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Topic: Radio not working

in Forum: C3 Electrical

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Radio not working (1/18)
7/9/08 10:27am

Adam Wartell

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Eagleville, PA - USA

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Used to own a 1979 Corvette now owned by JB79

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My radio stopped working. It is an aftermarket radio.
I had taken to the shop to get the A/C worked on.
When I picked it up, the radio wasn't working.
Other than the fuse in the fuse box being blown, what are some things I should look for to find the reason it is no longer working?

And please don't say "take it back to the shop". They'll just charge me. I want to fix it myself.

Thanks.
Adam Wartell2008-07-09 10:27:49

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-Adam Wartell
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Radio not working (2/18)
7/9/08 10:50am

dcherr
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Elkhart, IN - USA

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1975 Red T-Top 1972 Red Convertible

Joined: 10/7/2007
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There is a plug on the back of the radio that might have got unpluged. If it is still plug in check it see if you have power to the power wire in the plug.

Radio not working (3/18)
7/9/08 10:55am

my7t1

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Dorr, MI - USA

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71 Colonnade Hardtop Coupe Torch Red with black interior originally L48 built to push around 360hp

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If there's no display lights going on, besides fuse you will probably have to probe the hot and ground wires to make sure your getting juice and ground. Do you have an amp? If so they usually have an in line fuse. If your radio is an Custom Autosound USA Series, throw it in the dumpster! I have my 3rd one under warranty, and a channel is already blown out.

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Radio not working (4/18)
7/9/08 11:13am

ebo

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Holland Patent, NY - USA

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If the shop was messin around under the dash, check that in line fuse holder. If they undid the fuse holder to move wires out of the way they could have dropped the fuse out or lost that JC spring in the holder. Confused

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ebo

Radio not working (5/18)
7/9/08 12:37pm

tuxblacray

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Greensburg, IN - USA

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If the unit has power then trace the speaker wires or check the antennae lead.

If no power then start at the hot wire and work toward the back of the radio checking in-line fuses and connections.

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Radio not working (6/18)
7/9/08 6:50pm

my7t1

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Dorr, MI - USA

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Hey Adam. If you don't mind me asking, what did they do to your AC? Were they under the dash? I do AC work for a living and if I'm under the dash and something doesn't work when it leaves my shop, you better believe I would take care of it. Just a thought.

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Radio not working (7/18)
7/10/08 9:16am

rraider1
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Woodland, WA - USA

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1977 T-Top,350,Auto Black Ruby Pearl,Steeroids R&P conversion

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Some of the newer radio's have a fuse on the acual radio near the plug on the back side

Radio not working (8/18)
7/10/08 10:19am

Adams' Apple

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Duncanville, TX - USA

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I'm gonna go out on a limb and suggest that they did move wires around, and either un-plugged something, or shorted something.
Start with fuse(s), of course, but being an aftermarket unit, the fuse for it is prolly "in-line" on the power wire, which should come from the fusebox.

You've been having trouble with that thing for a while...perhaps they finally just "fixed" it for ya!

At least you don't have that buzzing noise anymore, right?

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Radio not working (9/18)
7/10/08 11:53am

Adam Wartell

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Eagleville, PA - USA

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[QUOTE=Adams' Apple]...

At least you don't have that buzzing noise anymore, right?[/QUOTE]

Too true!! LOL

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-Adam Wartell
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Radio not working (10/18)
7/10/08 6:58pm

Adam Wartell

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Eagleville, PA - USA

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Used to own a 1979 Corvette now owned by JB79

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Hey gang.
Thanks for all the suggestions.
I pulled the radio out of the dash tonight.
First thing I did was look at the fuses. There was one on a wire hanging off the radio, and there was one on the radio itself. They appear to both be fine. Then, I pulled the connector off the back of the radio, took a test light and clipped the one end to the door jam and touched the other to the contact that was supposed to be going to the battery. Some of you may already know what happened... I blew the bulb in the test light. So still not knowing for sure how to test it, I got my multimeter out. Turned the dial to DC, put the black lead on the door jam, touched red lead to the yellow contact.... got 12 volts. Figured all was well there. Put the red lead on the red contact (ignition power) and got nothing (ignition was off). Turned the ignition on, got 12 volts. So everything checked out fine then. I scratched my head, cursed a few times, and figured I'd plug it back in to see what happens. It works! I don't get it! I didn't do anything. Just pulled it out, checked everything, put it all back. Something must have gotten jogged loose and me pulling it all out put it back were it should be.
Oh well. I'm just happy it works.
As for the buzzing sound, I won't know about that till I take her out to work with me tomorrow morning.

