TD-603 Audio
 

Hi. My 1991 240 TD-603 radio/cassette is on the blink and I'm wondering whether Central Services in Ipswich is still in business and, if so, how to contact them? I tried calling 01473 725953. Otherwise, has anyone a good TD-603 with the side bezel to fit a 1991 240 or an aftermarket unit bezel for a 1991 240 for sale?

https://ipswich.cylex-uk.co.uk/compa...-14271836.html

I hope they are , they have been repairing volvo radios for volvo Concessionaires in Ipswich since at least the early 70's , Staff will have changed by now I guess since volvo started doing Exchange radios in the early 90's ..

Can you solder or do very basic electronics? Try fixing it yourself - it could be easier than you think, in fact it might be a 50p part and an hour's work.

I brought my TD-603 back from the dead by replacing the bad electrolytic capacitors. The ones that look like small batteries.

Open the lid, and remove the cassette mechanism - that lifts off to reveal the main circuit board. Look near the back of the board - close to where the multi-pin connector comes in - there's a large 2200uf electrolytic cap. Check that cap, and the other electrolytic caps around the board. Look closely for swelling at the top (if the top aluminium lid appears to bulge upwards - it should be flat) - or if any of the caps are leaking - normally at the base. Replace them with like-for-like same-spec low-ESR caps (can be another brand).

It's the same thing that gets hi-fi amps etc (in fact nearly all electronic gear): after a period of time - can be decades or less if it's cheap gear - the electrolytic caps die. The large ones in the power supply area are usually the first ones to look at because they've probably been getting hot, and the unit usually stops working once they go.

You can get a tester device for less than £20 which tests nearly all electronic parts and can tell you if a cap is knackered - very useful to have.

On my TD-603 I ended up replacing every electrolytic cap in the unit - about 40 of them! (Total cost around £25 ish). The main large cap was bulging and had leaked - causing circuit board damage - replacing and repairing that got it back up and running, but after desoldering a few other caps off the board to test, I found they had drifted a long away from spec (though were functioning). Replacing them will have returned the circuits to original spec, and I think the sound definitely sharpened up, with better bass. (It's not out-of-this-world but it's up against 240 wind-noise etc).

I left the cassette mechanism out, and dropped in a bluetooth receiver board with aux, and spliced in its signal lines, replacing the cassette pre-amp signals. It's very simple to do if you can solder.

Other than maintaining a stock look, I also decided to repair and re-use this TD-603 stereo because it's like the rest of the 240 - old-school enough to understand and repair and source spares for!

(NB caps can die without swelling, and unfortunately you really need to desolder them off the board to test them which is a palava).

John

Looks like they've closed since that the number I've been given by several people and it doesn't exist anymore :-(

Hi Jim. I wish I could do all that; most impressive! I do have a car audio repair place localish to me who said the problem may be getting the parts. Would the caps, etc be unit specific or common to many audio units? I'm in the vacinity of this repair place tomorrow and could pop the unit in if the parts you're talking about are fairly widely available.

Shamrock
The TD-603 is mostly old-school enough that it's got some 'integrated circuits' - multi-pin chips - but a lot of the parts are good old caps and resistors etc which are easily bought. The few chips it's got - eg pre-amp, radio controller - I think they were all listed as still available and relatively cheap and common. The only chip which might be hard to replace is the one which seems to be about the security code and the radio display. I wasn't reusing the cassette mechanism, so I can't say whether it's got hard-to-replace parts - but likely that's just about belts or adjustments etc. On the other hand - all those solder connections opens the door to dry or poor solder joints which can take time to trace, but don't involve new parts.

My point is - contrast this with: if we were talking about a newish stereo, a lot of the circuitry would be on specific multi-pin integrated chips which could be hard to troubleshoot, expensive to source, which effectively makes a lot of that sort of stuff unrepairable once the gremlins creep in.

IMO I don't think sourcing replacement components would be a problem (unless it's that security chip on the underside of the board).

Before you take it to the shop, it'd be worthwhile opening up the lid, and unscrewing and unplugging and lifting the cassette mechanism out, and having a look at the main board. As I said previously - you'd be looking for bulging or leaking caps, or any other component which is burnt or broken, or even objects which have got in. So often there are visual indicators of what's failed. And - drop the bottom lid off, and look for broken or corroded solder joints.

John

A good piece John, I’d certainly agree it is worth having a go at replacing the larger components (capacitors and resistors) on older equipment - it is no more difficult than building a Radio Shack kit. It is worth getting a multimeter that can test capacitors and diodes - good advice.

The counter is that okay-ish ICE has become so cheap to buy new that nothing much is really worth fixing any more (unless, like you, one wants to keep the original look of the motor car).

Alan

Thanks Alan
It's true that most things electronic are no longer economical to repair - it being hard to compete with the low prices of goods which come from sweatshops in China etc.

But having said that - after refurbing the TD-603 and doing the Bluetooth mod I ended up with a really usable car stereo with Bluetooth and Aux in - for a total of about £40 - and - well yes you could probably get a budget no-brand Bluetooth car stereo for almost that price if you don't mind garish flashing lights! Those kinds of cheap tacky stereos always look wrong in older cars. (Plus you'd have to splice in new wiring and connectors which bypassed the amp lower down in the dash).

Apologies - I don't mean to hijack this thread - back to the matter at hand.

John

The sort of electronic bits that John was talking about are widely available Shamrock. I normally buy them on eBay or similar (a 2200uf electrolytic capacitor will cost about a pound). Old fashioned (by which I mean 40 year old style) electronics is quite satisfying - if you can't get the TYS boy in your local electronics shop to have a go then you could do worse than acquiring a soldering station, a de-soldering syringe and a multimeter that can test capacitors and diodes - and having a go.

There is no real cost advantage over new ICE (it is so cheap), but it would be satisfying to keep your period unit - rather that something new and garish (as John points out above). That is the same as running a 40 year old 244 compared with a modern car - but anyone reading this will understand that isn't the point.

Hi John,

Many thanks for your message, but I can't seem to reply directly to you.

I took on board comments received and have sent it to a localish car audio repairer, since it would appear parts should be available. I haven't heard back from them yet, but they did say it could be a couple of weeks.

The car's going in to the Volvo specialist today to have the tailgate wiring harnesses replaced and they're going to try and fit a secondhand different, but similar, period Volvo radio/cassette, so I could end up with one in the car and a spare if they're both working (worth a punt for £30 including installation!).

Kind regards,

Gary.