Radio Problems?

[LIGHTEMUP]

Hi All;

Not sure if this is a problem or not.

Just got my first GN, 40K miles, unmolested. I knew radio and power locks were not working. I got it home and starting checking things out, turns out a 20A fuse was blown, now everything works. I know previous owner screwed around with the radio with a pair of pliers trying to pull a cassette out (that probably popped the fuse). My question is....is the radio clock supposed to be lit all the time? even with radio power off and no key in the ignition? I let it go for a few days and now the battery is completely dead. The car sat for a long time before I bought it so although the battery looks new'ish, I think it is pooched and the radio being lit had nothing to do with the battery draining off. I know radio clock power shouldn't draw much but was surprised to see it on all the time.

Thanks in advance for any input.

 

[RmvBfrFlght]

The radio clock should turn off with key-off. Otherwise it will drain the battery. Thank David for this (I'm only posting his link):

Battery Drain

RemoveBeforeflight

 

[LIGHTEMUP]

Thanks, great info.

 

[LIGHTEMUP]

I did this repair, and it works !! Awesome !! The hardest part for me was finding the NTE232 transistor. A lot of places no longer carry it and nobody could tell me what to replace it with. I finally found one and swapped it out, now clock turns off and works perfectly. You really need good tools for this repair and some electronic soldering experience. It took me about an hour start to finish (taking my time). Be careful, you can very easily mess it up.

 

[mikestertwo]

I did this repair, and it works !! Awesome !! The hardest part for me was finding the NTE232 transistor. A lot of places no longer carry it and nobody could tell me what to replace it with. I finally found one and swapped it out, now clock turns off and works perfectly. You really need good tools for this repair and some electronic soldering experience. It took me about an hour start to finish (taking my time). Be careful, you can very easily mess it up.

Fairchild makes a replacement transistor MPSA63, MPSA64, or MPSA76. Any of those should work. It's a PNP Darlington transistor in a TO-92 case.

 

[turbonut85]

Great info!! How about this one....radio presets and clock memory only last as long as the key is on. Turn it off and the time and presets go bye-bye. Any thoughts??

 

[bmackinnon]

Great info!! How about this one....radio presets and clock memory only last as long as the key is on. Turn it off and the time and presets go bye-bye. Any thoughts??

that's a blown fuse... can't remember which one off the top of my head... give me a bit and I'll look it up....

 

[mikestertwo]

Great info!! How about this one....radio presets and clock memory only last as long as the key is on. Turn it off and the time and presets go bye-bye. Any thoughts??

Your CIG-CLK fuse may be blown or the radio is wired wrong. There is one lead that should always have power even when the ignition switch is off.

 

[LIGHTEMUP]

I would check the for a blown fuse or loose wire. On my 87 National there are 2 separate circuits for the radio. One does radio power and another one does the clock, presets and power antenna. On the back are a series on connectors that are all together that do radio power and speakers and one off on its own that does the clock and power antenna. It sounds like the radio is not getting constant power to maintain the radio presets and clock. I think you might have a wiring problem and not a radio problem. Hope that helps.

Thanks Mikester for the additional transistor numbers. The NTE232 cost $1.50, took me an hour or so to solder in, saved myself $200 I was quoted by a radio shop to repair.

 

[LIGHTEMUP]

On my GN the radio clock fuse is a 20 Amp fuse (not marked radio) that also does the courtesy interior lights, under hood and trunk lights, and power locks.

 

["Turbo-T"]

This seems to be an issue with most of the Delco radios. Best thing I've found is to chuck it for an aftermarket unit that sound better and looks better too. And usually doesn't have the "clock stay on all the time" syndrome.

 

[bmackinnon]

Best thing I've found is to chuck it for an aftermarket unit that sound better and looks better too.

Just a fyi... for those that want to retain the look of the stock unit, with more modern technology, there is a company on flea-bay that does a stealthy little mod to the Delco unit that adds an aux input for your ipod player... saw it the other day, and it was pretty cool. Think a reconditioned/guaranteed Delco unit like ours w/mod already done was for sale for like $40.....

EDIT: here it is.... http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/89-9...m14&_trkparms=72:727|66:2|65:12|39:1|240:1318

 

["Turbo-T"]

Brian, yep I've seen those and quite frankly they usually sell for more money than what I paid for a brand new Pioneer detachable face CD player with built in EQ and an IPOD jack.

 

[bmackinnon]

Brian, yep I've seen those and quite frankly they usually sell for more money than what I paid for a brand new Pioneer detachable face CD player with built in EQ and an IPOD jack.

Yeah... I hear ya'.... and while I'm no audiophile, I have no doubt the aftermarket like yours is a MUCH better sounding/performing setup.... I was just commenting for those who may prefer a bone-stock look, that there is an option for them... and $42.50 is the cost of the reconned/guaranteed unit linked above.... are the pioneer/kenwood/alpine units going that low?? Heck, if so, than you DEFINITELY make a good point!

 

[turbonut85]

On my GN the radio clock fuse is a 20 Amp fuse (not marked radio) that also does the courtesy interior lights, under hood and trunk lights, and power locks.

Prolly a good place for me to start looking....since my interior lights, under hood light, power locks don't work....AND my clock is jacked up!! * I'll check it out. THANKS!! :biggrin:

 

["Turbo-T"]

Yeah... I hear ya'.... and while I'm no audiophile, I have no doubt the aftermarket like yours is a MUCH better sounding/performing setup.... I was just commenting for those who may prefer a bone-stock look, that there is an option for them... and $42.50 is the cost of the reconned/guaranteed unit linked above.... are the pioneer/kenwood/alpine units going that low?? Heck, if so, than you DEFINITELY make a good point!

I actually did want to take an old Delco I used to have (came out of my beater work truck) and fit it with an IPOD hook up, I posted here and asked but no one knew how to do it.

The ones on eBay tap into the radio's amp somehow. All anyone here could tell me was how to rig it up to the tape head. :frown:

 

[LIGHTEMUP]

Best way to do it is go to Best Buy and get a cassette adapter for ipods and mp3s. It looks like a regular cassette tape with a wire on the end of it, you put it into your stereo and the wire plugs in to an ipod or mp3s headphone jack. I use this every day on my daily driver and it works awesome, quality is very good. The casette was $20, made by Belkin with a lifetime warranty. The stereos on eBay with th einput jack, I bet work on the same principle. It says they tie into the amp, probably just piggy back off wires inside from the tape head, or tuner going into the amp. Thiis way you can maintain the stock look of your stereo. Hope this helps.

 

["Turbo-T"]

.... are the pioneer/kenwood/alpine units going that low?? Heck, if so, than you DEFINITELY make a good point!

Well, yeah if you buy used....

If a factory AM/FM/cassette with the IPOD input only sold for $42, then that's a new record. Most of the ones I saw were going for around $100, if not more than that.

FWIW I saw a brand new Pioneer CD player with IPOD input, normally retailed for $99....go for $69 at Target. Yes I know it was on sale but sometimes you can find deals like that. I ended up buying it's bigger brother for $100 and saved $30. Oh and it came with an EQ and remote too.