Radio speaker "pops" when I turn it on.

[John F.]

What causes the speaker to "pop" when you turn the radio on? Also, are there different speakers for cars with a/c? Can they be rebuilt if original? What to look for? Ohms?

[Ed S.]

Re: Radio speaker "pops" when I turn it on.

John,

Not sure of your description of "pop" when you turn the radio on - a pop to you may be a loud static - which occurs when the internal components of the volume control on a C2 radio becomes dirty. On the other hand you very well may have a "pop" caused by an electrical surge. Is the sound coming through the speaker or from inside the radio or some other location? That will help identify the possible cause. What ever you do, DO NOT spray electric contact cleaner or WD40 or something like that into the volume control device - you will ruin it for good.

As for correct speakers - don't know if an AC car has a different speaker - but even if it does, the most important thing is to get a speaker that is matched to your radio. For more on this subject see this website - http://electrodesign.us/index.htm. Jerry Rudbeck is one of the best C2 radio guys alive today. Unfortunately, he is taking a breather from radio repairs but there is a lot of good info on his website.

Hope this helps.

[John F.]

Re: Radio speaker "pops" when I turn it on.

The sound is thru the speaker when you turn it on.

[Harry S.]

Re: Radio speaker "pops" when I turn it on.

What causes the speaker to "pop" when you turn the radio on? Also, are there different speakers for cars with a/c? Can they be rebuilt if original? What to look for? Ohms?

John, I'll let another speak to the popping sound but it's internal to the radio. On the speaker, I believe all C2's came with speaker 7282156. Both my 63 A/C and non-A/C car have that speaker. The 7282256 is the service replacement. Yes it does have a lower profile to make it easier to install in A/C cars. The other number on the speaker is 466XXX where XXX is the year and month produces. So 466416 would be the 16th week of 1964. They all can be restored/reconed. Just ask the restorer to install the cloth to keep dust etc off the cone.

How was the picture of the battery cut-off I posted for you???

[John F.]

Re: Radio speaker "pops" when I turn it on.

Thank you for that picture. My car is still up North,so I have not been able to get my hands on something to mess with. I hope to get it down here in the next month.

[Leif A.]

Re: Radio speaker "pops" when I turn it on.

John,

Not sure of your description of "pop" when you turn the radio on - a pop to you may be a loud static - which occurs when the internal components of the volume control on a C2 radio becomes dirty. On the other hand you very well may have a "pop" caused by an electrical surge. Is the sound coming through the speaker or from inside the radio or some other location? That will help identify the possible cause. What ever you do, DO NOT spray electric contact cleaner or WD40 or something like that into the volume control device - you will ruin it for good.

As for correct speakers - don't know if an AC car has a different speaker - but even if it does, the most important thing is to get a speaker that is matched to your radio. For more on this subject see this website - http://electrodesign.us/index.htm. Jerry Rudbeck is one of the best C2 radio guys alive today. Unfortunately, he is taking a breather from radio repairs but there is a lot of good info on his website.

Hope this helps.

Why is this, Ed? I've always thought you could use that aerosol on both the volume control, tuner control and the AM/FM slider to keep clean...if not, what do you recommend?

[Donald H.]

Re: Radio speaker "pops" when I turn it on.

Jerry Rudick restored my 66 coupe radio. The crackle or static sound when you turn it on is not the speaker, it is the radio. I can't remember how Jerry described the cause, but he said it would do more harm to try and clean the on/off/volume assembly with any electronic or other aerosol cleaner. I don't have my radio working in the car yet, but he said whatever he does to restore the part may last forever or for a week. The only way to really fix it was to replace the part (I can't remember what it was called) with an NOS one and that they are far and few between and very expensive.

If you do decide to replace the speaker with aftermarket, the only one Jerry recommended is at the link below. Scroll down about 3/4 of the web page and you will find a listing for 1958 - 1967 Corvette Speaker

http://www.turnswitch.com/speakers.htm

[Donald H.]

Re: Radio speaker "pops" when I turn it on.

I also have a 67 convertible and the radio does the same thing. It crackles and pops when I turn it on, but one I get it to the desired volume the cleans up and work fine.

Don

[Ed S.]

Re: Radio speaker "pops" when I turn it on.

Leif,

I had my radio repaired by Jerry Rudbeck - it came back looking and performing as good as, if not better than new. In addition to giving me a detailed breakdown of what he did to it, he also send me a short note with recommendations to keep it operating in great shape. One issue that is common to mid 1960s GM radios is the design of the on/off & volume control. It contains a stack of small carbon disks that have a tendency to corrode - and get dirty - that is what causes the static when you turn the knob. If you use WD40 or similar products it permanently damages the disks. Jerry recommended using a spray product called DEOXIT - designed for cleaning electric contacts. It is an aerosol and is cost about $15 for a small can.

If you go to Jerry's website (http://www.electrodesign.us/corvetteradioinfo.htm) and click on "Corvette Radio Info & FAQs" he addresses the scratchy volume control issue towards the bottom of the page. The referenced web page does not mention DEOXIT - but he did recommend in to me in e mails and in a note he included when he returned my refurbished radio.

[Leif A.]

Re: Radio speaker "pops" when I turn it on.

Ed,
Thanks for the heads up. Mine has the same "crackling" sounds when I first turn it on but only when turning it on. I'll try to find some DEOXIT.

Edit: Just Googled it...Radio Shack carries it. Also, available online thru Amazon.

[Richard M.]

Re: Radio speaker "pops" when I turn it on.

This is what the internals of the on/off volume control look like. It's practically impossible to properly clean it from external access.

I repaired this one. Not easy, but doable. I sent these pictures to Jerry then and may have to use my method some day. The final reattach method is silver solder as the intenal tabs must be broken to extract the switch from the gang assembly.

As usual, picture heavy.

[Stephen L.]

Re: Radio speaker "pops" when I turn it on.

Richard, that was one nasty switch. Did you also go further and clean up the volume control potentiometer located on the same shaft???

[Harry S.]

Re: Radio speaker "pops" when I turn it on.

Went to Radio Shack this am for some DEOXIT. I sprayed the shaft on the on/off side on my 63 gave it a few turns and the noise is gone from the speaker.

Thank You

[Richard M.]

Re: Radio speaker "pops" when I turn it on.

Stephen, I didn't touch it as it worked fine when I got the radio turned on with a jumper wire across the switch terminals when diagnosing the radio. All before I pulled the switch assembly out of the case.

Rich

[John F.]

Re: Radio speaker "pops" when I turn it on.

Are talking about this stuff from Radio Shack? Where exactly did you spray it? Was the radio out of the car?

John