The stereo in my Corvette has always had a small alternator whine (audible through the tweeters). It never bothered me enough to trouble shoot it until I upgraded the alternator and the whine became about twice as loud. Since I was planning on doing a stereo shootout of sorts (Corvette vs. Camaro) I decided that it was finally time to take a closer look at the problem.

I started by unplugging the RCA cables on the amps, but the alternator whine lingered. I pulled out the speaker wires from the amps- still there. Even though I was sure it wouldn’t make a difference, I pulled out the stereo fuse. As expected, no change. Even with almost everything unhooked and zero power running to any components the noise persisted. I tracked the noise down to one spot: rear passenger tweeter.

In the Z06 Corvette the battery is in the trunk. Along the passenger side of the car there is a substantial cable connecting the alternator and the battery together. I was pretty sure this cable has something to do with the problem, but I wasn’t sure where to go. I had to bring in the big guns- Studio head JW Brown. I explained the situation and he offered me this explanation: The crossover was being electromagnetically induced by the power cable causing the tweeter to emit the alternator whine. Duh!

In theory something somewhere might not be grounded correctly (and no, I don’t need to do the “Big 3” upgrade, but thank you). I checked a few things, but it seemed like the simplest solution would be to just relocate the crossovers. It was sad…I was so proud of how I mounted them when I put in my stereo. In any event, I went to work pulling everything apart.

I moved the crossovers to the rear left storage compartment (the battery is in the other storage compartment). The sub woofer also sits in the left compartment, but there is plenty of clearance for the crossovers too.

I figured since I was this far in I’d go ahead and run some better speaker wire to the rear speakers & crossovers. And one thing that had always driven me nuts was that the RCA cables running to the sub amp were a little too short thus necessitating the use of an extension. I finagled them a bit (moved the diagonally underneath the trunk floor) and was able to get enough slack to plug them directly into the amp.

I did fairly comprehensive testing to ensure that the relocation had eliminated the alternator whine and to ensure there would be no interference in the crossovers from the overhead sub. When I hooked everything back up this time I did a much better job than my original install. This time around I was meticulous about wire position and made sure all the connections (+-) were correct and secured tightly. I even reinforced the amp rack.

When I was done – and this was a big project spanning several hours a day over three days –  I fired her up and heard… sweet nothing. I took the car out to road tune the stereo and with the stereo off there is still a tiny noise from the speakers but it’s so much better it’s not even an issue. Only someone afflicted with OCD (me) would even notice. Hooray!

Check out my stereo shoot out on UtahCamaro.com (coming soon!).

Premier Parking Spot is supposed to watch your car while you take a cruise. In this case they were taking a cruise in the car while ABC watched. Reminiscent of “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” it turns out owner Jay Nieves was taking his customer and his customer’s cars for a ride. If this weren’t bad enough the victim of Jay’s latest joyride was a red Corvette. Check out ABC’s undercover investigation!

Sometimes I wonder if this has happened to my cars. On occasion I have gotten a car back with damage or with what, in my opinion, is an excessive amount of mileage (“We have to test drive them, you know.”). This is one of the reasons I try do all my own work and I never leave the car with anyone unless it’s absolutely necessary. You just never know what people are doing with your car when you’re not there. And then amount of disregard some people have for the property of others is mind blowing.

Since 2007 I have driven a Corvette. But starting in 2012 I will also be driving a Camaro. Check out my new website UtahCamaro.com!

Posted by Cam Hughes, April 14, 2012

I just had a crazy realization. I haven’t gotten new tires for my Asanti rims since July 2009. It’s been almost three years!

Anyway, with my current set of Michelin PS2’s worn down to the belt it was time for new tires. I headed over to Discount Tire in American Fork. They recently got a new tire machine and, as far as I know, they’re only place in Utah county where I can get my 325 25/20’s successfully put on (these are bigger tires than a stock Z06).

When I get my rims from West Coast Corvette I bought a set of tires and TPMS sensors from them. They told me the only way to get the sensors in the rims was to band them in. I’ve never had any problems with the bands, but the guys at Discount were disgusted.

With aftermarket rims it’s typical to have a valve stem that bends 90 degrees (left). A normal TPMS sensor can’t fit in a rim like this. What a lot of aftermarket rim manufacturers do is add an additional valve on the back of the tire that TPMS sensors can go in (right). My Asanti rims came with this extra valve but West Coast Corvette had opted to forgo its use (there may have been a reason but it’s been so long I don’t recall).

Discount Tire wanted to put the TPMS sensors in the “right way.” They said bands added unnecessary weight, have a tendency to slip and that my bands weren’t installed particularly well. I had them make the switch and so far there are no issues. I like having things done the “right way.” and I’m actually excited to have them do my front tires at some point. A big “thanks” to the AF Discount Tire- they have always been awesome.

Also for the record- having new tires is amazing. My car has so much extra grip (I had forgotten was it was like) that it makes me drive a little crazy. The ride is smoother and the handling is vastly improved as well. I don’t know why I waited this long! Oh yeah… maybe it’s the cost 😉

Cam Hughes, April 2, 2012

People sometimes wonder why I blog about my car. “Do you love your car that much?”

And if you asked I would tell you “No. In fact, sometimes I don’t like my car at all.” Most of the time though the car and I have an excellent relationship. But my feelings toward my Vette – whether positive or negative – have little to do with the reason why I blog about it. When you get right down to it I blog about the car because it helps me feel like I have control in my life. And control is all anyone really wants. Let me explain.

So much in our lives is outside the scope of our ability to control (warning: actual feelings ahead). Each day on the news, when talking with others and firsthand I see instances of injustice and abuse resulting in discomfort, despair and in some cases despondency. I see a world that, in some ways, is spiraling out of control. When a friend’s son dies of cancer at the age of 10, when I read about the senseless mistreatment of children, when I hear about instances of absolute disregard for life, laws or decency, when my children make choices I know will lead to heartache… it is during these times that I sometimes lose patience. I sometimes lose hope.

It is during these moments of weakness that I need distraction. Some turn to religion, some turn to television, others to alcohol. I turn to my car. When I simply need time to think I go for a drive. I drive for hours to clear my mind. My car is a mobile refuge that can outrun entropy and chaos. In the isolation of my vehicle I solve problems, think through feelings and rediscover optimism. But once in awhile a drive to think things over is simply not enough. I have to do something.

Maybe it’s repairing some damage, cleaning and polishing, adding a radiator, reinstalling pillar gauges or simply making some cosmetic changes. This is control. No matter what is going on in the world around me I can control how my car looks, how it runs and how fast it goes and where it travels. Sometimes my projects go horribly wrong, and in the very act of piling on frustration I find balance. My car is a thing. And things can be fixed because we control them. In the end, if I’m careful, if I’m patient, if I persevere my car will be fine. Better than it was before, in fact. There is solution to every problem. And this window into life is exhilarating.

When I conquer a problem I memorialize it here in my blog. So maybe installing a radiator and some red silicone hoses is actually my way to cope with a problem at work. Perhaps the time I spend waxing my car is actually an attempt to deal with a personal issue. I read back over my blog often and remember. Where you see a modification to my car I see my ability to overcome difficult situations and regain control in my life.

But as thoughtful as all that may be, sometimes I really do just love my car that much.

Posted by Cam Hughes, Feb 27, 2012