8 track player won't work?
 

So I pulled a lot of parts from a suburban today for my 81 c10. Figured I'd grab the radio since my radio's rear outputs don't work. It had a strange radio and when I got into it turns out it's an 8 track player with a digital display. The player will control all 3 speakers, the fader and balance work great but it's not picking up any stations and the display isn't lighting up. THe knob on the right should be the tuner and it's clicking while it turns but no changes. Pressing either of the 2 knobs will turn the radio off. Anyone have any ideas?

Re: 8 track player won't work?
 

There is a guy that sells on ebay, that rebuilds old radios. He did my AM/FM/8track/CB for an OT car. He did great and only charged me 130.00 bucks. When I go to the shop, I'll dig out the receipt and post his name for ya.

Re: 8 track player won't work?
 

You sure it's bad tho? I know there's a orange/brown connector that doesn't plug into anything. Not sure if that's it. My truck had a basic am/fm originally but it's rear outputs went out.

Re: 8 track player won't work?
 

From what im gathering on this it could be the Delco GM 2700 ETR Radio. I assume it doesn't have built in CB?

Does it look like this:
http://i.ebayimg.com/t/1979-Pontiac-...orw~~60_12.JPG

This page gives a wiring idea:

http://www.transamradio.com/ta_radio_004.htm

According to that the Orange wire supplies power to the clock and dimmer. (Which normally orange does go to your dimmer)

Lastly if that is the radio, from what I'm seeing it looks like its one of the tougher Delco's to find.

Re: 8 track player won't work?
 

Sorta but not quite.

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r...pscefe0494.jpg

Re: 8 track player won't work?
 

Your link says that the orange/brown 2 wire supplies power to the dimmer / display. I've supplied power to both wires but not at the same time. Could it be that BOTH wires need 12v? Because my display is the problem. I can't get it to work to see if the tuner is working.

Re: 8 track player won't work?
 

that looks morel like a cassette than an 8 track

Re: 8 track player won't work?
 

Now that I look at it, I think so. There's notches in the center of the hole on top and bottom. It is cassette. Didn't look like a cassette would fit at first. If that's the case then I SHOULD be able to go into it and tie into the cassette deck input wiring for an aux jack. I did that in my reatta since their tapedecks always went out. That is if it's not bad.

Re: 8 track player won't work?
 

Mine was all off yours being an 8-track, including the link. Pop the cover and check the could solder joints. From what I've read on this many over time separated.

2nd...many of these have a schematic stamped into the stop cover.

Take a look at this one on ebay. I couldn't pull the image out but one pic shows the stamp in the front center on the top cover.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/78-84-Delco-...6e5584&vxp=mtr


Finally, this may help.
http://www.the12volt.com/installbay/...etail/564.html

Re: 8 track player won't work?
 

Holy crap they're that expensive.. The schematic doesn't list that extra wire.

Re: 8 track player won't work?
 

Orange is constant 12v (ie even with key off it gets power) and brown is a dimmer connection. It says so in the link to http://www.the12volt.com/installbay/...etail/564.html .

Those ETR radios are about as good as you can get for a stock radio in the correct time era. To do any better for a factory radio you have to step up to the 1.5 DIN radio from the 89/91 suburbans.

The ETR I run in my 87 cost me about $120 locally to have the LED lights all replaced and the cassette player rebuilt.

Re: 8 track player won't work?
 

Now it would make sense if the brown wire actually illumintes the screen. I'm not sure if straight 12v will work on it tho. May go tinker with it. This radio came from a suburban. Not sure the year but it had rear a/c, a speedo that had a trip odometer with cable drive but it was EFI. I took the speedo :D Is it worth the $$ to rebuild that? Or would it be better to just save about $240 for the one from LMC with usb, aux and such.
Also is there any write ups about the solder joints? That could even be the issue with my current radio since it has no rear speaker output. I know solder joints were a problem on a lot of older 80s GM electronics

Re: 8 track player won't work?
 

I picked up one last year
put it in the 79
the brown orange plug on the back had to change the plastic plug to use one i had
in order to dim it needs to know when the lights are on so
brown i put to the markers/running light (dims with the dash lights)
orange to the lighter
the rest are the same
mine dosn't seen to have a balance tho,other wise it's great