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Radio question

TommyD11730

TommyD11730

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Guys, just picked up a 84 K2500. Stock AM/FM casette radio. I get only 1 am station , no FM. Truck as antenna connected to windshield and the connection is good.
Is it worth opening the radio up and trying some electric cleaner to see if we can get any FM stations back.
 
Almost certainly your antenna. Before you do a lot of work, grab a standard type antenna off a junker somewhere and try it. That will most likely give you lots of stations.
If so, check your in car cable carefully. The end that goes in the radio can get loose. look at the end of the pin to see if the solder joint has pulled loose.
If it looks good, then the connection where it hooks to the windshield might be broken.

Most of those old radios had an antenna trimmer screw. You tuned the radio to a weak station around 1400KC, and turned the screw to best signal.
But that would not kill all the stations, and you need to do that after you have the final antenna hooked up.

Most of the time when you only get the strongest AM stations, either the antenna is shorted to ground, or the center connector is broken. Since you are only getting one station, I suspect a short.
 
Thanks for the reply, and the education. I know it sounds dumb but I want to retain the factory AM FM casette if at all possible. On a side note, my factory in dash speakers are hosed. Is their a problem running a modern speaker on a old 84 deck? I thought I read something once stating newer speakers don't play well on the old deck.

Thanks!
 
TommyD11730 said:
Thanks for the reply, and the education. I know it sounds dumb but I want to retain the factory AM FM casette if at all possible. On a side note, my factory in dash speakers are hosed. Is their a problem running a modern speaker on a old 84 deck? I thought I read something once stating newer speakers don't play well on the old deck.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

For a long time it seemed there was nothing that fit in the factory location in the dash, but IIRC, someone posted not too long ago that they found some that did.

Also IIRC, there might be some issue with impedance, but I'm not really read up on that.
 
I know many older Delco radios in the 60's & 70's used 10 ohm speakers,not sure if ones newer used 10 ohm or not--it may be stamped on the case of the radio,or have a sticker saying to use 10 ohm speakers--which are probably rarer than hens teeth --most aftermarket ones are 4 or 8 ohms...8 ohms is closest to original and I've used them with no issues--4 ohms might damage the output transistors--you could wire up two 4 ohm speakers in series to get 8 ohms..
 
Well guys played around a wee bit today. Got the am/fm working on the radio. To the left of the slide bar that selects the frequency is a black button. Well pressing that black button and the FM came on. Nice, even the casette player works!

Next observation. While adding the new speakers I was trying to recall on GM which lead is posative. (I think the lighter color is posative ). Anyway the right speaker sounds good. The left is awful. Also on the left the speaker will only play connected one way. Should it not also play if I reverse the leads?

I'm thinking about removing the deck and trying to clean it out. Thoughts? ??
 
Doesn't matter which way you connect wires to make sound, speakers don't care since you're just moving a coil of wire. They will sound better though if you connect positive on the stereo to the positive on the speaker and same for negatives or else you'll be hearing the music "inverted". Best way to determine the ground on you're stereo is with an ohm meter. All the grounds connections should measure zero ohms and most times it's the same ground as the stereo chassis.
 
I agree with you 100%. That's why I was stumped that the speaker would play with the wires connected one way and not the other.
 
Ok, so I learned something. Simple check for polarity with a AC volt meter. Easy peasy.

Next question, the casette deck portion of the radio plays through the right channel only. I have yet to open the deck to try and clean anything. Is it even worth it? FM band plays both channels just fine.
 
Don't open the deck. Grab a long Q-tip and some denatured alcohol. Don't use rubbing alcohol, it has oil in it. And stay away from other solvents.
Open the door and see if you can see the head. Square shaped shiny thing that the tape rubs on as it plays. If the tape goes in and stays there, you should be able to see the head.
If it goes in and drops down out of sight, you may have to take the cover off.
The head has two read heads in the one housing. One for the left and one for the right channel. Most likely some iron oxide off the tapes has built up on the left channel head and it cannot see the signal. The alcohol and cotton will clean it off.
Don't rub any harder than necessary to clean it, cotton is abrasive and the heads need to stay polished.

They still sell the head cleaning cassettes, but I think the best one, allsop, is long gone. If you get one, get one that has the cleaning fluid. Also try different tapes before you go to a lot of trouble. They did sell mono tapes. They were supposed to play both channels, but some of the cheap ones were iffy.
 
Honestly I'm not using a tape , it's one of those adapters that goes into the tape player. Although the casette I did try would not play on left, and the adapter worked fine in another head unit.
Thanks for the tip, I hope it works!
 
