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Radio repair recommendations


RivNut

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I'm thinking the cassette player in my '93 Riviera must have a broken drive belt in it. I stick a cassette in it and it goes click and nothing more. I don't listen to cassettes but use the cassette player in conjunction with a Sirius Radio dock. I might be able to replace the belt, if that does turn out to be the problem, but while it's out of the car I'd like to have a pin jack put in it so I can also play an MP3 player through it. Who would you recommend as someone who could do this for me?

Dave has always told me that you guys are the ones to ask for this kind of help; not enough 88 - 93 Riv owners over on the ROA site.

Thanks,

Ed

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I'm thinking the cassette player in my '93 Riviera must have a broken drive belt in it. I stick a cassette in it and it goes click and nothing more. I don't listen to cassettes but use the cassette player in conjunction with a Sirius Radio dock. I might be able to replace the belt, if that does turn out to be the problem, but while it's out of the car I'd like to have a pin jack put in it so I can also play an MP3 player through it. Who would you recommend as someone who could do this for me?

Dave has always told me that you guys are the ones to ask for this kind of help; not enough 88 - 93 Riv owners over on the ROA site.

Thanks,

Ed

Ed, correct me if I am wrong but your '93 has the cassette integrated into the stero unit. It is not a "slave" unit [by that I mean remote. I have not seen a Riv. that way]. At any rate you can send it out for repairs and then have them install a MP 3 jack. Or you can ask around [i know Jim Finn has some, maybe some of the other vendors do as well] and get a Stereo unit with a CD player and then send that out for repair and also a MP 3 upgrade. This would give you the newest technology.

The info that Corvanti sent you was in regards to making a MP 3 lead for the '88/89 Reatta/Riv. I have done this and have completely bypassed my cassette deck. It is a great upgrade.

BTW as I have a remote CD player in my 'vert I made arrangements to get a bypass MP 3 lead made so I don't need my cassette deck or CD deck in my car to work. I will have AM/FM stereo and MP 3. Just what I want!

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Guest Corvanti

thanks Dave for correct info on a '93 Riv! i'm embarrassed :o for not reading the thread correctly...

i've done a few audio mods recently, but it was much easier back in the early 70's with 8 tracks, headphones, external speakers and toggle switches to make it work the way i wanted! :)

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Dave and Corvanti. Thanks for the input.

I like the radio that's in the car now. It's a replacement for a lesser unit that came on the car originally. The buttons and dials match the buttons and dials for the A/C so I'll just stick with it. After listening to you guys, I realize that I can just use the pin jack and run the Sirius dock through it, I wouldn't need to have the cassette feature fixed. I'm not that good with wiring and I'd like to have the pin jack in the face of the radio. I guess what I really need to know is "who can you recommend to do this?"

Thanks,

Ed

PS - I'm going to look at ebay and see what's out there. I might do as Dave suggests. If anyone has a unit for sale, send me a PM or email some pictures to me.

Here's a picture of the radio that's in the car now. It has a 5 band equalizer and easy controls for fade and balance. Plus like I said, the buttons and dials match what's on the a/c controls. The one I took out looked completely out of place. I'd just as soon keep it and add the jack. Besides that, I have a big drawer full of casettes that are probably age appropriate for the car.

post-50017-143141844429_thumb.jpg

Edited by RivNut
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Cassettes do work better than 8 tracks but often 20+ years has leached the oils out of the rubber belts and it slips or breaks. Fiero parts vendors (e.g. Fiero store, Rodney Dickman) used to have the belt sets to replace. Personally I've gone though CDs and have almost everything in mp3s now.

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I don't have a great CD collection and I don't like hauling a bunch of them around. I prefer to listen to satellite radio. I'm just looking for the name of a reputable firm to install a jack for an MP3 player in the unit I have. If they can put a new belt on it while it's in their shop, I'd have them to that too. I've put all new speakers in the car, now I just want to use them. :)

Thanks,

Ed

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I used Precision Radio for my Cassette Deck rebuild. They did a good job. You may want to check with them regarding the MP 3 plug upgrade. They are/were a GM authorized shop... Look on the Reatta Resources on the top of the Reatta page for contact information.

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The other approach, since you don't have a CD player, is to just plug into the stock AUX inputs. If you look at the FSM, page 8A-150-5, you can see how the CD player would normally interface with the main head unit. The Left, Right, and common audio leads go into the big 20-pin connector (which is actually three or four smaller plugs) on pins 11, 13, and 14. Then one needs to add a wire to plug C1 on pin 5. C1 is the 7-pin connector on the lower right side of the unit. A momentary 12v on it switches the head unit to listen to the AUX inputs.

You will need to scrounge a 6-pin connector for AUX input pins 11, 13, and 14. If you have a local Pick-N-Pull place, these are easily findable on a lot of late-'80s and early-'90s GM cars that have outboard CD and cassette decks. Alternatively, one could pick up an aftermarket 'reverse' GM 20-pin connector and cut out just the 6-pin connector portion. It would be really easy to do this with the Metra 71-1858. It is already divided into upper and lower halves. So just take the upper half and cut it in two.

