<VV> Factory AM/FM Radio volume comes and goes

[Dave Thompson]

Stephen,

Many years ago (the late 70's) I was a car stereo installer and bench
technician. Your issue sounds to me like your volume shaft is loose and the
wires are grounding out inside the radio case. 

Pull off your knobs and remove the shaft nuts. A deep socket is the best
tool for that. I believe they are 3/8". There should also be a strap or rear
bracket that you will have to remove. Disconnect the wire plugs at the rear
and remove the radio. Using a deep socket, carefully tighten the shaft nuts
holding the volume and tuning shafts to the radio case. Make them snug. Make
sure you don't strip the fine threads on the pot metal shafts. I used to put
a dot of finger nail polish on the nuts to keep them from moving. (I'm
talking about the nuts on the radio shaft:)

Plug in the radio and try it. If you still have a scratchy volume, remove
the top of the radio case and inspect the wires soldered to the volume
shaft. If my memory serves me right, there should be a cardboard insulator
between the shaft wires and the case. If it looks like one is missing or
destroyed, cut up a business card and stick it in. While the cover is off,
blow out any dust using low pressure air. A can of "spray & pray" contact
cleaner sprayed on the volume and tuner couldn't hurt either. You should be
able to find it at most electronics stores like Radio Shack. You'd be amazed
what junk washes out of old controls. I also use it for cleaning small
parts.

Please give us a report of what you found.

Good luck,

Dave Thompson
Dave.thompson at verizon.net
Westminster, Ca
63 Convertible Spyder

-----Original Message-----
From: Stephen Upham [mailto:contactsmu at sbcglobal.net] 
Sent: Tuesday, March 18, 2008 9:34 PM
To: Virtual Vairs
Subject: <VV> Factory AM/FM Radio volume comes and goes

I have a problem with the factory AM/FM radio that I need to solve  
before our H.O.T. meet in Glen Rose on the 18-20 of April.  We can  
use the FM to broadcast the drive-in movie that we are going to see  
as part of the activities during the weekend.  The radio keeps going  
on and off.  The problem seems to originate in the on/off-volume  
knob.  If I turn it on, the light on the dial comes on, but there may  
or may not be volume.  If left on, sometimes it will come on for a  
few seconds and then the volume goes off again.  If you turn the  
volume up, it sometimes blasts for a second or two and then silence.   
The knob is a little loose (comes out about 1/8 inch).  Sometimes,  
wiggling it gets the volume to come on for a second or two.  I  
checked the ground strap and it is secure.  Might this be an internal  
issue (bad, loose transistor), or will tightening the knob (and how  
is it done) remedy the situation?

Thanks,
Stephen Upham
Dallas, Texas
Vice-President / North Texas Corvair Association
CORSA
Corvaireum //

Mid prod. #18732 -1965 Monza Hardtop 110