4th gen radio volume woes
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- Firebreather
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4th gen radio volume woes
I've got the original tape player in my 99 firebird. I dont mind it being tape as Ive got one of those tape adapter gizmos so I can plug it in to my telephone and use that to play music. But what is weird and getting seriously annoying is the volume. You can have it on low volume and medium volume no problem, but as soon as you try and turn it up a bit it goes up but then fades down to zero straight away. Im not trying to get it really loud, it just seems to be the volume level 1 click just below what I would want is stable, but one click higher and it fades down. And thats really annoying when a good song comes on!
Any electrical people got ideas what it could be? I can take it out and pull it all apart and then put it back together again and hope its then fixed. Thats what I used to do when I was fixing exhibits at the science museum which actually worked some of the time!
Any electrical people got ideas what it could be? I can take it out and pull it all apart and then put it back together again and hope its then fixed. Thats what I used to do when I was fixing exhibits at the science museum which actually worked some of the time!
KARR. 1987 Firebird Formula 5.7 V8 MANual. Grrr... SUPER LOUD electric exhaust cutout! (ERV) GRRR!!!
and 1998 3.8 Firebird BlackTail
Things I need: Fuel tank ventilation thing, fan temp sender, fit rear speakers, fit electric window switches, fit fender vents, get new fuel cap
and 1998 3.8 Firebird BlackTail
Things I need: Fuel tank ventilation thing, fan temp sender, fit rear speakers, fit electric window switches, fit fender vents, get new fuel cap
- MarkJ
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Re: 4th gen radio volume woes
Could be the volume knob that's up the creak but I would think it was caused by overdriving the tape head.
Tape heads are designed to work with the smallest amount of magnetic field (as provided by a cassette). If you've plugged one of those adapters in and have the phone volume too loud you could be overdriving the pre-amp in the stereo. Chances are the stereo has an automatic levelling circuit and it's automatically adjusting the volume to prevent damage.
Try lowering the volume on the phone right down and then adjusting the stereos volume to reach the level you want.
Alternatively, if you still have any cassette tapes kicking around try one of those and see if it still mucks about.
Tape heads are designed to work with the smallest amount of magnetic field (as provided by a cassette). If you've plugged one of those adapters in and have the phone volume too loud you could be overdriving the pre-amp in the stereo. Chances are the stereo has an automatic levelling circuit and it's automatically adjusting the volume to prevent damage.
Try lowering the volume on the phone right down and then adjusting the stereos volume to reach the level you want.
Alternatively, if you still have any cassette tapes kicking around try one of those and see if it still mucks about.
- Firebreather
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- Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 11:53 am
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Re: 4th gen radio volume woes
Good thinking. I'll try that.
I'm not sure Ive got any tapes though, I havent seen one of them in years
I'm not sure Ive got any tapes though, I havent seen one of them in years
KARR. 1987 Firebird Formula 5.7 V8 MANual. Grrr... SUPER LOUD electric exhaust cutout! (ERV) GRRR!!!
and 1998 3.8 Firebird BlackTail
Things I need: Fuel tank ventilation thing, fan temp sender, fit rear speakers, fit electric window switches, fit fender vents, get new fuel cap
and 1998 3.8 Firebird BlackTail
Things I need: Fuel tank ventilation thing, fan temp sender, fit rear speakers, fit electric window switches, fit fender vents, get new fuel cap
- banker
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Re: 4th gen radio volume woes
is anything actually working in that car
Membership no: 20184 James Little C
With an official 325 horse power and 405 lbs of torque
With an official 325 horse power and 405 lbs of torque
- prodgers69
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Re: 4th gen radio volume woes
Mine does that occasionally, eventually traced the problem to a faulty volume button on steering wheel.
- Firebreather
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- Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 11:53 am
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Re: 4th gen radio volume woes
That was the first thing I thought, but it always does it at exactly the same volume every time and a faulty button would be a lot more random and intermittent. But a quick way to isolate that would be to unplug the steering wheel controls from the back of the player so I'll give it a shot anyway.prodgers69 wrote:Mine does that occasionally, eventually traced the problem to a faulty volume button on steering wheel.
