01' lx470 mark levinson with nav - amp went out - what to do (1 Viewer)

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San Diego, CA 92111
alright, so i have a 2001 lx470 with the mark levinson with nav option - and today the amp went out (no audio, then started popping, and played for a second at full blast, went out again, etc etc.)

so i started thinkg, ok ill take apart the amp and repair it, but remembered i bought the landcruiser center console like 7 years ago to do the conversion to hard button hvac (and yes my replacement central dash luckily came with the plugs) so that got me thinking maybe i should go toward that route, and put in a double din unit. that had me thinking then i would have to replace the amp with an aftermarket amp. so i have two questions

where is the forum post where someone decyphered all the re-wiring of the harnesses to the non-nav lc hvac twist dials. ( i thought i had it saved from years ago but i cant find it)

And if i go with dual din and a custom amp, are the crossovers for the speakers in the doors near the components or were they built into the amp, and the amp restricted frequencies to each component?

i really appreciate the help and any input would be appreciated
 
there is a reset procedure.. I cannot find the instructions from Lexus at the moment.. Mine does this every 5 years. last time I had to physically unplug the amp and the battery for a while.. when all plugged in worked again. A lot of these amps "play dead".. but need this reset procedure.. there is also a key sequencing, etc. Part of dealer instructions.. There was also a bad run of ams in 2000-2001. the instructions came with my replacement .. I can't amagine too many original faulty ones still around now.

to unplug the amp you have to lift up unbolt passenger seat.. last time I found wiring diagrams/ had an amp ready to go.. but then it came back to life when I plugged it back in.. this was 3 years ago.. and it gets 10-15k miles annually.
 
there is a reset procedure.. I cannot find the instructions from Lexus at the moment.. Mine does this every 5 years. last time I had to physically unplug the amp and the battery for a while.. when all plugged in worked again. A lot of these amps "play dead".. but need this reset procedure.. there is also a key sequencing, etc. Part of dealer instructions.. There was also a bad run of ams in 2000-2001. the instructions came with my replacement .. I can't amagine too many original faulty ones still around now.

to unplug the amp you have to lift up unbolt passenger seat.. last time I found wiring diagrams/ had an amp ready to go.. but then it came back to life when I plugged it back in.. this was 3 years ago.. and it gets 10-15k miles annually.
Interesting. Did urs exhibit the same symptoms? (No volume control, no audio with some occasional intermittent popping, then everything full blast for a split second back to no audio/intermittent pipping?)

Also what are you referring to as "AMS"
 
If you decide to bypass your amp because the new Stereo can power the speakers, I confirmed this diagram is correct last week in my 01 LX470 with Mark Levinson stereo
1739916565714.png

Found here: DIY: 2001 LX 470 Apple CarPlay stereo install, Mark Levinson Amp Removal, Speaker Replacement - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/diy-2001-lx-470-apple-carplay-stereo-install-mark-levinson-amp-removal-speaker-replacement.1089276/
 
If you decide to bypass your amp because the new Stereo can power the speakers, I confirmed this diagram is correct last week in my 01 LX470 with Mark Levinson stereo
View attachment 3841828
Found here: DIY: 2001 LX 470 Apple CarPlay stereo install, Mark Levinson Amp Removal, Speaker Replacement - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/diy-2001-lx-470-apple-carplay-stereo-install-mark-levinson-amp-removal-speaker-replacement.1089276/
wow you are a godsend - did you end up using a separate amplifier or just used the new head unit?
 
wow you are a godsend - did you end up using a separate amplifier or just used the new head unit?
I used an Eonon android headunit which has an internal amp but has the option to buy a small external 60wx4ch that fits behind the headunit in the dash. I think most Double din stereos have internal amps. I ran some stereo wire down to the amp and just spliced the wires there. Left the stock amp in place. I used a Metra TYTO-01 amp harness which worked without bypassing the amp but sounded terrible. Once the amp was bypassed, the stereo sounded like it should.

That thread I linked above has a lot of great info though if you decide to go all out.
 
Interesting. Did urs exhibit the same symptoms? (No volume control, no audio with some occasional intermittent popping, then everything full blast for a split second back to no audio/intermittent pipping?)

Also what are you referring to as "AMS"
No just dead no sound
 
alright, so i have a 2001 lx470 with the mark levinson with nav option - and today the amp went out (no audio, then started popping, and played for a second at full blast, went out again, etc etc.)

so i started thinkg, ok ill take apart the amp and repair it, but remembered i bought the landcruiser center console like 7 years ago to do the conversion to hard button hvac (and yes my replacement central dash luckily came with the plugs) so that got me thinking maybe i should go toward that route, and put in a double din unit. that had me thinking then i would have to replace the amp with an aftermarket amp. so i have two questions

where is the forum post where someone decyphered all the re-wiring of the harnesses to the non-nav lc hvac twist dials. ( i thought i had it saved from years ago but i cant find it)

And if i go with dual din and a custom amp, are the crossovers for the speakers in the doors near the components or were they built into the amp, and the amp restricted frequencies to each component?

i really appreciate the help and any input would be appreciated
Just my opinion here, but I believe that is an 8 channel amplifier, and it sounds like it. Going to a 4 channel amp is degrading the system as far as I'm concerned. My system is the same as yours, '01 LX, and I didn't want to change it after mine went out several years ago. I sent it out for repair, which is a swap, for $450, and it's been fine since. I had a hard time locating it until I got help here. I also found where to send it here somewhere, but my encouragement is to search out the info on this forum and get it fixed. I'm glad I did, it sounds awesome. For me anyway.
 
Just my opinion here, but I believe that is an 8 channel amplifier, and it sounds like it. Going to a 4 channel amp is degrading the system as far as I'm concerned. My system is the same as yours, '01 LX, and I didn't want to change it after mine went out several years ago. I sent it out for repair, which is a swap, for $450, and it's been fine since. I had a hard time locating it until I got help here. I also found where to send it here somewhere, but my encouragement is to search out the info on this forum and get it fixed. I'm glad I did, it sounds awesome. For me anyway.
yeah i dont believe its an 8 channel amp, each driver isnt a channel, each door in the front has 3 component drivers with frequencies relegated to each driver by either a crossover or inline crossover components - i took the amp out today and its annoying to even diagnose because the entire thing is conformal coated.

because i plan on just keeping this car indefinitely, ill be swapping out t he center dash to a dual din, with a standard receiver, re-wire all the HVAC controlls to new center Landcruiser console (i have the one with the dials) and wire the amp from the head-unit. i feel like id replace the amp, and then the head-unit would go out and id be at square one lol
 

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