Guest thetex Posted December 5, 2006 Share Posted December 5, 2006 Just bought a 1940 160 series with a premium radio that has decided not to work. Previous owner had enjoyed the nice sound and I'm anxious to figure out what happened and fix it. Any radio experts out there?Thanks, Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest imported_Speedster Posted December 5, 2006 Share Posted December 5, 2006 The most common part that fails is the Vibrator. The original type is a round metal can that plugs in like a vacuum-tube and makes a vibrating (buzzing) sound when it is operating. When you turn on the radio, are the vacuum tubes lighting up? If so, that tells you the radio is getting power. If the vibrator tube is not buzzing then it is probably defective or someone has put in a modern solidstate vibrator? Also check for loose wires to antenna and speaker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bernardi Posted December 5, 2006 Share Posted December 5, 2006 Someone posted not too long ago something about the two parts most likely to fail in the older radios. One was the vibrator and the other apparently was the next thing downstream from it. Coes anyone have the part numbers of source of these two parts - particularly for the 55-56 Wonderbar radio? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Packard8 Posted December 5, 2006 Share Posted December 5, 2006 I haven?t done business with him, but he has a good rep for repairing old auto radios.Check with ?Radio Roy? Yost near the bottom of the page if it turns out to be more than a simple DIY repair.http://www.californiahistoricalradio.com/repair.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest imported_Speedster Posted December 5, 2006 Share Posted December 5, 2006 <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> the other apparently was the next thing downstream from it.</div></div> The second thing is the filter capacitor that is attached to the bottom of the socket that the vibrator plugs into. Replacing that is not an easy fix and should be left to someone with electronics repair experience. But changeing out the vibrator or vacuum-tubes is something almost anyone should be able to do. <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> 99 % of the time it is a loose wire or a part that can be just pulled out and replaced, that fails. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Morbius Posted December 5, 2006 Share Posted December 5, 2006 Forget the filter capacitor - if you have a bad "flux capacitor" you ain't going nowhere!!! <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> ...Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JT Posted December 5, 2006 Share Posted December 5, 2006 I don't know Steve, if you've ever gotten hold of a good size filter capacitor that hasn't been discharged you'll think you're going somewhere!! <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest imported_Speedster Posted December 5, 2006 Share Posted December 5, 2006 <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" /> Not All of Us are Lucky enough to have a 'Time Traveling Delorian'. <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
West Peterson Posted December 5, 2006 Share Posted December 5, 2006 If you need to restore the head (the part that fits in the dashboard), Yesterday's Radio (yesterdaysradio.com) has the parts you'll need. I just ordered some myself, and they look great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clipper47 Posted December 5, 2006 Share Posted December 5, 2006 The last time I entered "vibrator" in a search I got more than I bargained for! I picked up a vibrator for my radio in Minnesota last summer. When i returned to Canada the border guard asked the usual "Did you purchase anything while you were away?" You should have seen the look on his face when I told him "Yes I bought a vibrator.................(pause).. for my Packard car radio." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BigKev Posted December 5, 2006 Share Posted December 5, 2006 <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">"Yes I bought a vibrator.................(pause).. for my Packard car radio." </div></div>Good thing you said radio.....because that was one accessory I didnt think came form the the factory!! I guess that could be classified as a Dealer "Installed" item. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JT Posted December 7, 2006 Share Posted December 7, 2006 Tom, give "The Old Radio Guy" a call (618-281-8377). He's got many years of experience with Packard radios (Philco, Delco, Stewart Warner) and is a Packard guy too! Is your radio a Stewart Warner? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest radiodoc Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 Just bought a 1940 160 series with a premium radio that has decided not to work. Previous owner had enjoyed the nice sound and I'm anxious to figure out what happened and fix it. Any radio experts out there?Thanks, TomI repair classic car radios; tube/ transistor. No FM conversionsBarry Dalton-Antique Radio Doctor1489 Rogue River HwyGrants Pass, OR 97527541 474 2524 radiodoc@rvi.netRadio Days | KDRV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Albert Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 i have the schematics for the radios from 49-56 packard radios here the capactors are not hard to replace once you have all the values on hand,, the one under the viberator is normally a .1mf 1500 v which can be a pain to try and find as transistor stuff does not use high voltages like that,, the rest are 200V and 400V i normally just use all 400V or better as replacements. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 49packard Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 If the .1 mfd cap is difficult to find-you can put 3-.3mfd-400v in series. The next issue is space? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Albert Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 its a space problem for one as its under a steel plate below the Diode tube, and at that voltage preventing it from shorting out against the lover shield, you will see once the shield comes off Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Block Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 Foster is really good, he rebuild a 1941 adjustable push-button radio , for me, and it was really a junk radio, it had had a mud bee nest it at one time. He did a sweet AM/FM conversion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 49packard Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 Without getting under the dash to look-can the tubes be changed out without removing the radio from the car? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HH56 Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 (edited) If the tubes face the back and you can reach all the screws to get the back cover off, maybe. Pretty tight quarters and mostly by feel if you try. These look like they might face frontwards and if so, then no. Getting the tube location key lined up and back in by feel might be a whole new experience in itself and one I wouldn't want to try. Edited January 27, 2011 by HH56 (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JD in KC Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 (edited) The back comes off with a single thumbscrew. As HH56 points out, it's very cramped back there. A dental mirror might help.Edit: Just verified, the tubes are accessible from the back. I found the photos in the radio brochure confusing so I went out and looked... good thing I'm still relatively limber. Edited January 27, 2011 by JD in KC Went out and pulled the back of the radio to verify. (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_OToole Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 The old wax paper capacitors have a half life of about 10 years. Any originals still working are a miracle. Tubes are made of glass, with a vacuum inside. In dry storage, not being used, have a life of 100 years or more. In use, about 10000 hours.So, the big problem is capacitors not tubes. Lots of tubes are available as there were thousands of radio shops, each got stuck with thousands of tubes when transistor radios came in.They still make capacitors of all sizes, the new ones use mylar instead of wax paper and tinfoil so they are more reliable and last longer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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