Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Diamond Black Geezer]

Next job on Pissy is the radio...

There's no FM... except when I've recently disconnected the battery. I thought it had 'cured itself' but then, the following day, no FM. A few weeks later I had reason to take the battery off again, and again, no FM. So what could cause the FM to work, and a matter of minutes after, it stops working?

As a secondary issue, the CD autochanger doesn't work, but as far as I'm aware these aren't 'paired' so I can change that at my leisure.


I've got a spare SC804 unit, but rather than fitting that and throwing the other out, I'd like to know if there's something repairable on this one. I'm pretty clueless with electronics, so welcome all thoughts 

[zirk]

Next job on Pissy is the radio...

There's no FM... except when I've recently disconnected the battery. I thought it had 'cured itself' but then, the following day, no FM. A few weeks later I had reason to take the battery off again, and again, no FM. So what could cause the FM to work, and a matter of minutes after, it stops working?

As a secondary issue, the CD autochanger doesn't work, but as far as I'm aware these aren't 'paired' so I can change that at my leisure.


I've got a spare SC804 unit, but rather than fitting that and throwing the other out, I'd like to know if there's something repairable on this one. I'm pretty clueless with electronics, so welcome all thoughts 

Check Aerial / Feeder / Aerial Amp etc, if Saloon start by checking Amp Earth, rear screen connections etc, then the feeder back to the HU,

if Estate, has it got the right twig on the roof, if no twig antenna (ie, older Estate models), same as Saloon, rear screen but also check the Feeder cable between Tailgate and Body as that gets worn broken after time.

[Diamond Black Geezer]

Ok, so I know that HU means 'head unit'


As I say, my electronic knowledge is limited at best...

Where is the Aerial / Feeder / Aerial Amp and Amp earth? What am I looking for?


I have, about 7 years ago, had the parcel shelf out and changed the amp (I think it was the amp) to no avail, but can check there again. I'm assuming the aerial feeder stuff you speak of is in there?

[Nick W]

There's no FM... except when I've recently disconnected the battery. I thought it had 'cured itself' but then, the following day, no FM. A few weeks later I had reason to take the battery off again, and again, no FM. So what could cause the FM to work, and a matter of minutes after, it stops working?

Have you parked it near a Renault recently?

[Diamond Black Geezer]

I got chatting up Nicole, but I ended up going back with Papa 

[BazaJT]

Was it wise to admit to that on here?!!!!

[Dave DND]

Pull radio out of dash, but keep it plugged in with exception of the aerial connector.

Manually tune into a known good frequency

With something small and metallic, like a screwdriver or a large nail, touch the centre section of the aerial connector on the radio.

If you get good clear sound, then you have a fault with the car - probably aerial cable where it joins the radio, or screen aerial connections

and if you don`t, then its probably a dry joint within the radio

 

[Diamond Black Geezer]

Spot on!


Thank you very much Dave, that's some old-fashioned simple electrickery that my non-tech-savvy mind understand! 

Will report back when I know more... 

[Diamond Black Geezer]

So...


Removed the head unit, I've got hold of two spare SC804s.

Problem 1
I don't understand how I can get the stereo out keeping the wires plugged in. I've withdrawn the original head unit, but the terminals stay inside the dash. I'm guessing the 'cage' that the radio sits inside needs to come out too?

Problem 2:
I have a couple of spare SC804s. I plugged one in, it starts beeping, so that's time to input the code. (can't find) so I tried to withdraw it, and it only comes out about an inch, and then won't come out any further. I'm using the correct keys, and got the original HU out no real problems. Not sure if there's a little trick that I can try to get this out?

[Diamond Black Geezer]

Ok, thanks chaps. So I've now...

-extracted the head unit, and the cage,
-found a bare wire (looks like going to the TC button) where the rubber outer had been rubbed off - this was tape over and refitted in such a way thet the cage/HU wouldnt scrape it as it went in.
-Looked at connections behind, checked the 10A fuse on the back (no idea if I should but thought might as well while I'm here)
-Pulled off the C-pillar trim, checked connections to the screen. Pulled the connector off, wiggled, checked for corrosion etc. Fine.
-Removed parcel shelf, checked the amp. All looked fine there.

So...

Swapped the head unit for one of my spares - after inputting the code FM works spot on! 

So...

A 'dry joint' was mentioned. How do I go about searching for this, as I'd rather not just chuck the original stereo in the bin.