radio not working
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,179
Likes: 100
From: cranford nj
radio not working
Need alittle help! My stock radio in my 71 coupe doesn't work. Here's the skinny. It's a am/fm mono has the amp under the passenger side dash, it works sometimes and sometimes it doesn't. When it's not working if you turn the vol up all the way you can here it faintly. Then while your driving it comes on you could be stopped or moving like it needs to warm up. Any clues
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,116
From: Crossville TN
Since you are getting some sound, the whole system is "working". The 'regular-volume' to 'much-reduced-volume' points to the power transistor on the "convector" [the finned aluminum thing under the dash cover] going bad or having a poor connection. If you are comfortable using a volt-ohmeter, disconnect the convector and remove it so you can easily work on it. Check connections by testing continuity on the various connections to the transistor (wiggle the wires while checking, etc.). If you find a bad connection, re-solder it as needed. Use a clip-on heat sink to the transistor pin so that you don't fry the transistor. If you don't find a loose/bad connection, buy a replacement transistor [go to Fry's Electric or other electronics supply store]; they will use your old one to look up a decent match. I'm guessing you can get one for 20 bucks or so, but it won't be the same number on the case. It DOES need to be the same case design.
If all of this is too much for you, find a buddy that works on electronics stuff (any computer geek can do this). Let him read this and he can do it for you in no time {except for finding the replacement transistor}.
Since there are two dash speakers and [I guess] the sound level changes in both speakers at the same time, the speakers ARE NOT the problem. In a very rare instance, the problem could be with a prior stage transistor in the radio head....but there is so little power on those that I doubt it. I'd estimate a 90% likelihood of fixing with the problem being on the convector somewhere. Good luck.
If all of this is too much for you, find a buddy that works on electronics stuff (any computer geek can do this). Let him read this and he can do it for you in no time {except for finding the replacement transistor}.
Since there are two dash speakers and [I guess] the sound level changes in both speakers at the same time, the speakers ARE NOT the problem. In a very rare instance, the problem could be with a prior stage transistor in the radio head....but there is so little power on those that I doubt it. I'd estimate a 90% likelihood of fixing with the problem being on the convector somewhere. Good luck.
