Radio cuts off when turn signal starts

[ralt962 11]

This one is odd, but may be due to a low battery.  At idle, when I turn the turn signal on the radio cuts off for a couple of seconds.  I've recently noticed that it doesn't happen as much when the revs are up while driving.  I've charge the battery up now need to test the theory.  But I was thinking could it be an inadequate ground somewhere?

My alt gauge doesnt seem to indicate anything.  All the other gauges work fine.    

Have not pulled the alternator to have it tested yet.  Battery shouldn't be down if I'm driving it.  Starts fine.  

Thought someone might have seen this before and a place to start looking.

thanks,

[Mach1 Driver 560]

The radio is normally on fuse 1, which is 20A and runs the turn signals, backup lights and radio. You probably have a bad connection at the fuse, but it could be further downstream. I believe that Midlife can help you with the fuse clips.

[Midlife 814]

3 hours ago, Mach1 Driver said:

The radio is normally on fuse 1, which is 20A and runs the turn signals, backup lights and radio. You probably have a bad connection at the fuse, but it could be further downstream. I believe that Midlife can help you with the fuse clips.

+1 (plus shipping and handling!!! *LOL)

[JayEstes 172]

OK, I am going to go throw a weird one at you.  Maybe your problem is related to mine, but probably not.  your problem is more likely a connection problem. However,  I had a similar radio cutting out problem with my retrosound, except mine would cut out when I revved the engine from low speed to high, but it only seemed to happen when the car was fresh out of the garage.  Also, if the car was brought back to dead idle, radio would play again -even fresh out of the garage. weird thing was, drive it a few miles, and this cut-out would go away.  

So, after me living with this for a long while, and pondering it, but not coming up with anything, a friend rides with me and sees this weird behavior and has a genius insight - he says "do you have an original voltage regulator?"  yes.  "well then, I think maybe your radio is seeing unacceptable voltages when the alternator is kicked in at higher RPMS.  The alternator kicks in much more often immediately after the car has started after it's been sitting in garage.  After you drive the car a bit, the battery gets charged up - so alternator not kicking in - and symptom stops.   Maybe you should try a new solid-state VR." 

Freaking genius insight.  Sure enough, a new solid state VR solved my radio cutting out problem completely.

Now, in your case, the radio cuts out at low speed - when another electrical system is engaged.  So perhaps the current draw of the blinker system causes the voltage the radio is getting to somehow change to a temporarily unacceptable amount.  Car equilibrates voltages are a few moments and radio comes back on.  At high RPMs voltage is sufficiently regulated to not cause a problem in the circuit.  Do you have an old-style VR with resistors on the back? is a good question to ask if you can't trace it to bad ground or bad connection.

Above image is what the back of my old VR looked like (I believe it is original with the car).  The new Solid State versions don't look like this.

Most likely, this is not your problem, but at least I stuck to the "radio cuts out" theme.  Hope this wasn't too much of a thread high-jack!

 

Jay

[Midlife 814]

Your friend should go into the automotive electrical trouble-shooting business.  He can take over from me!  I'd never would have figured that one out...

[JayEstes 172]

Hah yes.  He's definitely got "the knack".  I lived with that annoyance for quite while and never would have come up with that one either.  His systems understanding for both old and new really made the difference.  Fortunately, he is gainfully employed designing and certifying life support systems for the Astronauts, so he is definitely one of the 1%'ers.  

He has a couple of old Porche's and some old motorcycles, so he's got lots of experience in old car stuff.  Combine that with his high tech skills, and he's a great resource.  Everyone should have a buddy like that!

 

Jay

[ralt962 11]

I put in a new VR but I doubt it was a solid state.  I'll check.  But that would make sense.  It does seem like there isnt enough power at idle.  Although it starts great.  Crank speed seems normal.   I've had regulator issues on other vehicles.  I thought the "new one" I bought would resolve this.  I should know better by now.  The number of "new" parts that I've replaced is pretty long at this point.

I'll check the connection at the Fuse and connections.  I had all the harnesses out on a table and went through each circuit but it could very well be the connector.  

Midlife being speechless on this one????   But you were the savor on my gauge issues some time back.  

 

thanks for the great suggestions.  I'll let you know what I find out.

[Midlife 814]

I'm speechless because everyone else voiced my suggestions earlier. 

[Mach1 Driver 560]

23 minutes ago, Midlife said:

I'm speechless because everyone else voiced my suggestions earlier. 

Yeah, but we all expect you to throw a zinger in there just to make us grin. You're way below on the zinger quotient.

[JayEstes 172]

12 hours ago, ralt962 said:

I put in a new VR but I doubt it was a solid state.  I'll check.  But that would make sense.  It does seem like there isnt enough power at idle.  Although it starts great.  Crank speed seems normal.   I've had regulator issues on other vehicles.  I thought the "new one" I bought would resolve this.  I should know better by now.  The number of "new" parts that I've replaced is pretty long at this point.