Thanks again!

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-Adam Wartell
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Radio not working (11/18)
7/10/08 7:43pm

stingrayjim jr

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SHELBYVILLE, TN - USA

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ahhhh mystery solved scooby :) (those darn medling kids...)

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Radio not working (12/18)
7/11/08 6:51am

Adam Wartell

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Eagleville, PA - USA

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Well, the buzz is still there. It happens very inconsistently. Sometimes it doesn't happen while I'm idle, sometimes it does. Sometimes it stops when I brake, sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes it happens while I'm driving. Sometimes it doesn't. What a hassle!

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-Adam Wartell
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My first Vette, now owned by JB79:

Radio not working (13/18)
7/11/08 9:03am

rraider1
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Woodland, WA - USA

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when you had the radio out did you check the ground, you checked the power. A bad ground for your radio could give you the buzzing. also you could check the ground wire for the antenna ground plain. there is a metal tray for the antenna to mount too that has a ground wire.

Radio not working (14/18)
7/11/08 9:07am

Adam Wartell

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Eagleville, PA - USA

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[QUOTE=rraider1]when you had the radio out did you check the ground, you checked the power. A bad ground for your radio could give you the buzzing.
[/QUOTE]
No. I didn't. How do I check it?

[QUOTE=rraider1]
also you could check the ground wire for the antenna ground plain. there is a metal tray for the antenna to mount too that has a ground wire. [/QUOTE]
Um...what? Please explain further.

Thanks.

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-Adam Wartell
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My first Vette, now owned by JB79:

Radio not working (15/18)
7/11/08 9:13am

my7t1

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Dorr, MI - USA

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71 Colonnade Hardtop Coupe Torch Red with black interior originally L48 built to push around 360hp

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Hey Adam. As my previous post I'm wondering if your radio is a Custom Autosound. I have one, and I did everything possible to get rid of buzz. Including returning it for another. The sound is coming from the alternator. If I unplug the alt. the buzz goes away. If you can figure it out let me know.

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Radio not working (16/18)
7/11/08 9:16am

Adam Wartell

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Eagleville, PA - USA

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Used to own a 1979 Corvette now owned by JB79

Joined: 11/1/2001
Posts: 18320

[QUOTE=my7T1]

[/QUOTE]

Nope. It is Awia.

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-Adam Wartell
NCM Lifetime Member #1222
Founder: C3 Vette Registry
C4 Vette Registry, C6 Vette Registry

My first Vette, now owned by JB79:

Radio not working (17/18)
7/11/08 9:27am

my7t1

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Dorr, MI - USA

Vette(s):
71 Colonnade Hardtop Coupe Torch Red with black interior originally L48 built to push around 360hp

Joined: 8/21/2002
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[QUOTE=Adam Wartell]Nope. It is Awia.[/QUOTE]

Good. That takes care of that major problem.

(fixed quote box)Adams' Apple2008-07-11 09:48:23

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Radio not working (18/18)
7/11/08 10:00am

Adams' Apple

The buzz is most likely from the alternator. That's why GM put all that ignition shielding on the cars...and all of those danged capacitors on every electrical component.

You can get a capacitor to install on the alternator to solve the problem.
You could also re-route the electrical connections for the stereo directly to the battery, and eliminate 90% of the noise, but that's a pain too.
The antenna ground plane is under the body panel on the rear, where the antenna is. The antenna goes thru this piece of metal, usually aluminuminum, and then there is a strap screwed to that that goes to the frame, and provides a solid ground plane for the antenna itself. I ain't no radio-wave specialist, but any antenna must have some sort of ground plane in order to receive a clear radio signal from the air. On "regular" vehicles, the metal bodies provide the ground plane, but on Corvettes, there is no metal body, so we have to have the small metal plate for the antenna.
Normally, if the antenna doesn't have a good ground plane, the radio just doesn't receive very well, but it usually won't create a buzzing noise. But, since this is Adam's car....

You can crawl under the rear of the car where the antenna is and see the plate, and then look to see if there is a strap attached to it that goes to the frame.

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