All I have ever done to the audio system on my 1999 SL2 is install a new head unit, replacing another aftermarket unit put in by a previous owner. I haven't touched the speakers or wiring. The audio system as it stands sounds terrible, having almost zero bass or power. I was thinking of installing some new mid-grade speakers, which would be very easy, but I am wondering if the factory speaker wiring is inadequate. If I remember right, the wires were an incredibly thin gauge which is why I bring it up. I was hoping someone could chime in who possibly ran into the same issue.

 

is the current one installed with an adapter or was it a hack job?

 

It was a hack job. A previous owner had cut the factory pin connector and wired directly wire to wire. So I was forced to do the same. I used these connectors from Crutchfield for the connections. Posi-Products™ Car Stereo Connectors 16 connectors for installing a new car stereo at Crutchfield.com

 

I have some low end Polks in my 97 sc2 w the factory head and once you get them tied down they stop vibrating all 974 individual components of the door and sound crisp and respond across the full audio spectrum.

I agree that factory speakers suck, but I can crank it up pretty damn loud w no distortion, so I don't think the wiring is the culprit.

Actually, they may be some cheap replacement speakers from the previous owner, because the factory ones have paperlike cones which dry out and tear or people get lazy and don't put the water guard back in the right place when swapping in new speakers---leading to a watery, murky death. I think the factory ones began to fall apart after about 7 years, so I'l bet the replacements were cheaply made and are now disintegrating.

as far as wiring goes, my opinion is that you would be better off going to a junkyard, buying a cheap saturn head from a year compatible w your vehicle (Hollander should tell you that) for like $10, then double verify it has all the same colors on all the same pins. Then cut off the connector with a lot of wire hanging off it and solder+shrinkwrap all the connections and stuff the wiring behind the dash.

In today's day and age, most manufacturers of these head units will have an adapter for GM vehicles. Put out the $ for one. Looks clean and is 100% positively correctly installed.

I suspect that the lack of power is from something being not wired quite right, especially if you used the previous hack job as your wiring guide. Not bashing you, bashing the previous owner who made the mess.

 

That's a good idea about matching and wiring in a connector.

I also have that hellish door rattle you mentioned. Being an old and high mileage car, the exhaust system isnt exactly quiet so at numerous speed/rpm combinations it creates the perfect resonance for making the door sound like it will rattle apart. I think first I will pull the door panel and inspect the current speakers and their wiring and see where the vibration noise issues are. Then try your suggestion. Then go ahead and buy some new speakers from Crutchfield if that doesn't help. They have a lot of options that fit for pretty cheap.

 

The buzz rattle comes from the speaker not being held tightly enough to the frame when mounted. The center push pin connectors are a joke for this appl. The speaker holes are also not standard size but you can get the standard size to fit w some persuasion.

I've found the most simple solution for the buzz rattle is to remove the push pin connectors and put blind hole clips (shaped like a squared U, two holes, one is threaded) in front of the speaker and behind the hole in the frame (threaded hole goes in the back.

The styrofoam "sound deadener" is designed to rub up against the inner door panel and squeak. I "lost" mine during a repair.

Some people put sound deadening wrap and all that jazz but if the outer door panel is firmly attached as designed, the speakers are held down tight as described above, (keep messing w these first two w the inner panel off) and the inner door panel is reinstalled correctly (gotta catch ALL of those reattachment spots), you're pretty good to go unless you're building an audio show car = annoy the **** out of my neighbors car

 

Awesome advice! I really appreciate it. Do you happen to know which size speaker will best fit in the front? 5 1/4" and 6 1/2" are both listed as fits on Crutchfield. They say the 5 1/4" requires a bracket and the 6 1/2" doesn't so I'm obviously leaning towards the 6"

I'm going for a little more power and fuller sound but really just for the purpose of drowning out all of the road noise I get on my interstate commute. Also my truck has the Bose package which I have upgraded the receiver and amp in so it's a tough transition soundwise going from driving it on the weekend to the Saturn on Monday.

 

Saturn S-Series vehicles come standard with 6.75 in speakers. The standard size for aftermarket speakers is 6.5 inches.

Some major brand speaker manufactures make 6.5 inch speakers with tabs that allow mounting in vehicles with 6.75 inch openings. Otherwise, a speaker adapter will be needed to install a 6.5 in the 6..75 inch opening.

5 1/4? NOT

I used 6 1/2's that were mountable in a 6.75 opening. IIRC, the mounting ring had hollow slots cut diagonally so that you could mount them at different radii from the center.

Make sure you remember to put the rain guard back on before closing up the door. It will extend the life of your speakers and also helps to reflect sound into the cabin as opposed to the inner door voids.

 

Derf, anyway you could link me to those blind hole clips you mentioned above?

 

NAPA sells them -- couldn't find at AutoBlown or DoNotAdvance.

In my store they were hanging on a rotating rack.

I THINK they are NAPA pt num 665-3270 #10 size spring type u nut

NAPA AUTO PARTS

Don't quote me on the size, though as I purchased these to redo some of my speakers and I sized it based on one I had gotten from my brother in law.