I'll check the connection at the Fuse and connections.  I had all the harnesses out on a table and went through each circuit but it could very well be the connector.  

Midlife being speechless on this one????   But you were the savor on my gauge issues some time back.  

 

thanks for the great suggestions.  I'll let you know what I find out.

I bought this one on RockAuto.com: https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=1140173&cc=1132399&jsn=12

Mainly because it said "Professional" & it was SHINY - just being honest....

[Midlife 814]

OK...turn signal and radio are on the same fuse circuit, as is the backup lamps.  Probably what's happening is a loss of voltage across those fuse clips,  Look at the top left-most fuse.

On the other hand, your car could be haunted by the ghost of Lee Iacocca.  I'd say three Hail Mr. Fords and spray any anti-Chebby disinfectant you can find. 

[JayEstes 172]

34 minutes ago, Midlife said:

I'd say three Hail Mr. Fords

"Hail Henry's"

[dream car 12]

16 hours ago, ralt962 said:

I put in a new VR but I doubt it was a solid state.  I'll check.  But that would make sense.  It does seem like there isnt enough power at idle.  Although it starts great.  Crank speed seems normal.   I've had regulator issues on other vehicles.  I thought the "new one" I bought would resolve this.  I should know better by now.  The number of "new" parts that I've replaced is pretty long at this point.

I'll check the connection at the Fuse and connections.  I had all the harnesses out on a table and went through each circuit but it could very well be the connector.  

Midlife being speechless on this one????   But you were the savor on my gauge issues some time back.  

 

thanks for the great suggestions.  I'll let you know what I find out.

It could also be a bulb issue?  Try to replace one bulb at time see if you can isolate the problem. Sometime the contact in the socket oxidized and cause mild shortage, clean contact area with dielectric grease.  Last solution, get a voltage reading on the bulb, and radio terminal 

[Midlife 814]

3 hours ago, JayEstes said:

"Hail Henry's"

I didn't want to confuse that with what we had in Oregon: Hail Henry, referring to Henry Weinhard's beer.

[ralt962 11]

I do have the AMR solid state VR.   Checked the connections,  but I need to get up into the fuse panel.  It must be a voltage drop in there.

Checked again yesterday.  I have one of those slide bar radios.  The digital display flashes with the turn signals when at idle.  At speed ( change lane) the radio doesnt cut out.  

Has to be low voltage with slow speeds.  

I said my Hail Henry's.  Didn't help much on that one.  

I started my career at Ford when the Duce and Lee were still there.  Yes that was a long time ago......

[danno 128]

How about the back up lights?? Turn on the radio and put the tranny in reverse.  Does putting it in reverse cause the radio to stop?  Look at the back up lights while the turn signals are operating, and see if they go dim when the turn signals lights are illuminated.  I have seen the spring contacts in the fuse box go bad, as suggested.  I used old battery acid (sulfuric) to clean mine. but you need to be  careful with that and flush it all off when done.  I once left some fuse contacts in overnight, and they were dissolved into the acid the next day.   There could be more gentle acids, like what is in metal polishes.   Do you have a voltmeter?  Put it on the radio and see what it is when you turn on the back up lights or turn signals.  You should not see the voltage drop when you do this.

[ralt962 11]

On 6/29/2020 at 1:43 PM, danno said:

How about the back up lights?? Turn on the radio and put the tranny in reverse.  Does putting it in reverse cause the radio to stop?  Look at the back up lights while the turn signals are operating, and see if they go dim when the turn signals lights are illuminated.  I have seen the spring contacts in the fuse box go bad, as suggested.  I used old battery acid (sulfuric) to clean mine. but you need to be  careful with that and flush it all off when done.  I once left some fuse contacts in overnight, and they were dissolved into the acid the next day.   There could be more gentle acids, like what is in metal polishes.   Do you have a voltmeter?  Put it on the radio and see what it is when you turn on the back up lights or turn signals.  You should not see the voltage drop when you do this.

Have not checked the backup lights.  Good idea to see what voltage I'm getting at the radio.  See what is happening across the fuse.  I think Ill stay away from the acid trick.  I'd end up with a pile of goo.  

Thanks I'll give this a shot.  

[ralt962 11]

Just following up, yes I have the same issue going into reverse.  So when the back up lights come on I get the radio cut out.

Has anyone tried to just use the cigar lighter power to run the radio?  Looks like a high gauge dedicated line that's always on.  (I'd have to remember to shut the radio off each time).

Have not gone in with the volt meter yet.  But I'm most definitely going to try that.  Could be loose or bad connectors that lead to more resistance.  These bigger radios were not meant to be run on that old wires.  

