Hello everyone,
I'm new here so I just wanted to quickly introduce myself. I'm a college student studying history in Central Florida. I decided to buy myself a 1993 Volvo 240 based upon their reputation for reliability and rock-solid construction. The car had been neglected (and I picked her up for a song), and needed a bit of work, but a few grand later from the Volvo store made her like new. All she needs now is a new coat of paint.

The problem that I'm having is in regards to the factory OEM TD-613 cassette/radio unit. I recently purchased new speakers for the vehicle, but upon installation, the tech told me that the sound on the right driver's side speaker was intermittent. When you fiddle with the volume ****, pulled out as if to correct balance, you can get audio from, that channel. Also, if you depress the volume **** in all the way, the sound in that channel comes out perfectly fine. Now, the audio place where I had this done wanted me to install a new head unit, which would require taking out the dash and bypassing the OEM amp. As a cash strapped college student, and what with what I had already laid down for the four speakers, I turned the offer down.

I was thinking that an electrical connection cleaner could be sprayed behind the volume ****, and into that crevice behind it. I was wondering if that might help my issue.

I would appreciate ANY suggestions or word of advice from fellow Volvo owners or enthusiasts. I'm really in dire straits if I have to lay down the sum to replace the radio and get a new head unit. I'd have to content myself with just three channels of clear audio.

 

Sure, electronic cleaner may help. It's worth a shot. I have no idea what you paid for speakers, but I picked up Kenwood head units on eBay, brand new, with am/fm/cd/usb input and iPod input...for under $100 shipped. The amp your shop wanted to bypass is puny and today's head units have significantly more power. Older Volvo sound systems were notoriously weak. Point of fact, after dealing with the mechanical end, the next thing I do is jerk the o.e. radio out of there! So...try the cleaner but if it doesn't help...save your money and check eBay. Used head units are significantly less money, too. Heck, I even put one in my 73!

 

+1

I got an alpine CDE-102 for about 50 with shipping from a used best buy deal on ebay. It's worked awesome and I love the USB feature.

 

Thanks all for the suggestions thus far...unfortunately, I already have a head unit by Pioneer, so that's not the issue. The real deal breaker for me is the labor costs involved in taking off the dash and bypassing the original OEM Alpine Amp. If I can avoid this, I'd be willing to do just about anything. Electrical contact cleaner certainly can't hurt the unit if I spray it behind the volume control **** when it is extended in what should be its left-right balance mode, correct? I mean, I know the amp and radio work fine for all channels, because as I said, when I depress the **** and push it in, all four channels work. If I release it into the volume changing position, then the sound in the front right eventually dies out. What it boils down to is if there is a really cheap solution, I'd be willing to take it.