Radio Shorts Out

[Tango]

This might be a better question for an Alpine radio forum, but let me give it a try.

I was on my first "long distance" trip in my 81 Spider on Friday, down to Hamilton and back, about a 1.5 hour round trip. It was cool and raining heavily at times, so I had lights, wipers, defroster on high. This was the first time I drove with the heater really putting out heat.

Just as I was about to arrive at my desination, I was turning in traffic, looking for a parking spot, etc., in other words, focused outside of the cockpit, when I thought I caught a whiff of ozone. Uh oh. Now, not to be cruel to those who live in Hamilton, but with the steel mills nearby, odd smells are not uncommon. Then I noticed the radio had stopped playing.

I hit the on switch (its an Alpine with one of those reomoveable faceplates) and it started up again, but the station presets were lost. It happened about twice more in the next 5 minutes. One of those times at least, it would not restart for about 2 minutes. This made me wonder if it had over heated.

Is there any experience of electronics mounted in the upper centre console overheating? I am thinking that heater box is probably leaking hot air in a few places other than the desired floor vents. The ozone smell could be a red herring, although when I smelled it my first instinct was, oh-oh watch for smoke. But taking time to re-set made me wonder about a thermal protection switch tripping.

Any thoughts on this?

[kilrwail]

Tim - I hope I'm wrong on this, but maybe it's related to the smell of antifreeze you mention elsewhere? If the heater's leaking on the stereo, that would not be good. You might want to open up the centre console and check out both issues before the problem becomes more expensive. it's easy to remove with four screws - just be carful not to accidentally disconnect some wires when pulling it rearward.

[Tango]

I didn't connect the dots on that, but you could be right. The upper central console will move back independently of the lower part?

Tim

[rlux4]

Yes, unless you have one of the factory padded consoles. They don't separate into two sections.
Ron

[Tango]

Ok. I did some checking in my Fiat shop manual. I won't be able to see the heater core, so I am just looking for signs of water / leakage out from the heater box?

I've got the Fiat shop manual, but I think it assumes a slightly better knowledge base than I have. I might pick up the Haynes manual. In the past I have found those a bit more user-friendly. The Fiat manual talks about taking the whole heater box with core out, then a page or two later seems to say that the core will come out by itself. I know once I get in there it will be probably more obvious, but I like to read up and plan a job first that I haven't done before.

[rlux4]

The heater core is inside the heater box. The box comes apart pretty easily by unsnapping the four spring tabs at the corners. If the heater core is leaking it's ending up in the bottom of the heater box and you won't be able to see it until you get it apart. Do it carefully, the heater core is supported by the bottom section of the heater box.
Ron

[So Cal Mark]

a quick test for heater core leakage is to turn on the defroster, if there is coolant in the heater box the windshield will fog up immediately

[mbouse]

at no time during your radio malfunction did the alternator light come on?

and, the alternator light comes on for a few seconds at start up, then routinely goes out and stays out whenever the engine is running.

and, the radio did not malfunction when the RPMs went below 800.

i have an Alpine, connected to an Alpine amp. though i do not lose presets, the radio will shut off if the rpms are too low to sustain amperage to run blower motor, headlights and the radio/amp... like when i am carefully inching out of the garage backwards on a cold, dark morning. i know that i eventually need something greater than the stock 55 amp alternator to solve my symptoms.... or maybe i should back into the garage at night!

[Tango]

Re the defogger test, I live in a foggy area in a river valley and the two evenings I have had the car out really needed the defogger and it helped right away. I understand what you are saying, and it was certainly dry air coming out of there, at least not saturated. That's a good idea, though.

I didn't notice the alternator light come on, but I was in downtown Hamilton traffic in the rain and the limited mirrors and visibility with the top up kept me looking outside. I just probably glanced at the radio. I do believe that I was going very slowly when it happened certainly on the first case, as I was just turning a corner from a stop. Lights, wipers and radio on and fan on high probably. On Saturday it did not reoccur, even though I gave quick joy rides to my family who hadn't seen the car yet. Engine was warm, heater on full (it was quite chilly and of course top down), radio on but no wipers.

The alternator light comes on when the key is turned to on and goes out right away when engine starts, which takes about a 2-second count of cranking. I have not noticed it come on otherwise. It's small and not that bright though, in daylight.

I can't try to duplicate the problem now until I get my wipers running again, they stall after moving a few inches. I just hope I haven't stripped any gears there.

T

[mbouse]

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