hear the noise even when running the walkman on batteries, the unit is absorbing the RF either through the unit itself or through the connecting audio cable. Try wrapping the walkman in aluminum foil as a test for the problem. If the noise goes away or reduces, your problem is radiated RF/EMI from the engine and electrical system.

Non-resistor plugs and non-suppression core plug wires will radiate tremendous RF energy. Same for worn cap and rotors on vehicles so equipped.

suvguy

Originally Posted by Daddycat

hell's bells, new ground wire did not help (stereo's chassis to firewall), cleaning the cassette head didn't help, new cassette adapter has the same noise even tried an FM transmitter (that sucked, try finding an unused freq. around chicago)
i did notice the same static even while using the cassette head cleaner.
mabey my first idea, non-resistor spark plugs, needs to be
re-investigated.

[Daddycat]

Originally Posted by Daddycat

i did notice the same static even while using the cassette head cleaner.

thx suvguy, but as you see it's a problem not related to the CD player. if i can find a blank cassette i suspect the noise will still be there. i'll pull a plug to check the numbers but how will i know if it's a resistor type??
is anyone else using a CD to cassette adapter? i'd love to hear your results.