Audio: I have an idea what's wrong, how do I fix it?

When I have the radio on, usually it's the left speaker will cut out. I can get it back by pulling on the lower grab rail for that assembly (left side). I assume this means I have a poor connection in one of the 20-some pin blue connectors under the radio controller but how do I fix it?

I also sometimes have the radio controller turn up a total brain fart and stop working, any insight into that?

I am thinking about a project to use the guts of a cheap stereo bluetooth headset and a cheap USB cig plug adapter (12v to 5v@2 amp) to make a bluetooth connection in place of the cassette player. I would love to have a good pinout of those two connectors because my plan so far is to bypass them as much as possible.

If you help me do this I'll spill the beans on components, sources, wiring, the works. I am also planning to integrate the extremely flat speakers from the stereo BT headset into a helmet intercom set-up.

I want keep the existing radio infrastructure as much as possible because I use the CB sometimes and need to have the priority mixing function provided for that.

Seems that the connector under the control panel might have intermittent connection.

The lower section of the components are heavy and so over time tend to drop down a bit and the controller section tends to move up. So what I've done for mine is to add a couple of nuts under the lower part of the connectors, so that when you put the controller part in it's place the connection is better.

Pull the control panel and closely examine each of the many pins and sockets in those blue connectors. Sometimes if the panel doesn't go on perfectly, one or more of the pins/sockets may be misaligned and when the panel is seated, the misaligned pin/socket will get pushed into its respective connector body. Instead of a good male/female connection, you end up with an "end to end" contact of the pin and socket.

I am thinking about a project to use the guts of a cheap stereo bluetooth headset and a cheap USB cig plug adapter (12v to 5v@2 amp) to make a bluetooth connection in place of the cassette player.

 

I want keep the existing radio infrastructure as much as possible because I use the CB sometimes and need to have the priority mixing function provided for that.

The maker of the VentureMP3 for the Second Gens also makes a device that allows integration of any device that uses a 3.5 mm male jack connector as an audio output, into the stock First Gen audio system. He (Jesus Barrantes) offers a Bluetooth receiver that can be plugged into the device he makes. More information here: http://ventureaudiolink.wordpress.com/

I purchased one, but I have yet to install it. (My bike is currently disassembled.)

He can be contacted via email: info@venturemp3.com

BTW: If you go to Jesus' site linked above, he shows a photograph of the underside of the Venture audio unit. Note the nut, washer and rubber grommet in the photo; that is the rubber damped mounting point that holds the main amplifier. Your intermittent connection problem in your original post may also result if that depicted rubber dampened mount is loose or if the rubber is compressed or if the rubber or washer or nut is missing. http://ventureaudiolink.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/easyinstall2.jpg?w=645&h=613

Pull out radio, Inspect all those little pins for being bent, Also, get a can of

electrical contact cleaner , at radio shack, or auto parts, and Spray down

all the connectors in the radio mount area.

I will try almost all of these suggestions, especially looking into the mounting items that was suggested. I have looked at the pins but I didn't think I saw any bent ones. The contact cleaner sounds like good advice, I hope it works without wiping because it looks like it would be tough to wipe each pin and could end up bending one. I definitely don't want to make any of the pins smaller by sanding or anything like that.

I knew about the Venture link and it is pretty neat but I do want to use BT and I even have a receiver like Jesus offers that I've used with a cheap rebroadcasting cig plug thingy. The only thing about that solution is that you have to power or charge the BT receiver somehow and I decided that I would build in the cig plug USB charge ports and hard wire +5 from it into the headphone BT circuit to keep it active. I just drill a hole large enough for it to push through and glue it in place and wire it up underneath. I'll have the control side of the BT headphones available inside the gutted cassette deck so that I can pair a different phone with it when I need to. When I'm finished I should just have to turn the key on the bike with my phone in my pocket and it will start shuffling my tunes for me. The wires on that BT headset are super tiny though and I'm sure it'll be fun to solder to.

Menards had a BT receiver in their close-outs for $14 yesterday, I just had the idea that I should test that thing to see how well it might work to build in. It would offer more substantial wires for the audio channels maybe.

Thanks again, I will update when I get anything accomplished on this.

