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Pyramid Radio (with finger slider) Repair

 
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85-325e



Joined: 30 Jun 2002
Posts: 4712
Location: Southampton, NY

PostPosted: Wed Oct 02, 2013 10:12 pm    Post subject: Pyramid Radio (with finger slider) Repair Reply with quote

Anyone have a good, working one for sale cheap?

I would really like to get a spare to keep around "just in case" like the issue I had in the past few days...

I'm going to see if I can get my old one repaired...
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Cosmo - 1985 BMW 325e, Single Owner, 265,000+ ORIGINAL miles and still going strong! But now on the East Coast and the salt air corrosion is eating my beautiful car alive... Sad



Last edited by 85-325e on Thu Oct 03, 2013 2:57 pm; edited 2 times in total
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85-325e



Joined: 30 Jun 2002
Posts: 4712
Location: Southampton, NY

PostPosted: Thu Oct 03, 2013 1:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I may have found a place that repairs these radios...

They're in Dallas.

I still don't know how much they'll charge to do it, but I'm waiting to hear back from them. I wrote them an email last night and got an early email this morning... they seem very responsive.

For those of you who want to keep your car as close to stock as possible, this may be just for you!

I'll update this thread as I get more information...
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Cosmo - 1985 BMW 325e, Single Owner, 265,000+ ORIGINAL miles and still going strong! But now on the East Coast and the salt air corrosion is eating my beautiful car alive... Sad

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85-325e



Joined: 30 Jun 2002
Posts: 4712
Location: Southampton, NY

PostPosted: Thu Oct 03, 2013 2:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

OK, I got the estimate back from him... they are VERY responsive.

$140 for repair, including return shipping. I'm waiting to hear how much they actually do in terms of overall repair. I've asked if they just fix the problem reported, or if they look everything over completely and recondition.
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Cosmo - 1985 BMW 325e, Single Owner, 265,000+ ORIGINAL miles and still going strong! But now on the East Coast and the salt air corrosion is eating my beautiful car alive... Sad

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beejay



Joined: 18 Nov 2002
Posts: 1158
Location: Eastern, Pa

PostPosted: Mon Oct 07, 2013 8:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The main problem with the infra red radios is leaking capacitors. I have been down this road more often then I like.
Talked to a high end radio repair outfit near Phila. Sent him 3 radios to look at. estimates were in the 300 range to do a "correct" repair.
the capacitors leak and destroy the board.
Most other outfits will just solder in new capacitors and send it out. I think that's all you are getting for 140 bucks.
Let face it. The cost of labor anymore is near 100 bucks an hour (or more) for just about anything.
The one in my car now is such a repair and is holding for the moment.
Good working radios are hard to find for these cars. Some people retro fit later E36 radios or go aftermarket.
There is another radio from the 5 and 7 series (around the same vintage) that's plug and play. They have volume control failures and are hard to find as well.
The early 3 series with the remote fader control wont work because the later cars do not have the fader control. (it's built in to the radio). But I suppose you could add it since the hole is there for it.
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92 325ic gone Sad
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01 VFR800fi - 03 DR650S - 83 CB1100F - 82 CB900F - 69 CB750
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85-325e



Joined: 30 Jun 2002
Posts: 4712
Location: Southampton, NY

PostPosted: Mon Oct 07, 2013 1:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Actually, I started with the fader in the dash, and then upgraded to this pyramid radio back in 2006 or so...

The radio was still working, and the deck was still working, but they were both interrupted but that LOUD annoying busy signal. Oddly enough, that noise was slow and sped up some when I started the car...

How much can a small capacitor smoke??? I had quite a bit of smoke, but it was a smell first, then I noticed the smoke, and a minute or two later, after I'd ripped the panels off, started the car, saw the smoke again, and then nothing after that...

I'm pretty sure it was the radio though as I can smell that same smell inside the case, faintly, but it's there and can't smell it anywhere else around that area.

