I was sitting at my car during lunch. The tunes had been on for about 20-25 minutes, at a VERY low volume (I was taking a nap!). All of a sudden, "click" and no more tunes. I popped the hatch and touched the amp. Holy hell! I burned myself it was so hot. I could have literally fried an egg (and probably had myself a portable George Foreman Grill). I guess that black grill cloth to cover them from prying eyes wasn't such a good idea. I've gotta get a louver for that hatch to keep these amps cool. Those things were HOT! I just hope I didn't mess up the amps. I tried turning it on 5 minutes later and they still wouldn't play.

The damned aluminum stuff in my car gets hotter than the plastic panels. When it's hot like this I can't touch my polished B&M shift **** because it's so hot. I gotta get tint and a louver on the car.

------------------
The IROC Homepage
<A HREF="http://www.rit.edu/~jli4307/camaro" TARGET=_blank>
View the restoration of an 85 IROC</A>
"I didn't know a bored out Ford could go so slow" -Shenandoah

 

I use a hatch cover and I have 35% tint all around. Never had any problems with the amps overheating....the heat index around here for this time of year is over 100.

Don't get louvers unless you really want them....dark tint will work just fine

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92 Camaro RS, LO3, 5-spd, T-tops

Performance:
K&N Open Air Filter, Edelbrock performer TBI intake, Fastchip Prom, Timing +4 degrees, Centerforce clutch, Xact 8mm wires, SLP 1 3/4" Headers (coated), Flowmaster Catback Exhaust, Z28 Grille w/aftmkt fog lamps, MacEwen white-face guages
Electronics:
Alpine 8030 Alarm System, Valentine One Radar Detector (How did I ever drive without one?), Pioneer DEH 7450 Head Unit w/6-pack CD changer, Pioneer DEQ 7600 Sound Processor, 2 Kenwood KAC-846 Amps powering 2 12" Pro Red subs, 2 Pioneer 6x9 and 2 MTX 4x6 speakers.
NEXT UP: TBI mods, 3.42 gears w/Torsen posi

 

I refuse to tint that back glass. I'd rather have a louver. Tint looks like *** on that glass because of the crap around the edges and all of the defroster lines. In a few years you wind up with peeling purple tint that's impossible to remove.

------------------
The IROC Homepage
<A HREF="http://www.rit.edu/~jli4307/camaro" TARGET=_blank>
View the restoration of an 85 IROC</A>
"I didn't know a bored out Ford could go so slow" -Shenandoah

 

well louvers went out in the 80's... sorry but thats a update for ya. I have a light grey cloth from wally world 3 bucks for 3 yards of it(I know I got way too much, but it also matches the plastic parts) but I have it covering the amp, crossover and the exposed part of the sub cone. around a month and no problems yet... heat index around 105-110... no tint and deffinately no louvers on mine. Looking into getting tint but I have more important thing I want to spend my moey on right now.

 

Thanks for the news flash about the louvers, but smoking $800 amps isn't what I'd consider "in style".

Considering that I drive a car that's a bona-fide 80's car, I don't see where 80's styling is really going to be all that bad on the car.

------------------
The IROC Homepage
<A HREF="http://www.rit.edu/~jli4307/camaro" TARGET=_blank>
View the restoration of an 85 IROC</A>
"I didn't know a bored out Ford could go so slow" -Shenandoah

 

I've had that happen to my MTX amps in the trunk of my Grand Prix during summer. Actually surprised it hasn't happened lately. Surprisingly an hour later they work just fine again. But first time it happened I freaked.

 

I've had amps shut down before and it's never really concerned me, but these early Kicker amps had a reputation for grenading FETs. In fact, this one did it and I had to send it back for warranty work. This didn't behave like I smoked fets, but it still worried me a bit. I guess I'll find out when I go out to my car after work. :/

------------------
The IROC Homepage
<A HREF="http://www.rit.edu/~jli4307/camaro" TARGET=_blank>
View the restoration of an 85 IROC</A>
"I didn't know a bored out Ford could go so slow" -Shenandoah

 

i feel you jim, my damn amps use to heat up in the summer... work for about 1 minute and cut out. usually right when i was leaving school and wanted to really Pump it UP.. then *phffff*... NOTHING. kinda embarassing.

i like the looks of louvers, only on camaros though.

kev

 

Jim,
I've got 5% on my back glass.. it's been there over 2 years(according to paperwork the guy gave me when I bought the car).. the defroster is disconnected, and I must say, the tint looks great, very well done no tacky lines.. i'm sure it cost a good amount.. just glad I didn't pay for it! I've never really had a problem not having a rear defroster, I just use a scraper, and crank the heater(well that's what I did in the 87, the 92 hasn't seen a winter w/ me yet.)

Anthony

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previous ride: 87 Camaro LT
350, A4.Comp Cams 268H, Edelbrock Preformer intake, Hedman Headers and y-pipe, gutted cat, No AIR/smog pump. 14x3" Open element K&N, Q-jet w/ D hanger and DA rods, adjusted AV spring tension and quick can.

Current ride: 1992 Camaro RS, K&N, Flowmaster, 305, T5, Black, T-tops, 76k miles.

 

Tint turning to purple is typically because it has been cleaned with a solution containing amonia (like Windex). Tint should never be cleaned with anything that contains amonia.



[This message has been edited by Drummer (edited July 17, 2001).]

 

Drummer,
Cheap tint has a dye in it, better tint has a titanium compound and is much less likely to turn purple.

Ammonia will make it foggy but I don't think it will make it purple (that and windex makes a great tint remover. Spray a bunch of it on to the glass, put a hefty bag up and have the windex hold the bag up. Leave it in the sun for a while and the windex works itself into the tints adhesive and eats it away. Take a kitchen scrub sponge and your set to take the rest of the glue residue off)

Juan

 

I've got one tip fer ya.
A 12 volt fan.
You can get them at Radio Shack or any other electronics supply store.
Mount the fan ontop of the amp and wire it to your relay wire for the amp. When you turn on the radio the fan will come on and help air circulate through the fins of the amp. You can mount the fan in the center of the amp and then apply sometihng ontop of the amp which would force the air in the sides and out of the fan.
You can get these fans in a wide variety of sizes. Try looking for computer power supply fans as well.

Don't know if it's a cure all, but it might help, and it's alot cheaper than tint.

Just my 2¢.

 

I've got 4 fans. Pushing hot air around doesn't do much good.

------------------
The IROC Homepage
<A HREF="http://www.rit.edu/~jli4307/camaro" TARGET=_blank>
View the restoration of an 85 IROC</A>
"I didn't know a bored out Ford could go so slow" -Shenandoah

 

For what its worth, I had my tint installed professionaly. No probs with the rear defroster. No probs with the tint turning, peeling, or bubbling for about 8 years.

 

I know tint sucks on our cars, ive seen plenty of thirdgens with old nasty tint. That's why I replace my tint every year and a half.