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  •  » 69 Grande gremlins

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    4/04/2014 5:21 PM  #1

    Physics Doc
    FYI FORD Member

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    Registered: 4/07/2013
    Posts: 22

    69 Grande gremlins

    69 Grande
    I have a gremlin which causes my radio to power off briefly (it goes off and then back on) under a variety of conditions.  It's an aftermarket radio, and the power off event is like losing accessory power, not constant battery power (it doesn't lose the channels and when it comes back on it's on the same channel as before). I am using the original radio power line (blue with red stripe) out of the fuse box. The original fuse position says "B/U light and radio".
    The power off and back on occurs sporadically but it is always connected with either 1) turning on headlights 2) turning on a blinker 3)braking 4) moving from park to drive.  It doesn't happen every time, which is frustrating my finding the problem. I have checked wires for shorts and opens. Everything seems solid.  I can wiggle wires and it won't happen.  My next guess is the headlight switch (it is original).  Any good suggestions (including testing) would be appreciated.

     

    4/04/2014 8:01 PM  #2

    6sally6
    Hyper FYIFORD ADDICT

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    From: Surfside Beach,SC
    Registered: 4/02/2013
    Posts: 6,463

    Re: 69 Grande gremlins

    I'm willing to bet the original wire is not big enough to carry the load to an after market radio!
    Axe me how I know.....
    Buddy of mine helped me run a heavier wire from the battery to a remote fuse panel that just lays on the heater box. From there to the radio and now it works great. 
    He said the stock wire was JUST adaquate for the old stock am radio+that was 50 year old wire too. Bigger/better wire solved it.
    6sal6

    Get busy Liv'in or get busy Die'n....Host of the 2020 Bash at the Beach/The only Bash that got cancelled  )8
     

    4/05/2014 8:31 AM  #3

    wsinsle
    Senior 24-7 FYI Addict

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    From: Belle Vernon, PA
    Registered: 4/01/2013
    Posts: 1,664

    Re: 69 Grande gremlins

    I agree with Sal for the best fix. For a quick fix try the fuse holder, sometimes the fuse prongs spread oner time and don't hold the fuse tight. But I would still look into a heaver wire.

    If this forum can't fix it, it isn't broke.
     

    4/05/2014 7:31 PM  #4

    Physics Doc
    FYI FORD Member

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    Registered: 4/07/2013
    Posts: 22

    Re: 69 Grande gremlins

    Thanks for the suggestion, guys. This sounds reasonable to me. I found that the blinker flasher is spliced on the same circuit (and the radio power is a thin yellow/black wire, not blue/red--oops), so that could be causing a big voltage drop which would affect the radio if the radio voltage was already low due to the thin wire.  NAPA has some AGC fuse taps that I'll get Monday and run a 14 gauge to the radio. I'll let you know how it goes.

       •Thread Starter
     

    4/26/2014 11:21 AM  #5

    Physics Doc
    FYI FORD Member

    Offline

    Registered: 4/07/2013
    Posts: 22

    Re: 69 Grande gremlins

    Got the AGC fuse tap and put this in with the proper radio fuse position, ran a 14 guage wire directly to the tap. This seems to have fixed my radio gremlin...now on to others
    1) horn
    2) backup lights
    I'll post separately.

       •Thread Starter
     

     

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