I'd get a new stereo sometime if they didn't look so awful and out of place in the car. BMWE was so careful with all of the amber lights and pebbled face plate finish, and everything I see these days is bright blue or even pink lighting, and a glossy faceplate finish...
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Cosmo - 1985 BMW 325e, Single Owner, 265,000+ ORIGINAL miles and still going strong! But now on the East Coast and the salt air corrosion is eating my beautiful car alive... Sad

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dale



Joined: 22 Aug 1999
Posts: 3087
Location: Seattle, WA USA

PostPosted: Thu Oct 10, 2013 12:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I like the 5901 style from an E34. Texture of the plastic is right, the red light is right, the style is similar to other parts of e30 dash.

Avail on ebay for $150-$175
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR11.TRC1.A0.Xbmw+5901&_nkw=bmw+5901&_sacat=0&_from=R40

I ran this one for a few years on my '88 325is, until I sold the car.

Dale
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85-325e



Joined: 30 Jun 2002
Posts: 4712
Location: Southampton, NY

PostPosted: Thu Oct 10, 2013 2:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ha Dale... Like the look of the radio for sure, just not the multiple sellers, all selling the radio with the SAME pictures... there are about 9 sellers, all with different names, all using the exact same pics! Check out the ones with the post-it note and code stuck on the top of the radios.. they're all the same! And the blemishes on the keys are all the same too!!!

This would be a good target radio for sure.

Is the fader built into the deck? I eliminated the dash fader when I put the pyramid deck in...
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Cosmo - 1985 BMW 325e, Single Owner, 265,000+ ORIGINAL miles and still going strong! But now on the East Coast and the salt air corrosion is eating my beautiful car alive... Sad

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beejay



Joined: 18 Nov 2002
Posts: 1158
Location: Eastern, Pa

PostPosted: Thu Oct 10, 2013 8:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dale, How did you compensate for the common ground set up on the E30 compared to the E34. Tie them all together?
I've looked into going this route but an adapter is needed and I never took the time to figure out the speaker ground set up.
Also they tend to stick out a bit more than the stock units.

I just purchased this on on ebay. It's a 5 or 7 series (I think?) and has the same connections as our E30's

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-radio-cassette-and-speakers-/200970081183?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEWNX%3AIT&nma=true&si=7EwWoCtg8nrfGs%252FoHGAon%252Fr9oQk%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

here's another pic of an auction with the connections


http://www.ebay.com/itm/MINT-BMW-PIONEER-KE-83ZBM-CASSETTE-PLAYER-E34-E32-E30-E28-RADIO-STEREO-ke83-/261289376912?pt=Car_Audio_Video&hash=item3cd60f7c90&vxp=mtr
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92 325ic gone Sad
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01 VFR800fi - 03 DR650S - 83 CB1100F - 82 CB900F - 69 CB750
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robert1700



Joined: 04 Jul 2004
Posts: 1398
Location: Seattle

PostPosted: Fri Oct 11, 2013 8:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have probably the largest collection of E30s radios. If you want one for $30 shipped I can do that. I etk access and can get radio codes. I can also access gt 1 service codes at my shop.
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idanity



Joined: 21 May 2005
Posts: 3097
Location: N.W.U.S.A.

PostPosted: Sat Oct 12, 2013 5:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

robert1700 wrote:
I have probably the largest collection of E30s radios. If you want one for $30 shipped I can do that. I etk access and can get radio codes. I can also access gt 1 service codes at my shop.



i can also say that Robert has fixed more e30 radios than anyone else i have known.
i think he's down to 10 minutes from pulling a bad one, and getting a new one :
in.
tested
and car running as if nothing has heppened.

also, yes, he's got quite the collection of OEM stereos.
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dale



Joined: 22 Aug 1999
Posts: 3087
Location: Seattle, WA USA

PostPosted: Sun Oct 13, 2013 2:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Beejay,
I used a converter into an aftermarket amp, and used the stock upgrade speakers up front, and the upgrade stereo option plates in the rear deck. Added small subwoofer in the trunk.

The converter I used was either this Audio Control unit, or something like it.
I remember it being about 20-30 not 100 in price
http://www.crutchfield.com/p_161LC2I/AudioControl-LC2i.html

Dale
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dale



Joined: 22 Aug 1999
Posts: 3087
Location: Seattle, WA USA

PostPosted: Thu Oct 24, 2013 4:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
Is the fader built into the deck? I eliminated the dash fader when I put the pyramid deck in...


If I remember correctly, it's been more than 10 years, yes the fader is built-in.
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