Infinity Radio Problem
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buy a new radio, if you are interested i have a 90 Infinity cassette deck out of my 90 TC by maserati that has the 5 band adjustable eq and the fader. just an idea
look inside see if you can see anything either physicly broke or dirty hopefully its dirty or gummed up and thats why its not staying in... maybe try pushing the eject button maybe its just stuck in and pushing it might let it come back out.... other than that i have no idea...
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Which one of these do you have?
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These were the Infinity decks available around '89 - they all vary in how they load cassettes. I have examples of all three here... I can take a look at the tape mechanisms for you and see if I can spot any potential trouble spots.
However, from the sound of it there probably isn't a lot that can be done - it's not cost effective to fix these anymore when one can go to the salvage yard and get another one for $20.
These were the Infinity decks available around '89 - they all vary in how they load cassettes. I have examples of all three here... I can take a look at the tape mechanisms for you and see if I can spot any potential trouble spots.
However, from the sound of it there probably isn't a lot that can be done - it's not cost effective to fix these anymore when one can go to the salvage yard and get another one for $20.
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Ooh... those are about the pickiest ones there are. I have 3 of them, and only one works 100% properly.
The problem with these is, they use two motors - one to pull the tape in, and one to actually play the tape. When you insert a tape into them, it moves an arm away from a little switch - this tells the deck a tape has been inserted. The deck then pulls the tape in the rest of the way and plays it.
What has probably happened in your case is the tape insertion switch is dirty. The deck needs to be pulled apart to have that switch cleaned. It's pretty easy to find - it's on top of the main drive motor (the larger of the two).
But that's just one possible explanation - these decks are so finicky it's really hard to say without taking the whole thing apart to see what's up. One of mine kept changing tape directions due to a dead reel sensor and one kept cycling on and off because the tape eject arm didn't push on that loading switch hard enough. I felt real lucky when I found the one working one.
I managed to fix the constant cycling deck, but not completely - for some reason it now starts playing at double speed. As an electronics tech, these are some of the most aggrivating tape decks I've ever worked on.
I have a yard run coming up on the 9th of next month - if you want I can look for another one to fix up (since I have two parts decks). They only cost me $20 or so at the yards where I go. Problem is though, I'm in Canada - shipping might make it not worth the trouble.
Edit - btw, Xtrempickup's TC deck will be the same one you have
The problem with these is, they use two motors - one to pull the tape in, and one to actually play the tape. When you insert a tape into them, it moves an arm away from a little switch - this tells the deck a tape has been inserted. The deck then pulls the tape in the rest of the way and plays it.
What has probably happened in your case is the tape insertion switch is dirty. The deck needs to be pulled apart to have that switch cleaned. It's pretty easy to find - it's on top of the main drive motor (the larger of the two).
But that's just one possible explanation - these decks are so finicky it's really hard to say without taking the whole thing apart to see what's up. One of mine kept changing tape directions due to a dead reel sensor and one kept cycling on and off because the tape eject arm didn't push on that loading switch hard enough. I felt real lucky when I found the one working one.
I managed to fix the constant cycling deck, but not completely - for some reason it now starts playing at double speed. As an electronics tech, these are some of the most aggrivating tape decks I've ever worked on.
I have a yard run coming up on the 9th of next month - if you want I can look for another one to fix up (since I have two parts decks). They only cost me $20 or so at the yards where I go. Problem is though, I'm in Canada - shipping might make it not worth the trouble.
Edit - btw, Xtrempickup's TC deck will be the same one you have
Don't just look at TD's. Anything that was equipped with the Infinity sound system could have one. The newer style tape decks with the slider EQ versus the digital EQ is better in my experience. These were used a lot in vans, LH cars, and trucks. And of course you could find them in every variety of turbo and non-turbo Dodge. Another fun one is the Infinity CD player. I was lucky enough to find one that worked. But I've been through 3 others that had the exact same problem with the face plate and buttons not working. Good luck.
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140 Posts
Indeed - it was called the Infinity II back in the day
Just by way of example, I found my 3 in:
1990 Chrysler Imperial
1990 Chrysler Imperial
1989 LeBaron Convertible
I've also seen them in TC's, minivans, and just about any other car that came with Infinity. Best bet is to look for 1988-1990 models - after that, they phased out the "digital EQ" style and introduced newer models. But the slider EQ style is indeed a bit more reliable.
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They were in Jeeps, newyorkers, imperials, Large cargo vans had them, lebarons and all sorts of cars. I find them all the time. I know of atleast 7 different cars that have them at my yard. and the newer style ones work on the same harness aswell just a little custom fitting into the dash board. You just gotta look.
hey my 89 lebaron convertible had one like the top one but it was black (does that make it different or did they just have different colored ones) i no longer have it because it was pretty beat up when i took it out so i ended up throwing it out (tape deck was completely broke and radio would only tune to a channel if you programed it to one of the presets)
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140 Posts
Same deck, different faces
This one's my favorite tape only deck:
One of Chrysler's first changer control decks - came out around '95 or so. Excellent sound quality, and can control certain Alpine (and IIRC Clarion) changers and even an ipod via an interface from PIE (Precision Interface Electronics).
Well it's not only getting harder to find TD's in my area, the FWD mopars in general don't last because supposedly not enough people are interested parts-wise. Oklahoma Wolf, with that radio that you last posted a pic of, where is the CD insert, or do you need a 6 disc changer to operate the CD option?
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There's no CD built into that one - it's just a cassette deck with changer control. You need a compatible 6 disc Mopar changer for them, or an Alpine M-Bus 6 disc changer with the PIE interface. I got mine out of a '99 LHS. 10 disc changers won't work with them as far as I'm aware. Has an 8 pin DIN connector on the back for connecting the changer, but is not compatible with the same connector on the backs of the older radios.
It's easier to find a CD/cassette combo deck than to find a changer that goes with that one actually, and they'll work as a replacement for yours too. Actually, any square face Chrysler deck with the correct mounting points from 1984-2000 will work - plug and play.
It's easier to find a CD/cassette combo deck than to find a changer that goes with that one actually, and they'll work as a replacement for yours too. Actually, any square face Chrysler deck with the correct mounting points from 1984-2000 will work - plug and play.
alot of those radios had problems my mothers old (sold) 96 lhs radio had a short or something and never acted right (got the car used though) and my dads 02 ram if you are listening to a burnt cd and try to change the song to any number over 4 or 5 it takes forever to start and sometimes dosnt unless you eject the cd and play a lower number (however if you listen to the cd all the way through it has no problems) they had the same radio (as far as you could tell from the front)
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Yeah, there's a few common issues with the CD/cassette combo decks. Most of the time it's either the buttons don't register being pushed or control the wrong functions, the CD laser goes out of alignment and spits out CDs, or the volume pot gets dirty and goes erratic. Less common is the FM tuner going out due to bad solder joints.
I was actually doing pretty well for a while buying these flaky combo decks off eBay, fixing them up, and selling them again for profit. The last one I did had an Infinity logo on it - those are hard to come by as Chrysler stopped putting that logo on their radios around the time these were introduced.
Stopped doing that when I tried to extend that little side business to GM CD players and one only worked for a week after I fixed it.
Well I'm looking pretty hard and can tell you where 5 neons sit in a junkyard, and each one is minus the radio. Not too worried about it because I stumbled upon a 93 caravan this afternoon and might be able to get the whole interior for free(radio included). Thanks for all the info and help.
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