Stuck Radio Dial

[FridayGt]

So, anyone come across this issue with a stuck radio dial in the past? I must admit, I'm a little new to tune by dial radio's and I was tuning the radio while driving. Well, I tuned too far to the right and now the needle is stuck and will no longer adjust. Anyone have any tips on what to do here? Defenitely not excited to contend with the rats nest of wires under there from the previous owner, but I'm stocked up on zip ties... Lol.

 

[Meep-Meep]

I assume you are talking about a factory thumb wheel or knob radio? The needle either rides on a cable or attached to a sweeping arm. If you have a 68-70 B body then the radio comes out the front. Then just take the cover off and have a look inside. Chances are the failure will be evident and the fix guided by basic mechanical intuition.

 

[Big Jim]

Damn, Meep's good...and quick too!

 

[FridayGt]

Yup, it's a factory knob on what appears to be the original radio. 72 roadrunner. I just want to keep the original working, as it honestly has better reception than the digital one in my two year old car... Lol

Ok then, looks like I'm going to have to pull this out of the back through the birds nest then. Thanks meep.

 

[Cranky]

IIRC, the tuner is also controlled by the cable...more like a nylon string. Is the radio changing stations with the needle staying put or is it doing nothing?

 

[FridayGt]

IIRC, the tuner is also controlled by the cable...more like a nylon string. Is the radio changing stations with the needle staying put or is it doing nothing?

It's doing nothing, the needle stays put and it no longer tunes. It just stays stuck between the barely receivable end of one station's broadcast and the end of the spectrum. I think it's classical actually... lol.

 

[Cranky]

It's doing nothing, the needle stays put and it no longer tunes. It just stays stuck between the barely receivable end of one station's broadcast and the end of the spectrum. I think it's classical actually... lol.

Sounds like the tuner knob itself is slipping on the line....yeah, open it up and 'help' it off the end it's stuck on then don't be tuning it by hand while driving anymore lol. Use the preset buttons while driving instead.

 

[FridayGt]

Sounds like the tuner knob itself is slipping on the line....yeah, open it up and 'help' it off the end it's stuck on then don't be tuning it by hand while driving anymore lol. Use the preset buttons while driving instead.

Lol, thanks Cranky, lesson learned... lol. Hopefully I can get this knocked out sometime this week. I can just see my to-do list getting shorter. High beams are done, next is radio and gas tank filler tube grommet, followed by front end alignment... lol.

 

[Cranky]

A little info about when my radio got stuck....it was on a 66 Belvedere II and the car was only 3 years old! After playing with it for awhile, I got it to move again but a couple of years later, my girl friend got it stuck and I had to pull it out to get it working again. The first time, there were not any FM stations on the air...at least none that I wanted to listen to but when the girl friend did it, there was a couple of decent stations so I didn't fix it for awhile but things that don't work on my cars drives me nuts even if I'm not using it anymore like an AM radio lol

 

[yellowdartdave]

Cranky......

See what happens when you mix women and your toys ??

 

[FridayGt]

Lol, I understand. Luckily for me, I suppose, my finance is too terrified of the new Roadrunner. She heard the 440 fire up that first time at home and now doesn't want to be anywhere near it if the engine is running... lol. I figure if I fix the radio and gas tank, I can get her warmed up to it with a couple trips to the drive in... lol.

Out of curiosity, did you have to remove the knobs and the plastic under them before pulling the radio out the back?

 

[Cranky]

Cranky......

See what happens when you mix women and your toys ??

My girl friend (now wife) likes cars but sometimes women do dumb stuff too lol

Lol, I understand. Luckily for me, I suppose, my finance is too terrified of the new Roadrunner. She heard the 440 fire up that first time at home and now doesn't want to be anywhere near it if the engine is running... lol. I figure if I fix the radio and gas tank, I can get her warmed up to it with a couple trips to the drive in... lol.

Out of curiosity, did you have to remove the knobs and the plastic under them before pulling the radio out the back?

Yup, had to remove the knobs etc to expose the nuts. Radio came out from the back but I'm not sure how your car is set up. IIRC, those cars came out through the back too....

 

[FridayGt]

My girl friend (now wife) likes cars but sometimes women do dumb stuff too lol

Yup, had to remove the knobs etc to expose the nuts. Radio came out from the back but I'm not sure how your car is set up. IIRC, those cars came out through the back too....

Yeah, from looking at it yesterday, it appears as though it has to go back. I'll pop off the knobs and the little round plastic backings behind them and pull this thing out! It'll give me something to work on while waiting for my tank filler neck grommet to get here.:headbang:

 

[Meep-Meep]

Before you take it out make sure the knob is not slipping on the shaft. If the shaft turns but nothing else moves then it got decoupled from the tuner mechanism (variable capacitor).

 

[FridayGt]

Before you take it out make sure the knob is not slipping on the shaft. If the shaft turns but nothing else moves then it got decoupled from the tuner mechanism (variable capacitor).

Thanks meep, cranky and big! Lol. Got it done after work last night. My radio now tunes again! Although, I have also been made aware that the rats best of wires is even worse than I thought, so that will be a winter time project...

 

[Cranky]

Cool beans! Was the needle just stuck or was the 'cable/string' off?

 

[FridayGt]

Cool beans! Was the needle just stuck or was the 'cable/string' off?

From what I could tell, the needle was just stuck and as was said, just needed "a little help back." lol. Although I can defenitely tell it's a little weaker with relation to turns on the knob on that far side of the spectrum now. But, it'll have to do for now. It was a good fix to keep me happy until I rip out and replace all the wiring back there. It took me HOURS just to get it out through that rats nest back there. But, now that that's done, I can jam out to tunes on my way to the inspection station/ DMV once I fix the gas tank and reverse lights hopefully tonight! lol.

But, boy oh boy Cranky, I can't begin to describe the smile this car rips across my face when I drive it. I'm sure I don't need to. lol. Now, my daily driver isn't too shabby by any stretch for what it is. A 4 cylinder that can just barely dip into very high 12's in the quarter with fresh tires and less than $1K invested, but this Roadrunner introduced a new feeling to me when driving my turbo Mazda. Disappointment... lol. Not disappointed necessarily with my now daily driver, but going from a car like that to the Mazda and I just felt unfulfilled... lol.