Well I took my best shot trying to clean the head. No deal, so I'm looking for a new deck. The dash is the only thing on this truck NOT butchered so I don't want to cut it. Anyone other then the expensive custom sounds make a old school radio still?
 
TommyD11730 said:
Well I took my best shot trying to clean the head. No deal, so I'm looking for a new deck. The dash is the only thing on this truck NOT butchered so I don't want to cut it. Anyone other then the expensive custom sounds make a old school radio still?
Click to expand...

There is a really cheap aftermarket unit made that is twin post and I think bluetooth, but the reviews are questionable at best. I think two front channels, that's it, and reliability has been pretty crummy. Ahh, it's this one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pyle-In-Das...992786?hash=item1c65cc9d92:g:CEcAAOSwKfVXHeId

Guessing this is the more pricey style you were trying to avoid? http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Vintage-70s-Style-AM-FM-Car-Stereo-Radio-iPOD-USB-Inputs-MP3-CD-Player-/231930762211?hash=item36002693e3:g:B9cAAOSwNSxVAmMq&vxp=mtr
(Edit, this is a fake 2 post radio that won't work right, not a true 2 post)


With a non-functioning tape deck, and no incentive to keep the head unit "original", I'd think adding an auxiliary input (IE, 3mm stereo jack) might not be that difficult.
 
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I'm probably over complicating things and should just mount a single Din under the dash or the likes. I got a real nice one for my K5 for just around $100 smackers.
 
TommyD11730 said:
I'm probably over complicating things and should just mount a single Din under the dash or the likes. I got a real nice one for my K5 for just around $100 smackers.
Click to expand...

I don't blame you, I don't like adding holes to my truck either. :)

I've been watching this market, it surprises me that you can't find more generic style/less expensive two post radio, but I guess they've been out of circulation from the OEM's for long enough that it's just not profitable. I'd like to see a bluetooth one honestly, although an auxiliary input would be better than nothing. I may convert mine to an aux. some point, since I have the AM/FM/CB setup and kind of want to keep the CB.
 
rampage said:
Doesn't matter which way you connect wires to make sound, speakers don't care since you're just moving a coil of wire. They will sound better though if you connect positive on the stereo to the positive on the speaker and same for negatives or else you'll be hearing the music "inverted". Best way to determine the ground on you're stereo is with an ohm meter. All the grounds connections should measure zero ohms and most times it's the same ground as the stereo chassis.
Click to expand...


If I remember correctly, the wiring will change the phase of the speaker 180 degrees...you don't want one speaker pushing out while the other is pulling in...that's canceling out...
 
My stock radio sounds horrible...just like I remember them...when I drive the blazer and listen to sports or sports talk it's just fine...with the top off it's hard to hear anything. My favorite FM channel just switched from classic 70's to crap so I can't listen to it anymore...it was really nice to drive around and hear early 70's music in my early 70's Blazer...wish somebody would do live radio with a real dj playing old 70's stuff.
 
The 70s called. It wants its thread back.

I put a Retrosound unit in my k5. Died at 1 year. They replaced it and it died 4 days out of warranty. Now I listen to the exhaust.
 
ktmoutfront said:
The 70s called. It wants its thread back.

I put a Retrosound unit in my k5. Died at 1 year. They replaced it and it died 4 days out of warranty. Now I listen to the exhaust.
Click to expand...

I got mine out of a parts yard and it's been working for a long time now.
 
They sell small FM transmitters that run off 12V,for between 10 and 30 bucks,that let you use another device like a I-pad or phone to provide the song library,just plugs in,and you receive it on your old FM stereo with no alterations,it simply picks it up like any other station,it is tuneable so you can pick a frequency that has no other stations broadcasting in your area..

They also sell fake cassettes with a audio cable and headphone plug to let other devices get used on old radio/cassette players..I have a few,they work OK..
(Yes,I know one of the above threads already mentioned these...:)--BTW,the one I had did not work on both channels in every stereo I tried it in--I think the cassette head wasn't in the exact spot it needed to be in for both channels to work ? )..

I was pretty surprised to see hardly any older factory radios at the swap meet this year--usually they are a hot seller,maybe they are finally all "used up"-?-the few radios I did see were best described as "parts carcasses"..:eek:..
..locally I know of a few salvage yards who pulled and kept a lot of radios,old school busses or tractor trailer bodies piled knee deep with them were not uncommon..some are still useable,some yards kept them stored indoors to avoid theft...

Being a pack rat I kept nearly every stereo I took out of my vehicles,even ones not worth squat like Audiovox and Spark-O-Matic ,also have a few shaft style "better" brands,but none are any prize winners--just something good enough to fill the dash hole that still worked OK...also have a milk crate full of those 70's & 80's graphic equalizer/amp things too...:screwy:..
 
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