Radio sound dead

[632 Regal]

Happened a few months ago and after 20 minutes it was alive. Worked fine till 2 days ago, then it came back and then not.

Not much time to check but it has to be the power amp. All radio functions. changes stations and in the dash just no sound. I have been busy so haven't checked anything yet, did disconnect the battery for a while but no change with the radio.

Possibly a bad fuse but where would it be?

[shogun]

Maybe a bad capacitor, my wrenching buddy repaired his one, here in Japanese language, but the pics will explain enough http://infinitier.ddo.jp/e32/page/mainte/mainte_50529.htm

[632 Regal]

I don't think it's a capacitor but that idea makes me think about a bad solder connection somewhere in the amp or a bad plug in connection back there.. It did come on today for almost a second...

[genphreak]

Maybe a bad capacitor, my wrenching buddy repaired his one, here in Japanese language, but the pics will explain enough http://infinitier.ddo.jp/e32/page/mainte/mainte_50529.htm

Yes, caps all die at some point. >20 years is quite excellent in any book, especially if in a car.

My radio is quiet, as if there is no boost from the amp. It's barely loud at full volume.

Luckily I have a spare amplifier, so I will swap that in and see if it just fixes it!

Might take a look at the caps first tho... lol!~

[632 Regal]

Not the connection at the amp however it is silent when unplugged. When hooked up it makes a slight bumping static sound. have to disassemble it from the bracket tomorrow to check things out.

[Jehu]

I have three stock e34 540 cassette radios of unknown operational condition I am willing to send you for shipping if you are interested.

I bought a CD43 a few years ago and am using the GROM USB unit which does USB sticks, Android phones and Bluetooth.

[632 Regal]

I have three stock e34 540 cassette radios of unknown operational condition I am willing to send you for shipping if you are interested.

I bought a CD43 a few years ago and am using the GROM USB unit which does USB sticks, Android phones and Bluetooth.

Thanks for the offer. I have not had a minute to even take the covers off the amp yet. I am however not liking no radio on my work drive so as soon as I can I will open this amp up. I really don't think it's the radio but it also has it's own issues. Do you have the codes for them?

[Jehu]

Thanks for the offer. I have not had a minute to even take the covers off the amp yet. I am however not liking no radio on my work drive so as soon as I can I will open this amp up. I really don't think it's the radio but it also has it's own issues. Do you have the codes for them?



Dang it , been so long since I took them out I have lost track of the codes.. I will see about what I can get with the titles..I think I have all the titles for the three 540's I've owned... the dealership will give me the codes if I have the titles I hear.

[632 Regal]

Played with the amp, definitely a capacitor somewhere... Nothing obvious yet.

[632 Regal]

Maybe a bad capacitor, my wrenching buddy repaired his one, here in Japanese language, but the pics will explain enough http://infinitier.ddo.jp/e32/page/mainte/mainte_50529.htm

Mine is different:

853185328533

The part under the cooling fins is not accessible, clipped in with heavy duty pop together clips. I did use a stainless brush on the solder areas I could access and it tries to come on and fizzles out. Can repeat this sometimes so I will try to reheat the solder contacts under the capacitors and see what happens.

[Jehu]

Mine is different:


The part under the cooling fins is not accessible, clipped in with heavy duty pop together clips. I did use a stainless brush on the solder areas I could access and it tries to come on and fizzles out. Can repeat this sometimes so I will try to reheat the solder contacts under the capacitors and see what happens.
FWIW

This 540 I bought came with the stock Amp removed. Looked like the PO tried to use an aftermarket Amp but I just wired the harness back onto itself bypassing the amp and the head-unit is the only power source

one issue that may arise from this is engine whine.

I sometimes get it using the GROM USB but not with the radio or a CD.

You ought to be able to connect the speaker wires if you don't mind splicing so you can at least use the head unit..

[632 Regal]

No, it's the amp. A bad solder joint somewhere but fret not! Driving the wife and kid today and the radio was making staticy sounds, I mentioned that she is trying today lol. Wham! On it goes and worked for over an hour. No clue if it will work again but I am willing to say it might work for another year or so.