Try a toothbrush to scrub the pins while spraying with cleaner...

It's been reported quite often, audio intermittents, power blinks... the two. lower receiver connections, after years of tuner/cassette rack removal and reinstall, tend to flex down on install resulting in a poor connection. I put a couple small washers between the lower connections and the tray to raise the connectors up a bit and now the "seating" of the radio rack is solid and tight.

Mike

Amico AC 250V 2A 125V 6A on/off/on 4PDT Toggle Switch with Waterproof Boot

On Amazon: Amico%20AC%20250V%202A%20125V%206A%20on/off/on%204PDT%20Toggle%20Switch%20with%20Waterproof%20Boot%20-%20Amazon.com@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41U3K5xeMRL.@@AMEPARAM@@41U3K5xeMRL"]4PDT

The rest of it (USB charger) is just the kind that plugs into your 12v cig lighter socket. I opened it and soldered in wires to connect to the ACC fuse. I decided that I may use standard cables under the top assembly from the USB to BT RCVR and from BT into wiring harness. The BT RCVR works well while on charger so that's good. If I later have connector trouble then I'll hardwire stuff. This is assuming that I get the 24 pin connectors sorted out.

So far I have about $25 spent.

I recommend this BT RCVR , it will operate while connected to a charger and has buttons on the side that let you go forward to the next track or back to the previous one.

Here's a few more photos for your enjoyment.

BTW, I realize now that the 4PDT switch is a waste but I'm using it anyway because it has the rubber boot and I may use some other optioning on it. I am not sure that the 12v to the cassette is going to have the load capability for my USB charging port so I'll probably wire that into the bike and use unplugging the USB cable itself to enable the removal of the radio section from the rest of the bike. The draw back will be that I will have to power up the BT manually when I start the bike rather than have it start with the key. Later I may rethink this, I'd really like it to work more automagically.

I'll add more info later. So far it still seems to be wired correctly, no opens or shorts.

Final assembly details.

Remember what I said could have been your original problem of intermittent audio operation? On the pic of "My pins", notice the third pin down on the right hand row in the right connector? It appears to be recessed into the connector body. Prolly want to fix that. That pin may not be doing anything now with your new set-up, then again...

Remember what I said could have been your original problem of intermittent audio operation? On the pic of "My pins", notice the third pin down on the right hand row in the right connector? It appears to be recessed into the connector body. Prolly want to fix that. That pin may not be doing anything now with your new set-up, then again...

Good eye! No wonder you can guess all of those motorbikes, you've got an eye for detail.

I thought for a second that it was the left audio pin itself (pin 5), but I guess it's an unknown pin.

I'll fix it and we'll see what happens.

Thanks!

I modified this document that another member developed in order to show how I had wired my switch, plug, and cables. I would like it to be available full size but I am not sure how to do that. Any help with that?

It was documented in another article that the cassette inputs are active when the connection between pins 6 & 7 of cassette cable are open so I used the fourth pole of my switch (4PDT) and wired the 12v signal to the common and "cassette enable" to the corresponding pin on the opposite bank from those used for my 3.5mm plug.

It's 35 degrees out so I'm going to chuck it into the bike and see if it works.

Actually I didn't get enough sleep last night. When I went to look at the thermometer again it said 3.5 degrees. Maybe I'll test it in a few days.

OK, so it was 35 today and the mods work just fine except the washers I put under the blue connectors seem a little too thick and need to come back out.

I also need to really get at the connector that is on the bike side in the radio mounting to fix that pin that pushes in. Does anyone know how much stuff has to come out before I can get those connectors free of the bike? Also does anyone know where to find a pinout of the large Molex connector just under the radio mount in the left side of the fairing?

As always, thanks in advance for your help.

Pull the control panel and closely examine each of the many pins and sockets in those blue connectors. Sometimes if the panel doesn't go on perfectly, one or more of the pins/sockets may be misaligned and when the panel is seated, the misaligned pin/socket will get pushed into its respective connector body. Instead of a good male/female connection, you end up with an "end to end" contact of the pin and socket.

Do you have any instructions on how to repair that female pin

where are the photos

where are the photos

Thought I was the only one who couldn't see them

Pictures have been restored.