So in my camaro my cassette hasn't worked for as long as I've had it. What i mean by that is when i put in a tape its all static and a clicking sound is made every few seconde. So last week I finally decided to attempt to get it working, I first tried using q-tips and isopropyl alcohol, didn't work, tried using a cassette cleaner, didn't work. So yesterday I finally took it out and while I was taking it apart some metal bracket appeared out of nowhere. While it was apart I used a toothbrush and isopropyl alcohol and cleaned the boards since there was visible corrosion, after putting it back together (minus the random bracket) I put it back in my car and inserted the tape and it only was going in reverse. Since it was a bluetooth cassette it worked regardless of which direction it was spinning and the audio was clear again, except the clicking still happened, and now the tape wouldn't come out. So I took it out again, completely disassembled it, cleaned it even more, made sure the mechanism worked and put it back in the car. Tried it again and the tape went in and out with ease, but the audio was back to static. I removed it a 3rd time, cleaned the boards again and tried it one last time. Audio was clear, stuck in fast forward, not as loud as the first fix but still clear, and the tape is stuck again. I could use some help figuring out what im doing wrong, and where this bracket goes

 

It looks like you've got a 83 or maybe 84 radio,... The type that the top and bottom cover slide into place along the front edge rather than small 'tabs' to hook the cover into the plastic faceplate. I am not very familiar with that type of cassette and don't really have advise on how to repair it, but I can tell you that just about all 3-button radios are interchangeable thru the years. Just about every 83-96 Delco radio with a similar 3-button cassette mechanism will have a cassette mech that can be can be used (plug-&-play) in your current radio as a replacement.

P.S. Again: It's been a LONG time since I opened up a 83-84 radio, but IIRC the small hardware with the "square" on it gets used near the display ( between the radio display and the plastic faceplate. ) I could be wrong - but I kinda' remember seeing that thing before !

 

are you referring to the black faceplate? because mine has hooks that keep the faceplate on the head unit, though half of them are broken so it flops a tad. And I'm trying to keep this head unit stock for right now until I have the money to swap it for a different head unit that I have in mind. This is a fun project which is another reason why I am dead set on fixing it. I have no idea if the bracket is why the mechanism is holding the tape hostage, or why it's only playing in fast forward. And I still have no lead on why the clicking is happening and how to fix it. I'm trying my best to figure it out but it's definitely a unique challenge

 

I was referring to the metal case itself,.. That type of radio case is different than 84/85 & later radios. There are small metal "hooks" or "tabs" along the top and bottom cover front edge that grab the top and bottom of the plastic faceplate; earlier radios like yours just kinda' "slide" into place along the front at the top and bottom.

P.S. LMK when your ready for a replacement radio. You seem to have a specific radio in mind,... & there's a high probability that I've got one available. (Stock ?,... with AUX jack ? ,... or With Bluetooth ? )

 

I have a UU6 am/fm/cassette radio in my 1984 Trans AM. This unit was non operational when I got the car. I sent it to a tech in London, On., for
repairs. According to him all the capacitors had leaked & a few other things required cleaning, but the cassette worked fine.
I cannot set the time in the unit but not about to send out for repair. Switches/button are probably corroded.
I use only 30 minute tapes in the player.