[Paul in NZ]

just get a cd 43 they look stock!

[632 Regal]

just get a cd 43 they look stock!

So does stock.

I got about 6 seconds of play out of her today, most satisfying. Ordered a whole bunch of soldering equipment and supplies, looks like I'm opening an electronic repair facility. The amp board looks like it was submerged in saltwater for a decade so I will reflow the (million) solder points and hope I actually hit the problem one. If they even get a 93 or above e34 in the local pull-a-part I will just grab an amp. Until then I have a determination to fault that I intend on making this thing live again.

Cut out one time last year for about 15 minutes and then came back on for over a year so I do have faith in it. If I had a decent camera I would take pictures to show the board but as everything is around here I am limited in technology.

[genphreak]

Good on ya moit! Make that ol' bugger sing!

Here are some pics of the two I have; I did swap the Loewe like you have out for the older one I had here, but it sounds identical.

First two pics are of the later Loewe amp, the last two the old one. Both of these work- and neither have the corrosion you described. I've found that the sound volume is low probably because the FM front end of the radio is low or its simply not very powerful. Probably better with CD. Maybe I should hook that up to see.

I can send you my old amp (for free) if it helps- shipping from Australia for 2-3lbs won't exactly be cheap though.

Note, the older amp fitted to M50/M60 '10 speaker Hi-Fi sound' option models are mounted on a heavier bracket. The newer one they put a hole in the middle just to save mass (see the first pic). Nice. Still, if it were Japanese, it'd be 1/10th the weight of the light one.. probably just tin straps.

For everyone other than Jeff, this is the insides of the Loewe amp/what he is working on. Note these two models we're discussing are both booster amps, and that they lack the high power crossover first used in the previous e32/e34 (M20/M30/M70 powered) cars. The old ones were far better as you can remove the crap bit (namely the power amp) as one module. The ones we're discussing in this thread got rid of the high power crossovers. It would be good to know if it is still possible to wire in the 4 outputs of an aftermarket power amp with these. By today's standards these amps just sound crap no matter what you drive them with.

Apart from BMW cheaping out on the first this new design, they obviously didn't feel they'd cheaped out enough. Looks like they gave the 'still expensive' Nokia ones to Loewe and said 'make a cheaper one', (Toyota style).

I looked at retrofitting the oldest style amp (the one with the high level crossovers), however the plugs are different so it's not exactly easy to do. Maybe there is a possible mod for these new ones, so we can (somehow) use them in a similar way, ie add external amps and still use the crossovers by simply splicing into the speaker connector or the main board. Better late than never, after all...

2 pics of the later Loewe version like Jeff's in pieces:
8535
8536

Next two pic are the inside of the older Nokia model, I think this was used in most production 1993-94. It is blacker, squarer, meaner... but sounds just as bad
8537
8538

[Jehu]

I have a four channel Audison 30 watt (I think) amp I bought around 2001

looks like this

https://3284430f493d1f5bbf3c-7fcb80130a61d729161261090763bfb8.ssl.cf1.rackcdn.c om/511922/nengun-511922-00-unknown-4-channel_amplifier_vr_404_xr-9a749c3ca7.jpg


Do you think such a thing could be worth rigging to the CD43?



So does stock.

I got about 6 seconds of play out of her today, most satisfying. Ordered a whole bunch of soldering equipment and supplies, looks like I'm opening an electronic repair facility. The amp board looks like it was submerged in saltwater for a decade so I will reflow the (million) solder points and hope I actually hit the problem one. If they even get a 93 or above e34 in the local pull-a-part I will just grab an amp. Until then I have a determination to fault that I intend on making this thing live again.

Cut out one time last year for about 15 minutes and then came back on for over a year so I do have faith in it. If I had a decent camera I would take pictures to show the board but as everything is around here I am limited in technology.

[rbrickman]

Had the same problem and that's because the amp got fried.

[632 Regal]

Had the same problem and that's because the amp got fried.

It is so hit and miss I get excited when I get sound. Kinda like a go-cart with a radio. Got all my solder stuff but a couple hundred reflows makes me want to clean gutters or powerwash porches and decks or the siding or look for an oil leak etc... you know.