KARR. 1987 Firebird Formula 5.7 V8 MANual. Grrr... SUPER LOUD electric exhaust cutout! (ERV) GRRR!!!
and 1998 3.8 Firebird BlackTail
Things I need: Fuel tank ventilation thing, fan temp sender, fit rear speakers, fit electric window switches, fit fender vents, get new fuel cap
and 1998 3.8 Firebird BlackTail
Things I need: Fuel tank ventilation thing, fan temp sender, fit rear speakers, fit electric window switches, fit fender vents, get new fuel cap
- Firebreather
- POC Elite Poster
- Posts: 547
- Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 11:53 am
- Membership No: 20-446
- Year: 1987
- Model: Firebird Formula
- Engine: 350
- Name: Mark McCubbin
- Location: Leamington Spa
- Location: Leamington Spa
- Contact:
Re: 4th gen radio volume woes
The seat moves back and forward properly.banker wrote:is anything actually working in that car
KARR. 1987 Firebird Formula 5.7 V8 MANual. Grrr... SUPER LOUD electric exhaust cutout! (ERV) GRRR!!!
and 1998 3.8 Firebird BlackTail
Things I need: Fuel tank ventilation thing, fan temp sender, fit rear speakers, fit electric window switches, fit fender vents, get new fuel cap
and 1998 3.8 Firebird BlackTail
Things I need: Fuel tank ventilation thing, fan temp sender, fit rear speakers, fit electric window switches, fit fender vents, get new fuel cap
Re: 4th gen radio volume woes
Firebreather wrote:The seat moves back and forward properly.banker wrote:is anything actually working in that car
Is that with the handle or of it's own accord?
- Firebreather
- POC Elite Poster
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- Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 11:53 am
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- Year: 1987
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Re: 4th gen radio volume woes
This is the head unit I have. The volume is nothing to do with the tape as it goes down with the radio on aswell. So I took it out to unplug what I thought would be the steering wheel controls. But after I unplugged it the steering controls still worked! So what is this plug? Is there a CD changer hidden somewhere which I dont know about? And how would you select CD if there is?
If I change the head unit for a something else, which is pretty likely now, where can you get adapters to go to a normal ISO plug? I'd rather not chop the wires if I dont have to. Would I still be able to keep the steering controls with another head unit?
If I change the head unit for a something else, which is pretty likely now, where can you get adapters to go to a normal ISO plug? I'd rather not chop the wires if I dont have to. Would I still be able to keep the steering controls with another head unit?
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KARR. 1987 Firebird Formula 5.7 V8 MANual. Grrr... SUPER LOUD electric exhaust cutout! (ERV) GRRR!!!
and 1998 3.8 Firebird BlackTail
Things I need: Fuel tank ventilation thing, fan temp sender, fit rear speakers, fit electric window switches, fit fender vents, get new fuel cap
and 1998 3.8 Firebird BlackTail
Things I need: Fuel tank ventilation thing, fan temp sender, fit rear speakers, fit electric window switches, fit fender vents, get new fuel cap
- thebandit92
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Re: 4th gen radio volume woes
This looks like its the same as yours http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_165626
- Firebreather
- POC Elite Poster
- Posts: 547
- Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 11:53 am
- Membership No: 20-446
- Year: 1987
- Model: Firebird Formula
- Engine: 350
- Name: Mark McCubbin
- Location: Leamington Spa
- Location: Leamington Spa
- Contact:
Re: 4th gen radio volume woes
that does look the same! I'm in shock that halfrauds would have it
I'll have to head down there in bit to see if they have it in store.
I'll have to head down there in bit to see if they have it in store.
KARR. 1987 Firebird Formula 5.7 V8 MANual. Grrr... SUPER LOUD electric exhaust cutout! (ERV) GRRR!!!
and 1998 3.8 Firebird BlackTail
Things I need: Fuel tank ventilation thing, fan temp sender, fit rear speakers, fit electric window switches, fit fender vents, get new fuel cap
and 1998 3.8 Firebird BlackTail
Things I need: Fuel tank ventilation thing, fan temp sender, fit rear speakers, fit electric window switches, fit fender vents, get new fuel cap
- ccckeeper
- POC Jr. Poster
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Re: 4th gen radio volume woes
Adapters are quite cheap will post a link when I have time to look. Changed mine a while ago. Couldn't find a cheap way of keeping the steering controls though, nothing under £50 anyway. I have the original same as yours but cd version if your interested as mentioned before.
Black 1993 Trans Am
Blue 1998 Trans Am
- MarkJ
- POC Jr. Poster
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- Year: 1988
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- Name: Mark Jarrett
- Location: Sandwich, kent
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- Contact:
Re: 4th gen radio volume woes
Technically you only need the plugs off the adapter anyway. If they are wired differently it doesn't matter as you can rewire the adapter to make it right whilst leaving the car wiring intact.
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