Radio Overhaul - Repair page 2

Next is the light insulation from the stereo lamp to the front jewel. It just disintegrated into dust. Plus this gives me a chance to clean and lube the pointer and band selection mechanical portions.

I repainted the dial needle the correct orange.

The stereo lamp looked low hours, but since this is pain to replace, I put a brand new old stock bulb in.

I had to get creative with the missing light pipe foam. This is a roll of generic medium density EPDM foam.

I had to use two layers, but I round punched out this and stacked them.

I carefully cleaned the dial face and directly lit the stereo lamp to check if the foam seal worked. It did very well, no ambient stray light into the jewel except the stereo lamp.

The old turd of a radio is starting to clean up nicely.

As you can see you need to have a lot of work space for something like this.

OK next up is the volume control -On/Off switch. It won't mechanically switch off.

I removed the back switch off the volume/tone control assembly and found the contact slightly bent. I simply straightened it and put it back on. That fixed that. I also sprayed control cleaner into the assembly since I was there.

That takes care of the mechanical problems. Now onto the more interesting electrical ones.

This is the AM radio board. Not much too it. In the diagnostic section I found the secondary winding of the 2nd IF transformer open. The IF transformers are in these tall metal cans for shielding against radiant electrical noise. I will unsolder the entire can, then remove the insides for inspection.