Stereo Cutting Out - Not Enough Power?

[Future Boy]

I'm having trouble with my stereo I just installed in my 84 Pontiac Fiero.

I finally finished installing the car stereo, so I decided to take the car for a test run to go get some gas. When I was driving the stereo was cutting out for a second or so every so often, and I couldn't figure out why. I switched over to the radio, and it still did it. Then I noticed, it was every time I hit the brakes! Well not EVERY time, more like if I hadn't touched the pedal in about twenty seconds, and then braked, it would cut out again. Pressing the brake pedal repeatedly didn't cause it to cut out, though.

I'm wondering if the alternator isn't putting out enough power? The alternator is an AC Delco reman'ed CS130 rated at 105 Amps (peak I assume). The amp uses an 8 gauge power wire (roughly 6 feet long) with a 60 amp inline fuse, and a 4 gauge ground wire (3 feet long). I also thought maybe the stock wire from the battery to the alternator may not be large enough? It's probably 10 or 12 gauge.

This is the stereo, which I'd be suprised if it was more than 350 Watts:

Eclipse 4502 head unit
http://www.eclipse-web.com/casse/index.html

Alpine V12 MRV-F352 5-channel amplifier
http://narbi.free.fr/manuels/Amplis/Alpine/MRV-F352.pdf

Rodney Dickman's stock replacement subwoofer (8 ohm load on channel 5)
http://rodneydickman.com/n60.html

2 x Eclipse 4x10 speakers (4 ohm load per channel on channels 1 and 2)
http://www.eclipse-web.com/integrated/se8405.html

4 x Eclipse 3.5" speakers, wired in parrallel (2 ohm load per channel on channels 3 and 4)
http://www.eclipse-web.com/integrated/se8235.html

The battery is a 3 month old AC Delco Professional series. I replaced the negative battery cable, braided ground strap from the engine to the decklid hinge mount, and rerouted the small one from the negative battery terminal to the strut tower (since the wall point had rusted out), all back in April. The battery bolts are both new, and there's no corrosion.

Aside from upgrading the alternator, I'm out of ideas, I would think a 105 amp alternator would be able to handle that setup?

[PaulD]

where is your ground cable from your cd player connected ? Do yourself a favor and don't run it to the harness ground. If that's what you did, disconnect that one and connect the ground wire from the CD player to a bolt that is grounded somewhere behind the dash.

[Future Boy]

I tried moving the ground for the head unit from the stock location to a ground on the frame. Still does it.

I used my voltmeter as a continuity tester and checked, and there was continuity between the cigar lighter housing and the point where I grounded the head unit. There was also continuity between the amp ground and the head unit ground.

I'm about ready to put the stock stereo back in, I'm so fed up with this thing. This makes no sense at all.

[PaulD]

another one I woukd have to see ... tough to troubleshoot over the internet but I suspect a loose wire connection somewhere