[genphreak]

In mine I just realised the right side tweeter is not working.

Will swap the amp back to the late version and see if its the right amp HF channel, or if I need to test the tweeter or wiring.

[632 Regal]

So I can use the older amp, is it plug and play?

[genphreak]

When you say older amp, if you mean one that came from a car with M20/M30 and Hi-Fi sound, I am sure you cannot!

If you mean one from an M50/M60 car with Hi-Fi sound, I think yes.

[632 Regal]

Scored this from a 94 540 today:

http://www.bimmernut.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=8539&d=1491694351

Is different but the connections appear to be the same.

[632 Regal]

Well the new old one kinda works if you play with the fine pin connection. Wont work loose and wont work connected, somewhere in the middle I get rear and right and left but not all together. Used Gordons Stabilant 22 and no change. Put the old amp back in and still works. Son is thinking the solder connections to the small pins are compromised on the one we just scored. At least we can see that compared to the old one. If no deal I can return and score more free stuff lol.

[bob91343]

I have a 1994 E34 530i with trunk mounted CD changer and I get no audio. It's intermittent. But all channels cut in and out at once so I don't suspect power amplifier. Is there a source for schematic diagram of this?

[shogun]

check here, these are US ETM's https://shark.armchair.mb.ca/~dave/BMW/e34/

[bob91343]

check here, these are US ETM's https://shark.armchair.mb.ca/~dave/BMW/e34/
Those diagrams show interconnections between the radio and the rest of the car but not the innards of the radio itself.

[632 Regal]

Bob, I just experienced the audio cutting off and on again. Noticed while hitting a bump with 10 12 foot deck boards the audio popped off and on and then off. Wait a while and it's good.

Today I decided to pull the amp and spray it with deoxit, exercise the connectors and put it back. This still would not turn on although the radio was on, lights etc.

Pulled the trunk coverings back out and when messing with the wires it would come and go. The wires going to the forward connection are the culprit for me. Pulled the amp again and found it is some intermittent connection in a location unknown to the forward most connection. Jammed the cables so it worked and tightened the amp back down. The wire cable is tight in a working position so I am hoping this is a permanent solution.

Sorry vague man but this is what I did.

[632 Regal]

I have a 1994 E34 530i with trunk mounted CD changer and I get no audio. It's intermittent. But all channels cut in and out at once so I don't suspect power amplifier. Is there a source for schematic diagram of this?

Only with the CD player?

Bob, I just experienced the audio cutting off and on again. Noticed while hitting a bump with 10 12 foot deck boards the audio popped off and on and then off. Wait a while and it's good.

Today I decided to pull the amp and spray it with deoxit, exercise the connectors and put it back. This still would not turn on although the radio was on, lights etc.

Pulled the trunk coverings back out and when messing with the wires it would come and go. The wires going to the forward connection are the culprit for me. Pulled the amp again and found it is some intermittent connection in a location unknown to the forward most connection. Jammed the cables so it worked and tightened the amp back down. The wire cable is tight in a working position so I am hoping this is a permanent solution.

Sorry vague man but this is what I did.

[bob91343]

[QUOTE=632 Regal;350077]Only with the CD player?

Bob, I just experienced the audio cutting off and on again. Noticed while hitting a bump with 10 12 foot deck boards the audio popped off and on and then off. Wait a while and it's good.

Today I decided to pull the amp and spray it with deoxit, exercise the connectors and put it back. This still would not turn on although the radio was on, lights etc.

Pulled the trunk coverings back out and when messing with the wires it would come and go. The wires going to the forward connection are the culprit for me. Pulled the amp again and found it is some intermittent connection in a location unknown to the forward most connection. Jammed the cables so it worked and tightened the amp back down. The wire cable is tight in a working position so I am hoping this is a permanent solution.

Thanks for the reply! Maybe I should look in the trunk. I have the radio partly out but haven't been able to unplug it. No amount of wiggling or tapping at the dash has any effect. All audio channels disappear at once and sometimes return. I didn't think there was a trunk amplifier but maybe there is. I will look, and thanks for the suggestion.

