'86 Premium Sound not so premium yet

[Sabai]

Hello! I've wanted to buy a Bronco II and finally found a really nice '86, from a poster on this board in fact (username Sultan). I told him I'd post updates and pictures here, I will try to keep the rig an active member.

Would appreciate some help troubleshooting an issue with the radio. It has the "Premium Sound" option, and Eddie Bauer.

I was told "radio doesn't work". It had a blown fuse. Display/clock was black even after I put in new fuse. Rear speakers worked only intermittently.

I took off the dash fascia, pulled out the radio, replaced the bulb (72LL 1.1W) this was not too difficult. Now the display works. The wires in there looked ok to me.

I inspected the separate amp under the dash (removed the cover and pulled it out), looks fine. Apparently this amp powers the rear speakers.

Put everything together and the rear speakers worked for about 10 minutes (indeed it was a premium sound), then went dead. The left front speaker went dead too.

Later same day all four speakers were working again. Then the rear died. Now both front work.

Based on this, does it sound like the stereo unit itself is the culprit or must it be wiring?

Thanks for any advice!

 

[straycat]

Well...it's old!!!! lol. Could be time for an overhaul. Check all the wires that run to the speakers and see if they are frayed or cut. You already replaced a fuse and a bulb. It could be the head unit. Have you removed it and looked at it all? Rats nest...moths....creatures from space living in it? I bought my 89 BII brand new in 89 and kept for about 15 years and it had a real nice factory sound system in it. The sound was so great. The day I sold it it still sounded great. The girl that bought it from me wanted to know if I had updated it. If you are not too sure about your system either take it in to a shop or just upgrade it and keep the speakers if you feel that they are still good enough. You can get some great deals on Ebay, Amazon or a few parts stores that sell auto stereos.

 

[Sabai]

Hi. Thanks for your message. I removed the main unit and it appeared fine, as new in fact. I opened it up to change the display bulb.

I would like to know, if the rear sound, and one side, comes and goes intermittently, if I can deduce that it must be the wiring from the unit to the speakers. If the unit itself were bad, would the failure be permanent? Such as a capacitor inside gets blown then whatever stops working, stops permanently.

Purchasing a new modern unit is the easy route but I like the original stock equip and it does sound good when working.

Another important thing is that with the stock unit, if I turn on the headlights the display dims and all the buttons get illumination. It's quite nice and I just prefer to keep it understated and stock.

 

[martin]

That looks very much like the head unit that was in my explorer when I bought it. It used to work ok for anything from ten minutes to half an hour and then the sound would stop, sometimes suddenly and other time just fade out. My son discovered that if you inserted a tape and then ejected it the sound would usually return for a while. I pulled it apart and found that the switch that changes from tape to radio was small leaves that had become weak and corroded with age. Just my five cents (no more pennies in Canada)

 

[Sabai]

Thanks for your advice. Well, here goes.

I called a local audio repair expert and he said that when an amp warms up it expands which causes old solders to separate. When it cools down, they go back together. He said it can be repaired by carefully looking at it and re-soldering. He referred me to a local guy who said he'd test it for free, then fix with a 1 year warranty the amp and radio, for about $300 total. Ouch.

Installing a brand new updated sound system is what most normal people would do, but I want to keep it stock.

Something to add is that with a $99 or $199 new car stereo, they do not have an "orange wire". This orange wire ties into the headlights, so when you turn on your lights the radio display dims and the lights behind the controls turns on. The factory Ford radio looks very nice at night with the lights on, just saying...

I am sending the factory amp along with the radio to a trusted expert who specializes in this. He happens to be my cousin and nobody knows a soldering iron like him. With a little luck he will make the radio and amp better than new. I'll post a followup when I get it back.

Here is the amp. Part # E67F-18B849-BA.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Installing a brand new updated sound system is what most normal people would do

That is what we did to my grandmother's Durango when the stock amp died. Cheap, easy and still working great.

The stock look is nice but I don't have much use for a cassette player at best. I have an Alpine in my truck that kind of has an '80s flair to it, usually runs off of a thumbdrive but on two weekends out of the year I get satillite radio too.

I remember when I put my first head unit in my Ranger in high school I thought that wire (mine was blue) was the ground... worked great until I turned the lights on and then it would pop the fuse every time (which killed all the dash lights).

 

[Sabai]

I don't have much use for a cassette player at best.

Cassette player plays your ipod tunes just as well, all you need is this:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&sku=389856&is=REG&A=details&Q=

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Cassette player plays your ipod tunes just as well, all you need is this:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&sku=389856&is=REG&A=details&Q=

I began driving in 2000, I know all about those things. I did a lot of driving in college with one of those things squeaking away and a car edition discman with a little remote control thing. (MP3 players hadn't really come out yet)

Tried the FM transmitter thing too, they are a joke.

A thumbdrive in a USB slot is like one huge CD (even displays the title/artist like a CD) rather than a seperate unit to control and power. Beats the tar out of a MP3 player IMO, my dd has a rear USB with a cord so it is all tucked in and is out of sight and comes out under the passenger seat until whenever I decide to add new music to it.

I know you like your premium radio and more power to you for it but that is why I have done what I did.