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Thread: Help with radio connections

  1. #1
    Opeler scooterpt is on a distinguished road
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    Help with radio connections

    Ok, so I have an original AM/FM and cartridge player in my '71 Kadett L
    It powers up ok, and I when I crank up the volume I can barely hear anything from the speakers.

    I checked the connections and what I have is three wires come out from the radio (blue, green and grey) plus the antenna that is hooked up (but is telescopic and I can't get it extended) Then I have a little junction box were these 3 wires are connected to the 2 front speakers (2 wires per speaker, each one connected to a color..but not sure if it's right)

    Now. what I'm looking for is a wiring diagram for these radios, so I can at least be sure everything is ok in the wiring before I start checking everything else, can some one explain how every thing is supposed to be connected?

    Also.. would a faulty antenna be the cause of not getting volume?

  2. #2
    Opeler Dirk is on a distinguished road
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    Quote Originally Posted by scooterpt View Post
    Ok, so I have an original AM/FM and cartridge player in my '71 Kadett L
    It powers up ok, and I when I crank up the volume I can barely hear anything from the speakers.

    I checked the connections and what I have is three wires come out from the radio (blue, green and grey) plus the antenna that is hooked up (but is telescopic and I can't get it extended) Then I have a little junction box were these 3 wires are connected to the 2 front speakers (2 wires per speaker, each one connected to a color..but not sure if it's right)

    Now. what I'm looking for is a wiring diagram for these radios, so I can at least be sure everything is ok in the wiring before I start checking everything else, can some one explain how every thing is supposed to be connected?

    Also.. would a faulty antenna be the cause of not getting volume?
    The antenna would generally just cause loss of station, you should hear static/hiss from the speakers.

    Are the speakers original? If so, probably paper coned and shot. do you hear buzzing and charlie brown teacher like sound?

    getting a 404 error whenever i try to go to the wiring diagram forum so i can't help you with the wiring.
    I love opels AND buicks!

  3. #3
    Senior Contributor markandson is on a distinguished road markandson's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by scooterpt View Post
    Ok, so I have an original AM/FM and cartridge player in my '71 Kadett L
    It powers up ok, and I when I crank up the volume I can barely hear anything from the speakers.

    I checked the connections and what I have is three wires come out from the radio (blue, green and grey) plus the antenna that is hooked up (but is telescopic and I can't get it extended) Then I have a little junction box were these 3 wires are connected to the 2 front speakers (2 wires per speaker, each one connected to a color..but not sure if it's right)

    Now. what I'm looking for is a wiring diagram for these radios, so I can at least be sure everything is ok in the wiring before I start checking everything else, can some one explain how every thing is supposed to be connected?

    Also.. would a faulty antenna be the cause of not getting volume?
    If you are referring to the speaker wires only and not the power wires I would guess that the green wire is common ground for the speakers and the blue and gray would be the left and right channel signals but I don't know which would be left and which would be right. You could tell by using the left right fader if the radio has one. What is in the little box you are talking about. Also before you go crazy I would connect it to a set of speakers that are known to be good as they could be your problem.
    Last edited by markandson; 01-27-2009 at 10:24 PM.
    Jeff

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  4. #4
    Member timemachine is on a distinguished road timemachine's Avatar
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    I would definitely plug an antenna into the radio and extend it outside the car before I jumped through a lot of other hoops. The radio in my old '69 chevy behaved very similarly without an antenna due to an auto noise limiter circuit (ANL) that kept gain very low without an antenna.

    Jim
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  5. #5
    Opeler scooterpt is on a distinguished road
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    Yeah, I really have to try that because when I unplugged the antenna..nothing happened at all. At this moment the antenna is plugged in but is stuck in the down position (I put a bit of grease to pry it loose but I think I have to use force to get it unstuck)

  6. #6
    Tennessean hrcollinsjr will become famous soon enough hrcollinsjr will become famous soon enough hrcollinsjr's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by scooterpt View Post
    Yeah, I really have to try that because when I unplugged the antenna..nothing happened at all. At this moment the antenna is plugged in but is stuck in the down position (I put a bit of grease to pry it loose but I think I have to use force to get it unstuck)
    When I first turn my radio on in my old BMW, the radio makes very little sound until the power antenna has extended almost half way.

    Harold

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    "The Jägermeister" heimue is on a distinguished road heimue's Avatar
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    Your chances are very high that the wiring connections you need are actually printed on the upper or lower lid directly on the radio.

    Dieter

  8. #8
    Member timemachine is on a distinguished road timemachine's Avatar
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    Okay, dumb question. Did you try the cassette player? That would tell you something. Unless something is disconnected it's hard to imagine the PO left it wired wrong. If the cassette doesn't work, to check the antenna connecter you can just insert a piece of unshielded wire into the center of the connector. About 33" is the proper half wave for FM, but it doesn't much matter for this.
    '74 Manta ("Sig")
    '75 Sportwagon (project)
    '72 GT (whenever I get to it)
    Sold or wrecked:
    '72 Manta Rallye
    '73 Manta
    '74 Luxus

  9. #9
    Opeler scooterpt is on a distinguished road
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    Last night I tried it with a new antenna (just plugged it in, extended it and nothing) so I'm guessing that it's the speaker connections.

    I tried looking at the radio for a wiring diagram but I can't find a way to dismount the radio...and Since I really don't need to becaus all the wiring is exposed, I think I'll just try diferente connections

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