On connector C1, one needs to simply find a Molex-like female pin that will fit the housing. Attach wire. Then just remove the wire retainer, slip it into position 5 (3rd from the top), and reinsert the retainer. Again, I would just pick up a plug from some junk car and salvage the female pin out of it. But I would think any decent electronics repair shop could find one.

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.... Alternatively, one could pick up an aftermarket 'reverse' GM 20-pin connector and cut out just the 6-pin connector portion. It would be really easy to do this with the Metra 71-1858. It is already divided into upper and lower halves. So just take the upper half and cut it in two....

Actually, scratch that. It looks like the current 71-1858 doesn't have the AUX audio portion in it.

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There are lots of repair shops around the country that can repair these radios. Some are more expensive than others and also more user friendly.

I have used John at Precision Radio in San Antonio. The number is 210-979-0905, you can actually talk with him and he can tell you in advance if he can do what you want. The problem these days is parts. He was unable to repair a 1990 CD player that I had because the needed part was unavailable.

Price and service is good.

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  • 3 weeks later...
Ed, correct me if I am wrong but your '93 has the cassette integrated into the stero unit. It is not a "slave" unit [by that I mean remote. I have not seen a Riv. that way]. At any rate you can send it out for repairs and then have them install a MP 3 jack. Or you can ask around [i know Jim Finn has some, maybe some of the other vendors do as well] and get a Stereo unit with a CD player and then send that out for repair and also a MP 3 upgrade. This would give you the newest technology.

The info that Corvanti sent you was in regards to making a MP 3 lead for the '88/89 Reatta/Riv. I have done this and have completely bypassed my cassette deck. It is a great upgrade.

BTW as I have a remote CD player in my 'vert I made arrangements to get a bypass MP 3 lead made so I don't need my cassette deck or CD deck in my car to work. I will have AM/FM stereo and MP 3. Just what I want!

I just today have a switching device that I plugged into the harness that goes to my "slave" CD player. It has a [what I call] a MP 3 jack. I can now plug in my MP 3, flip the switch on the switching device, turn on both my radio and MP 3 player and the MP 3 player takes over. You do not have to put a cassette into the tape deck and because you disconnect the slave CD player [mine didn't work anyhow] the CD player does not have to be functional.

It was made by one of the "smarter" guys on the forum [it is up to him to announce himself] and maybe he will start making them for you. This would be for the '90/91 Reatta or the '90-93 Riv.

An upgrade well worth having...

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There is also a small device that you plug into your MP3 player and it broadcasts to your radio on a dead FM frequency.

It is much simpler than hooking up a switch and things.

Jon, could you provide details about the device? I would like to add it to the Reatta Store if I an find it.
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Jon, could you provide details about the device? I would like to add it to the Reatta Store if I an find it.

I use a DLO FM transmitter for my iPhone. It plugs into your cigarette lighter, and transmits your tunes. You can select your own frequency (I use 96.7 FM) and it give you a pretty clear stereo broadcast.

It does have some problems downtown where you're constantly going under power wires though.

EDIT:

These will not work well on '88/'89s due to the circuit your cigarette lighter is on. It will cause way too much static to hear anything (trust me, I've tried)

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I now have leads on both '89s and '90. All I have to do is have my MP 3 player to plug in. I just found out that the cassette deck on the 'vert doesn't work either [it won't even load a tape]. So this new setup is great for me. Another advantage is my wife can now take any of the cars and plug her stuff in as well...

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I've added several of the FM transmitter devices for cell phones and iPods to The Reatta Store.

Phone Accessories - The Reatta Store

I know nothing about these devices. I selected the ones that I thought I might purchase if I needed one. Some are more expensive and have remote controls while others are basic devices at low prices. Included are the ones that Marck and Jon suggested.

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Guest Mc_Reatta

The main issue with the FM modulators and the more up to date bluetooth options is that they compromise fidelity somewhat over a hardwired connection.

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The main issue with the FM modulators and the more up to date bluetooth options is that they compromise fidelity somewhat over a hardwired connection.

And some of them don't even modulate in stereo.

It isn't hard to interface into the AUX inputs in the CDM boxes. While I am not the "smarter guy" who made DAVE89s hookup, I recently made one for myself. I mentioned up-thread in post #9 that one needs a momentary 12v on pin 5 of C1. That seems to be incorrect. One needs a continuous 12v on the line to keep it switched. Note that I am using 1990+ style system where the CDM box is plugged into a normal looking head unit. Connector C1 is below the CDM box - not part of it.

I am about to build Version 2 - a 'three way' version that interfaces between the CD player and the harness leading to the head unit. Perhaps when it is done, I will take some photos and describe them.

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