I've got a spare factory radio/cassette from a 90 camaro (my car is a 92 and has the much nicer version in it). It's the basic one, without the amp and the three large buttons under the cassette slot.

I was going to add a aux jack to it today but when I plugged it in to test it wasn't functioning properly. Get this.... The clock works as does the dimmer, but when I hit the little yellow power button to turn on the radio nothing happens! I don't even hear a "pop" from the stereo trying to come on, it's just dead.

Again, it's a spare, so it isn't super important, but does anyone have an idea what mght be wrong? It seems odd to me that the radio would fail but the clock is just fine. Are there any internal fuses I should be aware of? These el-cheapo models aren't keyed to the car are they, because judging by the wiring I don't see how they could be.

 

i have found a few that had a bad switch,apply power to
the power antenna connection and see if radio works-
if it does,bad switch or solder connection.

 

You totally called it man!

Ok questions...

1. Why does sending power to the antenna turn on the radio?

2. Are we talking about the physical switch going bad or is there some other circuitry involved?

Again thanks for the help. Now to see if I can track down a similar push-toggle switch.

 

#1 the power antenna connection comes off the
"switched"side of the switch along with the radio circuity
appling power to power antenna is just a "shortcut"
around the switch direct to the radio circuitry.
#2 just a two wire switch,a miniature toggle would work
if you could get it in there.

 

Thanks man.

I went ahead and stayed up to fix it. It turns out that the toggle is completely servicable. You can take the metal mount off of it with a set of pliers and then the switch comes apart if you pull away the plastic tabs on either side.

Parts will explode out of it when you take it apart though so anyone who has to do the same thing should be careful.

Once it was open I noticed a little bit of rust and dirt on the contacts. I cleaned that, re-assembled and after a bit of fiddling it works just fine!

Now to work on the cassette portion. It just clicks repeatedly when you insert a tape. Not that I'm particularly concerned about that... I still own like one tape at this point.

 

that problem is probably a loose belt-easy fix if you feel
the need and can get the right belt.
Nice fix on the switch BTW

 

Good info that I'll try to use. Thanks.


Just give it up and come out of the 90s.

 

Heh.... well it isn't so much that I need a tape player but rather I want the thing in working order.

I'm actually trying to track down a mp3 player with a nice big display around the size of the tape-deck opening.

Going by the threads on this site and by looking at the deck myself the tape module can be removed and the radio will still work just fine. (With a jumper/switch to activate "radio mode"). I could use the 12v from the connector to power it (with resistors of course) and a 6 pole push toggle to switch between mp3 and radio. Finding a portable mp3 player with those dimensions is going to be rough, but If I can pull it off the thing would look completely stock and still have some updated functionality.