Bob

[bob91343]

I looked in the trunk and there does seem to be an amplifier in there, bolted to the underside of the rear window shelf. So my next step will be to remove the amplifier and see if I can get inside it. If I can, then I will see if the problem is within.

[632 Regal]

I looked in the trunk and there does seem to be an amplifier in there, bolted to the underside of the rear window shelf. So my next step will be to remove the amplifier and see if I can get inside it. If I can, then I will see if the problem is within.

Not under the window shelf, on left side of trunk under the insulation stuff. Under the window is CD changer and some old style phone modulator stuff.

[bob91343]

John you may be right. I am aware of the CD changer but didn't know what the other box is supposed to do. In any case, I will look into it to find out what it actually is. I am still plagued by the intermittent radio operation. Shaking and banging on the radio itself has no effect so I decided to look in the trunk.

Any advice to solve this problem is welcome. Replacing the radio seems not to be an option, as there is nothing I can buy that would replace its function, assuming the problem is within the radio. I want the AM and FM and CD functions but they are no longer available. Maybe a junkyard, at an exorbitant price. And I am unsure if that will fix it.

[632 Regal]

John you may be right. I am aware of the CD changer but didn't know what the other box is supposed to do. In any case, I will look into it to find out what it actually is. I am still plagued by the intermittent radio operation. Shaking and banging on the radio itself has no effect so I decided to look in the trunk.

Any advice to solve this problem is welcome. Replacing the radio seems not to be an option, as there is nothing I can buy that would replace its function, assuming the problem is within the radio. I want the AM and FM and CD functions but they are no longer available. Maybe a junkyard, at an exorbitant price. And I am unsure if that will fix it.

Mine is doing it again, it's the smaller wad of wires going to the front end of the amp. Going to see if I can find which wire turns it on and fix it. I'll post a picture of where the amp is for you. There are 3 phillips screws holding the gold plate on. If I turn the radio on when I get no sound and wiggle the one going to the forward connector it will turn on sometimes.

8762

8761

[bob91343]

I can't really tell much from the pictures. My 'amplifier' if that's what it is, is mounted above by three screws on the right hand side as viewed from the rear of the car into the trunk. I need to remove those screws and see what's in that box. The CD changer is a separate box and mine isn't even mounted, since I had to repair it and didn't go to all the trouble. It's better unmounted anyway, since that allows me to put large items in the trunk without having to manipulate too much.

[632 Regal]

Pictures man, what year is your car? I just went over the amp connector giving me the issue a few minutes ago. Hot water and baking soda with soft pipe cleaners to get the green out. The white/red socket seemed larger than the rest so bent it closed a bit just 'cause. Not sure what your looking at, amp supposed to be next to the left quarter panel as far as I know.

[bob91343]

My car is 1994 530i sedan. I will look again but don't think there is anything on the left side. I remember having trouble with the trunk lamp switch so I bypassed it and put in a manual pushbutton. That is on the left. There is a black box hanging from above halfway over to the right side but nothing else. The CD changer is laying loose on the trunk floor. But I will look again - maybe my memory is faulty. At the time my car wasn't available, being at the shop for failing smog test but it's back now, although it's too dark and cold to mess with right now.

[632 Regal]

My 94 and my 95 were almost identical except the CD player was different. After reading this last post of yours I am thinking you have trunk wiring issues. Pull the wire loom cover on the left side and inspect the wires. I would guess that there are a bunch totally fubarred. Especially since you bypassed the auto trunk light. The trunk loom wire issues can cause such a myriad of issues there is no way to isolate anything. Too vast.

[bob91343]

Well apparently you think I may have caused the problem when I put in the trunk light switch. I will climb back there and see what's what. I don't know why the radio has wires in that part of the car but maybe I will find out.

[632 Regal]

No, I think you have wire issues because you needed to wire a trunk light switch lol.

[bob91343]

The reason I wired the switch was that the original switch failed and I didn't want the cost and effort needed to replace it.

I was in there today and wiggled every wire in sight with no change in performance. I will have to take stuff apart now.

[632 Regal]

The reason I wired the switch was that the original switch failed and I didn't want the cost and effort needed to replace it.

