Caravan Problem with Radio/Tape Player

Get some tweezers with serrated ends and carefully pick it out. Make sure they haven't been magnetized.

Hachiroku's original question was, how does he get the darn cassette player out of the dash?

I can't help, because I don't have one of those vehicles...but although the prior respondents to the question didn't answer the question, I'm sure SOMEBODY will.

Note that he also says the tape was bad and it broke. If the leader came off the takeup spool, this can easily happen. However, in any case, once Hachiroku gets the cassette out, he does need to clean the capstan, pinch roller and heads if he hasn't done this regularly from Day One. Cassettes leave deposits of oxide and the binder for that oxide, everywhere the tape touches. If anyone else who uses a cassette player in their cars has never cleaned its tape path, it's not too late to start; and you may be shocked at what you find.

A CD player would be more practical these days. Years ago, before the ability to copy CDs on your personal computer, I didn't want to risk my CDs by having them in the car, so I dubbed them onto cassettes. But it's so easy to make duplicates or to compile your own CDs now. But if he's going to use a "car kit" he may as well make the jump to an mp3 player; even though iPods and other such machines make sonic compromises that one (at least I) can hear on a fine quality home stereo system, the effect on listening in the car is zero, and much more music can be stored and played without the hassle of changing CDs, and the mechanical foibles that can affect CD players.

The above comment about ease of copying CDs doesn't apply to the recent Sony (and associated label) ones, where anti-copy files were included on the disc that could actually be damaging to your computer. Sony has thus classed itself alongside criminals who write and distribute computer viruses, and it's too bad there are not enough guts in the law that they would be subject to Federal prosecution.

-GP

Did you say Cassette? Even if you get out the loose tape the unit will probably do it again if you don't clean the "pinch roller". This is the rubber wheel you should see when looking inside the cassette door. If this does not work...the best solution would be to come into the year

2006 and go to your local electronics store and seek out a FM/CD player...it is inevitable.

The last time that happened to me I was able to grasp the tape with a pair of what I think are called forceps, they look like scissors but with flat, serrated jaws that lock. But typically having a bunch of tape wound around the part you're talking about ends up bending it slightly and it won't play right and/or will eat tape again. I agree with the other poster about just resigning yourself to the fact that cd's are much more practical for many reasons. Another option would be to get one of those cd player "car kits", Sony makes them, a portable cd player which has that cassette thingy which plugs into your cassette player allowing you to play cd's through your cars extant tape deck--easier than changing the whole unit, plus it's portable to play elsewhere. Often they will play even if the cassette player mechanism doesn't run. $60 at Sears.

No, it was an "ED" question, and it was:

The procedure would be to remove the trim panel (bezel) and it should expose the 4screws that hold the radio into the cavity, pull the radio out enough to remove the plugs in the back of it. Then replace it with a FM/CD player, Sirius, or similar.

The question was not answered directly because this is an advice column. What "the prior respondents" were saying was don't waste your time by taking the cassette out and if you have to remove it, replace it because it is worthless. -J

"WORTHLESS" is in the eye of the (jaundiced) beholder.

The people who called it "worthless" are the ones who think it's an advice column. They should have simply answered about how to get the radio/cassette out, as Wrench 007 did, and lay off spouting off their opinions about replacing the unit.

Whether the person asking the question thinks it's worth taking out, fixing, and putting back is up to him only, not to someone else who insists on being presumptuous and authoritarian.

Bill

LOL! That wasn't me! I took the original Infinity head unit out of the thing and replaced it with a Sony CD player before I even put it on the road! ;)

The Sony with the Infinty amp sounds great! Why, I can't even hear the sticky lifter or broken tower clacking like a time bomb anymore!!!! ;)

Hmmm...Are you giving ADVICE?

Is this more ADVICE? Some people will always like Cassette and Vinyls and that is up to them, however when a device cost more to repair than its dollar value for replacement, my advice or opinion is that it is worthless.-J

Absolutely!!! always get a good radio in the vehicle before fixing the major engine problems so you can listen to the tunes on the side of the road when you break down.

Glenn Beasley Chrysler Tech

yes and no. Cds can be shorter than cassettes.

pfft that much? I've had a few for $15, and you can buy a portable CD player for $10 at walmart. problem is, advanced Cassette players don't like em.

I have a RadioCassette deck that I bought end of 2000 in my civic, cost me roughly 200GBp (or $300) Sony unit. Won't take those types of adapter (used to use it for my minidisc player) One day i'll buy the Cd changer for it (was the top of the line sony tape head unit) since its thoughrally up to date - hell it does a lot of stuff radio-side that US stations haven't adopted yet, like EOS (although since you've not got that many national stations, or multi-broadcast stations anyway that its not that required) or the TA function (used mainly by local radio stations in the UK, when they start a traffic report, they hit a button, sends out a signal. It'd switch to the radio station, even if you're lsitening toa Cd, tape, or sometimes, depending on the head unit, another station. Helped a lot. Or even through thre advanced RDS, search by genre through radio stations.

Cassette isn't that antiquated. Its still comon, and modern. ESpecailly as the radio network is still behind on technological advancement over Europe, back from when tapes were common.

On another note, finally tried the cass player in my 97 T+c with a rented audiobook from my library. was behaving weird, look to be overly sensitive on the torque sensor one way, and the speed control messed up for the other way,

either way, don't go putting down da tape.

My local Sears has those car kit cd players for about $60, and I figured they must be that expensive because I haven't seen the kits anywhere else. But I never looked that hard, either. Radio Shack had the portable cd players, and the cassette thing with the wires coming off it was sold separately--combined cost of which amounted to the same cost as the car kit. Also, the Sony car kit (Sears) includes a dash mount remote control for the cd player.

Sorry, i don't think i really finished what meant about those adapters - they don't work in advanced tape decks. Generally any with music sensor technology (moves to gaps in sound, a pseudo-track element in the tape-player. Mainly because those decks extra-load the tape, so they can read it seperately from playing it. Obviously, these adapters don't have any tape to pre-read, so they're automatically rejected.

in short, they're not an option. Better would be one of the radio-based units. Walmart does one that had an audio input, and also a slot for a usb drive, with player controls, for $40

HAHAHA! Absoultely!

I paid $100. I've gotten 2500 miles. I actually got the heat working...sort of...on warmer days. $40 for two used tires.

Blows up tomorrow...owes me nothing. I get another one!

See my new post to figure the logic!! ;)

This is ED again; thanks to everyone who responded with comments and advice. My equipment may be a generation behind but then, so am I. I really don't need or want a CD player for this old vehicle. I use the cassette player to listen to books on tape I get from the library. I'm going to buy a forceps to try that first but the broken tape is so far in I'm not sure I'll reach it. I looked at the trim panel and tried to gently remove it with a small pry bar but I don't want to break it. Can someone tell me what kind of clips I will find, where they are, and what kind of tool to use? or better yet, a link to an on-line diagram. Thanks again.

I just saw Glenn's answer to Maxpower--I'll try that.. Thanks.

I just read Glenn's response to bwiley--I'll try that. Thanks.