westash

My right stereo speaker stop working ( left side is OK ). Can I get to speaker and radio without removing the entire dash from the car (dash never goes back together like the factory fit). It might be that I just need to replace the Speaker Harness wires. Is this an easy fix ?
I tried playing with the radio speaker **** but no success.

Can I pop off the speaker cover from the top of the dash and unscrew the 4 screws that hold the speaker in place to get to the bottom of speaker and see if the wires are connected properly ?

Also, what is involved in pulling the radio out and seeing if the wires are connected properly to the back of the radio ?

I am not a true mechanic, should I leave this up to the pro's or is it something I can tackle ?

Thanks

Blue73Shark

You can get to the speaker by removing the map pocket part of the dash, which will also require the removal of the center console. One removed, you can access the speaker easily, undoing the screws that hold it to the dash. You can also check the wiring to it and the convector (transistor attached to a heat sink, just below the speaker). The picture below shows the dash removed in my 73 so I could replace the right speaker. Also did the left at the same time, but that is another story. Good luck.

Fran

0Willcox Corvette

Use this page to help you... just stop when you can see the upper speaker and radio. It will walk you through pulling the right pad if you start on page 4. Skip the upper covered in the first three pages, you won't need to remove it.


Corvette Dash Pad Remove and Install Instructions 68-77

Willcox

7T1vette

The potential 'cause' list for your problem is as follows:

1. bad speaker.... it is rather unusual for a speaker that has worked for 40 years to stop working, unless it has been over-stressed.

2. broken wire or electrical connector... same scenario; although wiring does have some finite life limit.

3. the large transistor on the 'convector' unit, for the right channel, (the aluminum heat sink and final stage of amplification behind the right-side dash pad) has failed, so that no [or a very weak] signal is getting to the right speaker.

4. the right-channel preamplifier inside the radio head is defective.

To diagnose this, open up the right-side dash pad {as noted above} and inspect the right-channel wiring, connectors, and speaker. If you see nothing obvious (loose/broken wire or connector), disconnect the black connector that has leads running to the right-side speaker. Use a 1.5 volt battery (AA or AAA, doesn't matter) and some spare jumper wiring to send a "pulse" signal to the right speaker to see if it is working. [Note: You don't want to connect the battery continuously...you just want to quickly touch the wire to the battery and listen for a 'POP' when the connection is made & broken. If you get noise from the speaker, it is still functional.

If the speaker is not good, replace it. But you must replace it with something similar to the original or the two channels will sound significantly different. The original is a 25-30W capacity, 4"x6" speaker with 10 ohm impedence. Most car audio speakers these days are 4 ohm speakers; one of these would be a bad mismatch with the stock Delco radio. A speaker with impedence between 8 and 12 ohms would be an acceptable substitute. Volume differences between L & R channels can be managed with the "Fader" control on the radio.

If the speaker and wiring are NOT your problem, find someone who can use an ohmmeter to test the transistors on the "convector". If you have a bad transistor see if you can find a substitute components (the ones on that convector are no longer made...but you never know about eBay). If the convector is OK, you will have to pull the radio and send it off to be repaired.

Good luck....