I was in there today and wiggled every wire in sight with no change in performance. I will have to take stuff apart now.

Pull that plastic crap and look at the wires. I cant imagine even a 50K mile example being mint.

[632 Regal]

For what it's worth, it will pop back on and off by wiggling the wire cable deal. Noticed wife put stuff in the trunk against left side and amp shut off, so juggle and works most the time. Starting to get annoyed with this. Last few times over the weeks I open the trunk and just hit the thing through the trunk fiber whatever it's called and it will come back on. Thinking it's an internal solder connection to the power connection. Has not pizzed me off to open it up and check that yet but close. Very annoying.

[genphreak]

Just setup your soldering station, open the amp up and re-flow every joint that connects to a major component, and any others that aren't shiny. The constant heat cycling causes physical expansion/contraction near transistors and large capacitors, stressing the soldered joints so they get micro-cracks which cause the intermittent troubles you are describing. Alternately 20 years of vibration will crack joints holding heavy components.

A real pro would wash the back of the board with pure alcohol first, lightly scrubbing with a toothbrush (no force on any small/SMD components). Then do the same after you're done soldering. Tip: When you re-flow a joint, add some solder if it looks dull. Iron @380 degrees, and use a magnifying glass if you have to, to be sure you don't leave any solder shorting one pad to another as sometimes they are very close.

All will be good after this, I've little doubt. For a certain fix, you swap the capacitors, but these are all pretty good quality, so I'd only change one that is leaking or showing signs of internal pressure (in extreme situations they can explode like tin cans)

[632 Regal]

Pretty sure it's just one point on the power wire circuit. Jiggle wires works most times. Seems all I have to do is hit the side of the trunk and it's repaired indefinitely.

[bob91343]

Pretty sure it's just one point on the power wire circuit. Jiggle wires works most times. Seems all I have to do is hit the side of the trunk and it's repaired indefinitely.

You had it correct! I finally took out the trunk amplifier and discovered a coaxial connector had come loose. I reinstalled it and the radio now works perfectly!

There are two connectors on the amplifier. One is a complex plug and the other is this coaxial one, looking much like the type F that is used in video applications. Without a proper schematic diagram, I was worried how to approach the repair but that turned out not to be necessary.

Thanks for the suggestion.

[632 Regal]

Well took the amp apart as far as possible. Can not in any way besides total destruction get to the connector area to resolder. It is either the power / signal or ground. Absolutely no access to that area.

So I went to the parts car and the amp that was different just so happens to be identical but just not black. Bare aluminum and unpainted, not sure what's up with that. Plugged it in and done. Just too easy of a fix.

4 1/2 years later and hopefully this issue is over.

[632 Regal]

No coaxial type connector on any of the amps I have seen yet. At least your good, glad to hear it.

[bob91343]

I spoke too soon! The radio is internittently dead again, so I still have to fix it. I am fairly certain it's the amplifier, so I will pull it out again and open it. I did think the fix was too easy.

Yes there is a coaxial connector in addition to the multi-pin main connector. But I suspect a cracked circuit board or something similar. It could also be poor mating on the big connector.

[632 Regal]

Throw it away after grabbing another one. The frustration in 4.5 years lol. I could not get access to any connector, sorry I didn't take pictures but I just couldn't get to that part.

[bob91343]

I don't give up so easily. If another amplifier were readily available it would be different but they don't seem to grow on trees. Once found, they are too high in price.

[632 Regal]

I understand that. I failed to take pictures of the issue I had getting access. I figured after removing the heat sink clips it would come apart but it wouldn't. Funny, I couldn't get it apart and don't want to break it even though it's never going to be used by me again. If I forced it any more it would have broke the circuit board/s.

[bob91343]

So send it to me and I will try to repair it.

[632 Regal]

Send me a message.

[632 Regal]

87988799880088018802

[bob91343]

Looks easy enough to open. There are screws holding it together.

That one is different from mine. But fixing it should be easy enough; it's just that I don't think it would work in my car.

[632 Regal]

Yeah I had it apart, just cant get to the part where the plugs connect to the boards.

[bob91343]

Well I can't see it so I can't offer any help. Take some good pics and maybe.