Radio mystery

[stanG]

So I have cleaned all the contacts and connectors on the audio system on my 1st gen and the radio plays only from the left speaker. Since the tape player is non-functional I'm not able to isolate this to just the tuner. What is strange is that when you power on the radio you can hear a "thump" from the right speaker. Because of this, I am suspecting either a bad right channel on the tuner or perhaps a bad wire from the tuner to the amp. I don't have a headset so I have not been able to test that circut to see if the problem is isolated to the speaker. Has anyone else experienced this and did you find a resolution? Can anyone offer me more advice on troubleshooting?

[Sling]

I'm not an expert but even though you get a "thump" from the right speaker, it could still be bad I have a 2nd.Gen so I don't know how hard it would be to swap the speakers or just wire in another speaker I would try this.prior to disassembling everything.

Hope this helps!

[Condor]

You can get to the back of the speakers by taking out the turn signals to check the speaker plugs. Might be the first place to look... Also remove your radio cluster and clean the contacts underneath the controls. They have a tendency to get a little grody... You also need to add the year of your Venture to the sig line under your handle, or mention it in you post so we don't have to guess or go to your CP file to find out.

[bkuhr]

I had simular issues, finally got fed up and installed auto radio. Then still had issue with left speaker cutting out, removed and found cold solder joint between elec lug and cone wire. Repaired this and sounds like cr@pp. Think cone is warped. Never had headset cords on 83 strd, or tape deck, so never tried either. Plan on sometime getting bluetooth comm system, but have not found one that will operate dash/helmet, with inputs for radio/mp3/gps, cb, cell, etc.

 

Anyway currently looking for new dash speakers, not sure what size short of pulling them again, thinking 4" 4ohm, anybody?

 

I do have the tuner/amp and control head with dash insert for shipping if wanted. I did cut the 8 wire plug off the turner to reuse for the auto radio, and will likely keep the key lock set. But I now think all my issues were with the speakers, and the radio was fine.

[frankd]

If you hear a slight 'thump' from the dead channel, the speaker is "probably" good. My 89 radio works good, and when I turn the key "ON", you can hear the amplifier come on with a slight 'thump' and then you can hear low level white noise from both channels. BTW, white noise is a hiss, kind of like an old FM radio use to put out between stations. When I turn on the radio and leave the volume all the way down I still hear the white noise, no matter if the radio is on FM, AM, or I have the IPOD input selected (I used the cassette input for the IPOD).

 

When I bought my low mileage 89 three years ago, one channel was dead on the headphones, but I had sound from both speakers. I found that one of the previous owners had taken the speaker leads off of the 'bad' channel and connected the speaker in parrallel to the good channel. I found it was the control assembly (the volume control itself plus all of the other controls ==tone, intercom volume) that was the problem. How I determined this was to go over to my friend's house and borrowed pieces of the audio system from his 86. On EBAY I purchased a control panel and that took care of my dead channel. I'm NOT saying this is what is wrong with yours, but suggesting that maybe you can find another 1st Gen. owner that will help you this way. I just pulled out the whole control panel by instering the ignition key and releasing the latches in the other corners and plugged his into mine. The part that I changed was the smaller panel that holds the volume, tone and intercom controls==the rest is still original, except for the cassette deck being retired.

 

Someone was talking about buying speakers for a 1st gen.....you can buy them anywhere that handles car audio equipment. For my 83, I've purchased them at Walmart, and also at a Pioneer dealer at a flea market. They are 4" round and I think they are 8 ohm (from memory). Just by a pair with higher efficiency, which you will see when you read the package and look for the sound output @ 1 watt input. If I remember correctly, you want a set with a rating about 97 db.

 

Frank D.

[stanG]

OK, I have identified the problem to the smaller of the two connectors on the bottom of the tape player/tuner assembly (the whole unit that removes from the bike). It appears that the amp is in good working order and the speaker connections are good it is just not receiving the signal from the right channel through this connector. I confirmed this by checking the headset and the right channel is the same, you can hear that the amp is working but no tunes. I disconnected the cable from the housing and plugged it in to the assembly, wiggled it some and got some sound momentarily.

 

Does anyone have a wiring diagram for the pin-outs on this connector so I can isolate the right channel and check for a short in that wire?

[Jayceesfolly]

Brian:

 

I have one spare speaker that I can mail to you. I can send it over the weekend. PM me your address.

 

Jim

[stanG]

Well it took a little more dis-assembly that I had hoped but I was able to isolate the problem and fix it. It turned out that the connector INSIDE the amp that carries the audio signal needed to be cleaned. I was able to determine this by separating all the components and then connecting them to the bike. a slight wiggle of the cable going into the amp revealed the problem. This would have not been possible if the components were mated, since there is a clip holding the cables in place on the tuner/amp assembly. Checked for shorts and bare wire...none... I then then cleaned the contacts on all the internal connectors and applied dielectric grease. I re-assembled and now it works perfectly. Thanks to all for the suggestions.