late 80s Cadillac [GM] radios

[Maynard Krebs]

After recently purchasing a second 1989 RWD GM car, I was a bit surprised that the radio had the same fault as the other car's radio:  there is static.. but only in the right front speaker.

The odds of them both having bad right front speakers are not high.   I'm wondering is, now that these cars are 29 years old, is there a capacitor in said "GM-generic" radios that goes bad due to age (& maybe heat) that only affects said right front speaker(s).

Back in the 1990s into the very early 2000s, I had a '89 RWD GM wagon with the same radio... but I don't recall any static.   Thus, my wondering if time & age are causing this phenomenon.

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

I think it's just a coincidence.

[WTL]

I think I've heard that there is an offending capacitor or whatever that tends to knock out one side of these radios. 

I can also tell you for a fact that my 90 Deville only has good sound out of the lf and lr speakers.  From time to time the right side produces pops.

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

But that wouldn't explain the right front speaker being affected only. Since the amplifier is a two channel unit, a failure would affect both front and rear speakers on the same channel (L or R) but not independently.

[Chris Bryant #19358]

I have an '89 Caprice with a radio/cassette player and the car has only 47,000 miles. The right front speaker also pops.

Must be the age.

Cheers,
Chris Bryant #19358

[Maynard Krebs]

I have an '89 Caprice with a radio/cassette player and the car has only 47,000 miles. The right front speaker also pops.

Cheers,
Chris Bryant #19358

I have the same year & make of car.... and it has the same problem:  the right front speaker works noisily.. or not at all.

[TJ Hopland]

My failures lately have been on the Left.  2 cars the same week.  At one point I was worried it was my hearing. 

I wonder if the popping in the right could be from/related to its proximity the ECU?   Right seemed to be where those were usually located so there is a lot of wiring there possibly running in parallel to the speaker wires.   Something like an EGR or canister purge solenoid operating?  I suppose trying it in ACCY instead of RUN with engine running should eliminate that because I don't think there is much going on in those when the key isn't in the run position.   

[WTL]

http://www.howtoalmanac.com/Scott/HowTo/02-12-DelcoGMDM165AudioAmpRepair.htm

I know nothing about audio other than what I can hear, but I think this article is worth considering

[bcroe]

Its pretty standard on aging electronics, to replace all the chemical
(polarized) caps.  Use a computer grade replacement cap instead of
Radio Trash, and they should last longer.  Modern replacements tend
to be smaller, a 1 ufd polarized may be upgraded to a ceramic non
polarized.  Bruce Roe

[gkhashem]

My Buick Reatta, a 1989 had a bad radio and was popping and going in and out with the volume.

It was the radio, send it out to United Radio in Syracuse NY they can fix it for you and for a fair price. I just had a 1984 Olds with a Delco radio done for $125.00 including shipping.

[Maynard Krebs]

My Buick Reatta, a 1989 had a bad radio and was popping and going in and out with the volume.

It was the radio, send it out to United Radio in Syracuse NY they can fix it for you and for a fair price. I just had a 1984 Olds with a Delco radio done for $125.00 including shipping.

That indeed is a fair price (incl. shp.).   Hopefully, you were pleased with the repair & results.

[gkhashem]

That indeed is a fair price (incl. shp.).   Hopefully, you were pleased with the repair & results.

They both still work and I got both back in about a week. Hard to beat that.

[J. Skelly]

Goerge,

I have my folks' '89 Riviera with the touch screen.  The radio pops frequently and the screen goes crazy sometimes.  Did that happen on yours?  I know Zenith made that touch screen tube.