Gen 1 exp sudden loss of volume

[dmorris]

gen 1 with the premium sound.

I just recently replaced the dead radio with a pull from the yard. Had the correct plugs for using the amp, all plug and play. was working great then while listening at a somewhat elevated level (not crazy like speaker busting just normal loud) I heard what I thought was a pop, then the volume dropped at least in half. All channels were effected. It sounds fine it just seems to need to be turned up quite a bit more now (at least I think so).

I tried another amp, same sound level, so pretty sure its not the problem. I can't figure out what would cause a sudden loss of output, I presume from the head unit since changing the amps resulted in what seemed like the exact same output.

the head unit came out of I think a 95 towncar, it has the built in CD player single DIN

 

[Blue91Ex]

my guess is the radio popped something, if it wasnt the amp and you are getting sound from all the speakers, it would seem to be the only other option.

 

[dmorris]

ok maybe its all in my head (maybe an ear drum popped) I tried it again and it seemed ok. I have a video of it working so it should be easy enough to record another, set the vol to the same level of bars, and see how it compares. I swear though it seemed much lower vol today, while driving home from the yard.

I had to swap the 1st amp I pulled (I had pulled a backup at the same time I pulled the CD radio), it was DOA, nothing at all, I pulled another this AM and it worked and sounded exactly like the orig.

I tell you the yard is hopping on a sunday morning, looked like game day at a Alabama home game.

 

[DjDom]

Ensure the radio you're using isn't one with a built in amp, or you're sending an amplified signal into the amp..

 

[Anime]

The factory radios, especially the premium cassette and CD units with full-logic everything, are pretty old now, and even years ago lots of them were going out.

Popping sounds, either when adjusting volume or otherwise volume related, seem to be a common audible indicator that the unit is going. It might be the capacitors, (common problem with Ford electronics of the era), it might be the construction, but generally it will cost more to repair the unit than to go aftermarket.

You can keep finding cheap factory replacements from other vehicles, but after a few times, it's just easier to find something you like and do the work to adapt it, or just bypass the factory amp and hook up a head unit to the speakers.

You can get pretty good CD players and digital media head units these days for well under $100.

 

[dmorris]

I like to work on vintage electronics, looks like mostly thru hole stuff so if its just caps no problem. I suspect there are a lot of tants that are going as well as the electros. this was what I saw on the cassette that it orig had. Did not open up a CD am fm, wonder when/if they went to SMT (that is where I draw the line). Also I wonder if SAMS has these schematics.

 

[Anime]

I haven't torn my original cassette unit apart to see, but if it's the same cap issue as the ECUs, it's from electrolyte leaking on the board and the traces and messing stuff up.

I didn't bother repairing it, when I did research after it started making popping noises from the speakers when adjusting the volume, lots of info online showed that others in 90's era Ford vehicles with the same units were having similar problems, and it was just accepted that the pre-amp part of the units go bad. I double checked by throwing in another factory head unit, which worked fine and solved the popping.

Maybe one day I'll tear it apart and see what's repairable. There are refurb places that buy OE stereos with such issues, and repair them and sell them as refurbished units. A refurb seems to go for a pretty good chunk of change, so someone who can repair these Ford units at a decent price might have a lucrative business.

 

[dmorris]

I plan to see if SAMs carries schematic, without that its just a guessing game.

I like the looks of the OEM, and just prefer having orig equipment, hence the effort expended on all this, as opposed to just buying something new.

all that being said the set seems ok now, not real sure what happened before.
I do miss the knobs but ok with trading in the knob equipped OEM for the CD equipped OEM