Sail panel woofers. Only reply if you know the answer for sure!

[Ramone]

I've just recently purchased a cd OEM unit to replace my cassette unit on my 1994 4th gen LT1 Trans-Am.

I have a problem where the sail panel woofers do not work with the CD unit. But they work with the cassette unit.

Both units are original AC Delco non-monsoon systems, both units look identical and connections are the same. Any advice why the sail panel woofers do not work with the CD unit? All other speakers work fine (door and rear hatch area speakers).

Regards

R.

[HottestZ28]

Is the new radio a BOSE cd player? If so there will be an external amp in the rear of the car (left side opposite the spare tire) this amp powers the two 6 in subs and the extended sound speaker in case with amp.
Also the BOSE CD player also works on 2 1/2 ohms and is run with different speaker wire.

Hope this helps

[Ramone]

Hi Buddy,

Thanks for your quick reply man.

Both systems are non-monsoon non-BOSE Both have the big heatsink on the sides and are standard AC/D 7 band EQ systems (headunits). I've looked around the spare tyre area and I could not see an amp there -does this amp only apply to monsoon setups?

Monsoon and Bose systems do not have the amplifier heastsink on the units, -both of mine do.

I have been told by a fairly reliable source that the CD AC Delco system I got utilises a "turn on circuit" for the sail panel woofer amps. Apperently the circuit needs to be activated on the CD player unit.

Am I right in assuming that even tho my car is a non-monsoon, it still has a seperate amp for the sail panel woofers? Jeepers

[TODD 2000 V6 CAMARO]

Not sure if this helps or not, but the monsoon system didn't come on the f-body's until 97 or 98? I think. Yours would either be the stock cassette stereo with no amp, or the Bose system. (the up-level system they used before the Monsoon) If it is the Bose system, then the head unit should say Bose on it somewhere, or Delco-Bose. If you are trying to install a Bose head-unit into a non-Bose system, or vice-versa, then that could be the cause of your problem. However, I am no expert in this area so you may want to see what someone else says about this post. Hope it helps...

[Christopherrr]

Monsoon equipped cars have an AMP/Crossover in the spare area.

The only thing I can think of are:

1. I have a fuse (15) on the driversaid dash that says AMP...if you have this fuse, I'd check to see if it's blown. When my center console fuse blew (brother messing with the cigerette lighter thingy) I pulled this fuse to light up my console..when I did, everything went dead...the sound coming from the speakers we're mudded up and no bass. When I replaced it...sounded good again. So I ended up using my wiper fuse...can't live without music.

2. This is far fetched, but I know some of the guys here have monsoon headunits that don't say "Monsoon"...possibly you got a monsoon unit that was intended to send out signals to the amp/crossover and since you don't have one, you don't have no sound.

hope this help...

[Fastbird93]

I KNOW the answer here.

Pontiac coined the Monsoon name for the 96+ model years, but the 93+ cars with the 10 speaker option did in fact come with a separate amp for the sail panel subs.

The power feed for the amp comes from the antenna power feed on the head unit. With everything wired normally, your sail panel subs should work fine with the radio on, but if you turn on the CD player, the head unit cuts the feed to the antenna, thus shutting power to the amp off.

The fix is to tie the antenna lead into the switched power lead for the head unit. This will supply a continuous power feed any time the head unit is on, radio or CD. And, you will have your sail panel subs back.

You could actually rewire the amp if you wanted by removing the tie in for the antenna power lead and instead wire the amp to the remote turn on lead for the amp output on the head unit, then it would be just like an aftermarket amp wired in.

Trust me on this, I have a 93 that I had to figure this out on my own with. BOTH of my 93's are wired with the antenna tied into the switched power lead for the head unit and all is well.

Hope this helps!

[Mr Nice Guy]

Listen to Fastbird. My 95 Formula was the same way.....If I remember right the amp was on the drivers side under the plastic in the hatch area. I replaced all that stuff though since I thought it sounded like butt. Good luck....Later

[Fastbird93]

Listen to Fastbird. My 95 Formula was the same way.....If I remember right the amp was on the drivers side under the plastic in the hatch area. I replaced all that stuff though since I thought it sounded like butt. Good luck....Later

Very close on the amp. It's actually mounted to a support bracket underneath the sail interior panel on the passenger side. At least mine were, I can't speak for the 95's as I don't have one.

[wolfdogs]

Not sure if this helps or not, but the monsoon system didn't come on the f-body's until 97 or 98? I think. Yours would either be the stock cassette stereo with no amp, or the Bose system. (the up-level system they used before the Monsoon) If it is the Bose system, then the head unit should say Bose on it somewhere, or Delco-Bose. If you are trying to install a Bose head-unit into a non-Bose system, or vice-versa, then that could be the cause of your problem. However, I am no expert in this area so you may want to see what someone else says about this post. Hope it helps...

1997

[Injuneer]

On my 94, the amp for the sail panel speakers was on the passenger side, at the very bottom of the sail panel, right behind the door opening. At least that's where I removed it from.

As noted, only the Camaro got the Bose system. The 10-speaker system in the Ponchos had some other name before they decided to change the name to Monsoon.

[Ramone]

Thanks guys. I can confirm that Fastbird was "right on the money". Other guys have also confirmed this, so thank you guys!