Becker Grand Prix - No sound after a while!!

Paul L

Sponsor
Messages
471
Dear All,

I have a problem with my Becker Grand Prix radio, which I have just re-fitted into my 3200,

The radio is just over a year old, it works fine in the car when the engine is off but after driving for ten minutes or so the speakers start to crackle and then fade to the rear speakers followed by no sound at all.

I have tried switching off for an hour or two and then starting again but no sound.

The unit connects with my mobile phone and also connects with the Ipod and everything works function wise just no sound.

Any ideas out there?

Paul L
 

ENZ525

Member
Messages
6,748
Hi Paul,
'Sounding fine with the engine off... but crackling with the engine on'
sounds to me like some sort of interference, this is usually fixed with a suppressor, but you would need to find the source of the interference first.
What is not clear though, is why you don't get the cracking with the engine on for the first 10 minutes...not sure really, sorry, :unsure:
Regards,
Enzo.
 

lozcb

Member
Messages
12,314
Dear All,

I have a problem with my Becker Grand Prix radio, which I have just re-fitted into my 3200,

The radio is just over a year old, it works fine in the car when the engine is off but after driving for ten minutes or so the speakers start to crackle and then fade to the rear speakers followed by no sound at all.

I have tried switching off for an hour or two and then starting again but no sound.

The unit connects with my mobile phone and also connects with the Ipod and everything works function wise just no sound.

Any ideas out there?

Paul L


Hi mate, first take the two sets of speaker wires from the rear speakers , down through the boot and connect to either side exhaust box , then take the live wire , and connect to your fly by wire throttle and hey presto channel FM Larini in stereo volume operated by your right foot:saifi3:


Sorry mate , anything with a red and black wire really confuses me , we need to get you a techie


regards loz
 

JAGPURR

New Member
Messages
91
Hi Paul,
Think the first thing I would do is remove and check all the plugs and connections at the rear of the unit. Sounds as though a connection is a bit dicky and loosening with vibration?
Worth a look, you have nothing to loose.
Keith
 

Paul L

Sponsor
Messages
471
Gents, many thanks for the replies,

Loz, do you know I actually read your post all the way until i went ohh, what a ??!! !

Enzo, many thanks for your reply, does make sense will look further into,

Jagpurr, many thanks I have tried the unplugging and re-connecting of all leads and still no joy!
 

Garry_c

Junior Member
Messages
58
Hi,

After my car came back from having some work done by the main dealer, the radio cut out after a short time. It turned out to be a set of speaker wires were trapped and shorted against the metalwork out once things started to move causing the radio to shutdown and then reset itself sometime later. Might be work a look.
 

Paul L

Sponsor
Messages
471
Dear All,

I have found out why my year old Becker died on me,

Moisture/water got into the unit causing corrosion then shorting and failure of a board within.

It is now being fixed as I write but the reason for the moisture/water getting in is causing me to scratch my little bald head.

Any ideas??

I have taken off the carbon radio surround and looked into the area behind where the unit would sit and it is bone dry, no evidence of any moisture.

There is one good bit of info from all of this and that is the company I used to solve the query and fix my radio, Maple Audio, details below


Maple Audio
4/5 Hayes Place
Bear Flat
Bath
BA2 4QW
Tel (01225) 442180
Fax (01225) 469790

http://www.mapleaudio.co.uk/
 

Emtee

New Member
Messages
8,446
Hi Paul,

Have you had any problems with your air-con? I had this for a while and it was throwing a great deal of moisture into the car. Turned out to be a combination of leaves blocking the fan grill (under the wipers) and a blocked air-con drain pipe, which runs behind the centre console. You wouldn't necessarily see water, but the general environment in the car would be very damp and certainly damp enough to cause corrosion if left un-checked.

Glad you're getting the Becker sorted and I hope you trace the cause.

Cheers, Emtee.
 

Paul L

Sponsor
Messages
471
Hi Emtee,

Yes, to having heavy condensation on the passenger side of the wind screen previously.

I recently had the pollen filter changed and the guys servicing remarked that the condition of the filter gave the impression that it had not been replaced in many a year. It has improved after this service.

The air-con drain pipe behind the centre console easy to view or get to?

Cheers in advance

Paul
 

Emtee

New Member
Messages
8,446
Hi Paul,

It's not a difficult job but just means scrambling around on your knee's with your head under the steering wheel. Basically remove the drivers side centre console carpet. It's the one with the left leg rest on it. It's about 5 cross-head screws from memory with cap washers.

Once the carpets out you'll see a black rubber tube about a cm and a half in diameter that comes across the back of the console and then heads vertically down onto a rubber drain moulding. The tube is a push fit, so just gently pull it vertically up to remove it. Once the tubes out, you can then gently prize out the drain moulding, which can be done by hand, although it's a bit awkward to get at. Quite likely that this is clogged. Just remove the obstruction and re-fit. There's a post on here. I've put the link below.

http://www.sportsmaserati.co.uk/showthread.php/222-Aircon-clean-out-pollen-filter

Pictures 5 to 8 show the tube and drain moulding with the last two showing the moulding once removed.

Hope this is helpful?

Cheers, Emtee.
 

Paul L

Sponsor
Messages
471
Emtee,

Great stuff,

My radio is being sent back to me in the morning, so I will also look into this matter of the drain tube and ensuring that it is not blocked also.

Will take photo's as we go and get back to all on this
 

safrane

Member
Messages
16,749
There was a pictorial guide to the cleaning of the air-con pipe on here...or the dark side!
 

Paul L

Sponsor
Messages
471
Dear All,

Two bits of good news,

As per Emtee's link to Matt's photographs, the query of misting of windows. I carried out a little investigation into the drain pipe and the pollen fliter, all areas were clear and looking good. No blockages in drainage pipe and air flows when using the Econ system. A few leaves in the pollen filter area but all dry and looking good.

The Becker radio is back in and sounding pretty dam good thanks to Maple Audio. The problem with the radio was a corroded PCB assy which led to a replaced power amp.
All connected to the Ipod and hands free mobile again!

The query of where to moisture came from leading to the corrosion in the first place is still a bit of a mystery, all is dry within and around radio. Fingers crossed and keep my eyes peeled.

Many thanks to all for giving me help,info and advice, its very much appreciated

Paul