bfellows

Help! Just removed radio and found two cables just floating around. Radio is a Blaupunkt london RDM 104 with multi changer.

2 questions:

What is the orange cable (1) and should it be connected to anything?

Second cable is part of the feed to the amp, should it go to earth (seperate) to the radio body, or nothing?

Thanks

Randy V

Did you remove the radio because you were having problems with it?

Typically, an orange wire is either for constant power to the unit to preserve memory settings, or is connected to the dash illumination circuit to allow the radio display to dim when you dim the other dash lights.

Not sure about that other connector.

bfellows

I removed the radio to check the aerial was connected (usual crappy FM signal with windscreen aerial) Found the aerial was connected, but not the other two wires.

I do have a problem with the radio, specifically the multi changer. When the car is in use it resumes play on the CD at the track / disc it was playing. If the ignition is switched off for 30 mins or so the CD resumes at track 1, disc 1. Annoying more than anything else. The preset stations and clock are not lost though. The multi changer has no permanent feed though so i assumed that was the problem.

Alan

Bert,
Nice looking paint!!

On #1 For Blaupunkt head unit Orange always = Illumination per Randy's previous comment. Connect it to the variable illumination for the dash lights if you want it to mimic that dimming.

For #2 if it goes to amp and everything is working OK seems unrelated to your changer issue. Is the radio on an unswitched line on the yellow permanent power so it retains everything. Make sure yellow from the head unit is connected and that its not connected to the same thing as red from the head unit...? (red is switched power with ignition & X Bus)

Alan

Alan

Bert,
Clarification. Blaupunkt Red needs to go to a switched 12V which will probably be Red or Red with a stripe but check its state with a meter while key is in ignition & on (12v) vs Key out & door open (0v). The Blaupunkt Yellow needs to go to permanent 12v which will be solid red but check as above that its always 12v regardless.

I suspect your connections are reversed or that your yellow is disconnected and Red is connected to permanent 12v. I think the radio would maintain memory state here but the CD changer likely would not.

When you turn off ignition (+ maybe open door) does your radio turn off or do you always have to turn it off manually ...?

It should turn off automatically with the ignition but you should then still be able to turn it back on manually with the ignition off... if not something is not right - likely as above.

Alan

bfellows

Thanks all, will report back!

bfellows

Anyone have any ideas on number 2??????

bfellows

Just for the record - I got hold of wiring diagram for RDM 104 and can confirm that #2 cable in pic goes to ground on rear of head unit.

I've tried swapping the permanent and ignition lives, but all that seems to happen is the unit tries to switch on, the display illuminates and then it switches off. It then cycles through the sequence till i disconnect. Any ideas?

John Krawczyk

Power antenna? (I remember mine being a blue wire) I know the S4s dont have them. My '79 does.

Brett Matthews

Bert,
Personally, I don't know what you are talking about, with the "(usual crappy FM signal with windscreen aerial)", 'cause my reception in my '87's windshield aerial is about the best reception I've ever had.
I think you had better check out your connections, specifically, at the little antenna booster box, that connects to the aerial in the windshield. It has a little wire coming out of it, that sometimes gets disconnected. This box is located, in my '87 S4, above the glove box, against the right side wall? A bit of disassembly required to get at it, BTW... Sometimes, a PO has "grounded" that little wire? Also, try to follow the antenna lead, all the way from the radio, while the glove box is disassembled, and try to understand all of it's connections, so you will KNOW that all connections are RIGHT, before you offhandedly dismiss the aerial. The lead may have become chaffed, and grounded out? I've really found that mine works VERY well! Untill I must put a non-aerial windshield into Rosy, I won't bother with a shark fin...
Got a WSM?

Chris

Number 2 looks suspicously like the alarm connector, you want to insulate that sucker, on my 91 it was left floating and would sound the alarm randomly ... took me a while to find that.

Chris

bfellows

Brett,

I think the crappy FM problem is more to do with radio in the UK in general as i have the same problem with some stations in my other cars ( i live in a very hilly area) perhaps i'm expecting to much from the booster? Thanks for the info with regard to antenna booster, i'll check it out this weekend!

Brett Matthews

You're welcome Bert,
I dunno, I can get somewhat over 50 miles away, in some hills, and still get my favorite station, long before distance fades it out... Hope you do find a problem, and can easily fix it.... And thank others, as well as Wally, I got the info myself, three years ago, on our Rennlist. Had to replace the stock radio, and the reception was AWFUL!

Ron_H

I confirm Brett's statement that the windshield antenna gives good reception. Mine does. Now if I can only get my new Boxster radio installed and operative all will be fine in Kalifornia.

Mark

Crappy reception isn't a problem for me...My XM works SUPER GOOD (except in tunnels!)!!

Best part about the XM - in the morning, you aren't forced to listen to a bunch of hillbillies who are the ONLY ones laughing at their (NOT FUNNY) "jokes"!