 

[aslanefe 333]

54 minutes ago, ralt962 said:

Just following up, yes I have the same issue going into reverse.  So when the back up lights come on I get the radio cut out.

Has anyone tried to just use the cigar lighter power to run the radio?  Looks like a high gauge dedicated line that's always on.  (I'd have to remember to shut the radio off each time).

Have not gone in with the volt meter yet.  But I'm most definitely going to try that.  Could be loose or bad connectors that lead to more resistance.  These bigger radios were not meant to be run on that old wires.  

 

I use cigar lighter wire for the memory constant power and original radio power wire for power without any problems on my aftermarket 80's radio cassette.

[danno 128]

Finally my wild ass guess is correct!  You have  large voltage drop probably in the fuse block connections. Those can become corroded, and corrision is a poor conductor. The connection is resistive, and the more current through it, the more the voltage drop.  You turn on the turn signals or back up lights, and the radio cuts out. You might remove the fuse block from the firewall with the bolt in the center, and look at the wires on the back. If they are fine, you might have a simple fix.  If you have a Dremel tool, it has a very small wire wheel that can be used on the connections the fuse make.  Remove the fuse and polish the connections it makes.  

Getting a voltmeter and making checks of voltages would certainly help solve the problem.  But it looks like the voltage to the radio circuit is dropping, and it is becuase of high resistance in either the wires. fuse, or connections. 

My next wild ass guess is to repaint your car.  The red is sucking juice.   Paint it green, it never sucks. 

[Mach1 Driver 560]

15 hours ago, ralt962 said:

Just following up, yes I have the same issue going into reverse.  So when the back up lights come on I get the radio cut out.

Has anyone tried to just use the cigar lighter power to run the radio?  Looks like a high gauge dedicated line that's always on.  (I'd have to remember to shut the radio off each time).

Have not gone in with the volt meter yet.  But I'm most definitely going to try that.  Could be loose or bad connectors that lead to more resistance.  These bigger radios were not meant to be run on that old wires.  

 

This is about as simple as wiring gets. Up in post 2,  I said: "The radio is normally on fuse 1, which is 20A and runs the turn signals, backup lights and radio. You probably have a bad connection at the fuse, but it could be further downstream. I believe that Midlife can help you with the fuse clips."

I believe that is your problem. I know that the fuse block is in an inconvenient place, and its probably easier to replace a part like the voltage regulator, but that isn't going to get you there.

1. Power comes from ignition switch terminal A on wire 297 black/green stripe to fuse  #1 which is 20 amps. There are two 20 amp fuses so make sure you have the correct fuse. The problem is almost certainly badly corroded fuse clips. Correct that by cleaning or replacing them.

2. Power leaves the fuse on wire 296 red and goes to a splice with a bunch of other wires. You are interested in wire 137 yellow/black stripe. It goes to the two wire plug at the radio. This supplies power to the radio.

3. FYI the second wire in the plug is 19B blue/red stripe, and it is for the radio dial light. Its on a different circuit because it "dims" the bulb and comes from the light switch.

So you can see in 1 and 2 above that it can only be four things: a) the fuse clips, b) a bad splice between wires 296 and 137, c) the connections in the plug, d) a broken/frayed wire. The plating on the fuse clips corrodes over time, increasing resistance and causing problems. I would give the fuse clips the highest probability of being your problem. Clean them up and see if the problem goes away, however, it will eventually return if you don't replace the clips. I guess that if you really, really don't want to replace the clips, you could remove the fuse and solder an inline fuse (in one of those plastic holders) around the original fuse.

 

[ralt962 11]

Great suggestions, I'll go after the cleaning.  I would guess that is a high probability.  

Next would be the connects I made to the radio harness.  Crimps are always suspect.  

But hey the red has to stay.......that car has to be ticket me red.  How else would I donate to the local authorities.  

[Mach1 Driver 560]

9 hours ago, ralt962 said:

But hey the red has to stay.......that car has to be ticket me red.  How else would I donate to the local authorities.  

oh absolutely, mine is going red too ;)

[ralt962 11]

danno, Mach 1 Driver, and of course Midlife got it right!  It was the contacts in the fuse block.  To me they looked clean, didnt appear to have rust.  But I used wet/dry paper on all contacts plus used dielectric grease.  Problem gone.  Just took it for a nice ride.  NO cut out with turn signals or with the reverse lights.  

Thank you guys!  Makes the cruise that much better!

And  its still Candy Apple Red!

[Mach1 Driver 560]

3 hours ago, ralt962 said:

But I used wet/dry paper on all contacts plus used dielectric grease.

Google dielectric grease and you get this:

Dielectric grease, or tune-up grease, is a silicone-based grease that repels moisture and protects electrical connections against corrosion. ... The grease does not conduct electricity, so it shouldn't be applied directly to the mating surfaces (pins and sockets) of an electrical connection.