non working tape player

[capriceowns]

Yes I do want my tape player to work, but not for tapes, lol. I have a attacment for my mp3 player that goes into the tape deck(it loks like a tape) and it plays my mp3 through the tape deck.

But when I put my adapter in my caprice (also did the same thing with a regular tape) it wont play anything and just makes this ticking nose, that comes from the deck its self. and when I eject the tape it doesnt go back to radio, theres this black clip inside the tape deck i have to push up with a screw driver.

Is there a way to fix this? or is it a bad tape deck and needs R&R

[ilgoldstein]

I'd look around for a car stereo repair shop. At first I thought your problem was a bad belt, but I don't think that would cause your eject and no radio problem. If you like the stock look, fix it, if not there are plenty of choices for replacment.

[dki1232]

HI, i sell these on ebay on occasion. (this user i.d) You may of noticed some of the nice equalizer models with heater controls still attatched if you look at caprice stuff on ebay. Anyway, your tape head needs replaceing. I happen to prefer the stock wood look in my Caprices as you may. Depending on how handy you are, i could guide you through the R+R. I have not been at this forum in a long time and not sure the rules. Not trying to sell you a radio or solicit a service to repair yours, BUT, i can help. PM me or contact me at ebay through this user name. Also let me know if you have the equalizer model or the regular model with BASS / Treble slider. It makes a difference in just sending you another or repairing yours, as the equalizer models are far more rare and hard to find nice wood faces for. I am talking about a VERY cheap exchange or repair of this problem and you keep your stock look. I will also stand behind the repair. I am very knowledgeable on these cars and used to ship them to Saudi for export back in the 1990's. I used to have to install tape players and all power options and deluxe gauge clusters with trip set. I have even made some "clone LS BRougham" models from salvage parts. Thanks, DAN

[silicon212]

I have one of those things in my storage. While the tape deck works fine, it has the annoying habit of not maintaining volume - it will slowly climb in volume until it's dimed, then abruptly fall off to nearly nothing and repeat the process. The volume knob only works while it's being turned. That's why it's not in my car.

It's the one that has the AM Stereo. (yes, they actually had this for a year or two.)

[dki1232]

HI, sounds to me like that entire long stem knob needs to be replaced. IF you are familar with stripping down the radio, it could be fixed cheap by a local electronics repair. This is NOT a common problem. You could find some ebay or junkyard 5.00 non-tape radio for parts and have this knob soldered in. Again, not a common problem, but these radios are getting old enough so that i hate seeing them thrown away when so many other GM radios offer donor parts for a song and dance.

Glad to be involved at this forum and hope to be a big help to other members as well as find parts and learn things myself. Including parts cars and projects, I have 7 b body chevies, exclusively from 1980's ranging from 1980 impala to opposite end of spectrum, 1989 Brougahm LS. In addition my daily driver is 1994 woody wagon with LT1. Other GM cousins I own are a1983 Park Ave diesel and 2 1993 Fleetwoods. I know way more about the 1980's models and rely on forums to learn about the 1991 - 1996 generation cars. DAN

[silicon212]

Originally Posted by dki1232

This is NOT a common problem.

Really? I have two of these radios in two cars (one sits doing nothing) that both have the same problem. The problem is not the knob. These radios (the ones with the cassette deck) use digital tuning - the knob is essentially a switch and not an analog pot. The problem is the circuitry that the switch controls, probably a latch.

You could find some ebay or junkyard 5.00 non-tape radio for parts and have this knob soldered in. Again, not a common problem, but these radios are getting old enough so that i hate seeing them thrown away when so many other GM radios offer donor parts for a song and dance.

I can get a radio complete at a junkyard for around $10-$15 that works. If I really wanted to fix it, I could - I've been doing electronic repair, at least in some form, since I was 5 - and that was 33 years ago. I've got the knowledge and equipment to repair it if I really wanted to. After all, I do spend my working life doing things like replacing capacitors and MOSFETs on PC motherboards ... It's easier to get a junkyard radio.

Glad to be involved at this forum and hope to be a big help to other members as well as find parts and learn things myself. Including parts cars and projects, I have 7 b body chevies, exclusively from 1980's ranging from 1980 impala to opposite end of spectrum, 1989 Brougahm LS. In addition my daily driver is 1994 woody wagon with LT1. Other GM cousins I own are a1983 Park Ave diesel and 2 1993 Fleetwoods. I know way more about the 1980's models and rely on forums to learn about the 1991 - 1996 generation cars. DAN

I'm partial to the 80s B-body Chevrolets, myself.

[PeteA216]

dki1232, Would you know how to fix the display on a radio from an 85 Caprice? The display does not come on intil its been on for a good 5 to 10 minutes, and the only way to make it come on after that duration of time is to hit a preset button or turn the tuning dial. When it does come on sometimes it displays perfectly, and sometimes it displays parts of numbers. I've opened it up, and couldn't see anything from the naked eye, nor did I find any loose solders.