6-disc failure... and resurrection!!

[BBISHOPPCM]

My SL's 6-CD changer jammed, causing a "mechanism error" message. I wasn't about to accept that my 1.5 year old stereo was dead already, so I dis-assembled the unit and discovered the problem to be caused by a lack of lubrication on the many, many sliding steel parts. I also uploaded a video to YouTube to show how the unit works. The video has been uploaded, but is not yet available on my channel. Here's the link to my channel, so when it shows up there...

http://www.youtube.com/user/bbishoppcm

[MinisterofDOOM]

Nice video. Looks like there's a pretty nice amount of slack in the radio harnesses.

I liked your Mini Cooper torture test video, too. Nice bench top power supply. Now I want to go buy one of those (what was it, an "Xmod"?) and rig it up to run on my Tyco 9.6V battery. See how long that one lasts...

Also, always nice to see another Tull fan on the forums.

[rwanttaja]

Outstanding! I had my six-disk changer jam last month. The service department manager blamed it on my using CD-Rs, claiming they were thicker than commercially-produced CDs and the mechanism didn't like them. I took a micrometer at home and measured both my CD-Rs and the commercial CDs...all were 1.20 mm, plus or minus a hundredth of the millimeter or two.

At least when my warranty expires, I'll know what to look for when I pop the cover.

What do you recommend for lubricant?

Ron

[BBISHOPPCM]

I used Lubrimatic lithium grease, the kind that comes in a tube. Yes, Tull is one of the greatest bands in the world (IMHO). The car was an X-Mod, if I recall, sold right around the "Zip-Zap" craze. The benchtop power supply/counter/meter/freq. generator is a Tenma 72-5085, sold primarily to electrical engineering students and educational institutions (around $600 new I think), I got mine in exchange for some labor from a small company that makes ESR meters. Thanks for watching my video!

[BBISHOPPCM]

To disassemble the CD changer (assuming you've removed it from the dash);

1) remove screws holding the aluminum back plate on, and remove plate. 2) remove front panel by gently unclipping it around the edges. The faceplate is a self-contained control panel and fascia that will unplug once it's removed3) Remove top cover (two screws will be revealed when faceplate is removed) this will slide back and up.

The changer mechanism should now be free; unplug the ribbon cable from the front and gently remove the assembly from the lower chassis.

Be sure to wipe the thermal compound from the amplifier and back plate (also serves as a heatsink) and replace with a dab of fresh thermal compound (available from any computer shop).