I recieved the Promax J-1 that I won from Ebay today. It is beyond dirty as sh*t. Talking like moth bugs in the tuner glass, dust mites in the eq sliders, and speakers are covered in what looks like 20 years of basement dirt. Also SOME not alot, paint speaks on one speaker. (The filth of this radio was not discribed in the Ebay listing nor did the pictures show any of this.)

Problem # 1
After further review, none of the radio functions will work unless I physically hold down the FM, SW1, SW2, AM function buttons. They just wont hold in place after pushing. Everything is scratchy when pushed to engage. However, when I hold the FM button while tuned to a station, things sound right and the VU LCD meters are a full glow with bounce.

Problem #2
When using the Aux with my Ipod, the sound is all muffled, retarded, just not right. The VU LCD meters light up only one light and just sounds real sh*tty.

Problem # 3
THE EQ's. Each slider as an unbeliavble amount of sh*t in the spaces. I'm going to need a full can of air to get the dust and crap out with out a doubt. However, I notice that behidn the VU it looks as if the slider and the space behind are one whole piece. Meaning that if I were to try and Deoxit the pots, the spray would never hit the target from outside the radio at the EQ sliders.

Here are my questions to you pro's. (Particularly guys familuar with opening the Promax J-1.)
1. If I open the radio can I easily access the space between the tuner glas and the tuner board with the numbers, so I can get the dead moths and sh*t out? Or is that one piece and I'm stuck looking at dead bugs forever.

2. Can I deoxit the Line In jacks? I desperatly want this to work with my Ipod. How do I go about doing this? Where would I want to aim the spray?)

3. How do I Deoxit the Eq sliders that need to be cleaned with out a doubt in my mind? Do I have to open the radio to do so?

4. Why did my Ipod sound like sh*t but the FM sounded good. (When it worked when I had to hold the FM button for it to work, mind you.)

5. How do I fix the FM SW AM function. What might be the reason the button just doesnt want to stay engaged?



UGH. I expected all these function to work with out a hitch. The box was packed well and I dont hear any loose parts bouncing around inside. I was hit with a fastball in the nuts when I seen how dirty it was.

man the best thing to do would be just tear down the whole box and clean every switch ,then you can clean the case all at once in the bath tub once the guts are taken out ,mark all wires and plugs so you know where they go ,if the box is in good shape all this needs to be done to make it clean inside and out ,plus you get to know more about working on them ,my advice is take your time and keep track of how it comes apart so you can get it back together take pics of everything if you can even if its a camera phone so if you have problems you will have pics to look at ,i think if you clean the buttons and switches then you can deal with the decks and clean the aux input jacks you might be suprised.

just whatever you do make sure you wipe off any excess tuner spray from the boards and switches you dont want to get everything wet cos then you will have problems.

You've already identified the core issues. The selection buttons sound like the issue, they need cleaning and massaging to get them back into order. If the bugs can get in, you can get them out. Like floyd said, your going to have to strip the sucker down to brass tacks to get it clean. Maybe a few bottles of $.99 alcohol to clean up the grime on the boards and soft cloths to clean up the dial with soap and water??

Either way, sounds like you will be busy this weekend......good luck.

Honestly I was in near tears at first. After taking a deep breath, I realized I'm going to HAVE to open the box. Which I'm scared sh*tless about doing. Its going to need a clean up job that I'm just not prepared to do. Nor do I possess any real "know-how" about fixing radios at all.

Oh, 1 deck plays mad fast and the other real slow. Paid way too much I think, but this radio was a MUST HAVE BOX for me personally. I'm justa little bummed today.

Does anyone have any pictures of an open J-1? Anyone with any good pointers on what to look for, what to avoid?

Hi Petey,
I ll send you the pics tomorrow. Its not that hard to open the J-1. You can put all parts out off that box very easy. One of my J-1s im using for a new project now. I ll report it on s2g soon.
Regards, Peter

THANK YOU. Check your PM Peter.

Is this Pete and Repete?

Sounds like yours is dirtier than mine when I got it... Check out the old thread for a refresher: http://stereo2go.com/eve/forum...6027254/m/8731049365

I opened mine up a few days later 'cause most of the functions (EQ, power button, volume, balance - damn near everything) were scratchy and sprayed 'em with Deoxit Gold... Sounds great now!

The EQ's: You're definitely gonna need that red straw to hit 'em at an angle and with precision. You can't hit 'em from the outside 'cause the sliders have plastic protectors covering each one and sliding 'em all the way up or down still blocks the spray from hitting the pots.

The tuner section: You're gonna need a razor blade or something thin to take the clear plastic off from the front. Even a fingernail might work. I had to do that to clean the dirt from the tuner section. Luckily for me, the glue that holds the plastic in place was unstuck right above the Tecsonic logo. I took my fingernail and pulled it right off, did what I had to do and put it back on.

The other problems you have, I don't really know what to tell you. However, I'd take the plastic piece with the Super Jumbo logo off like I did with the plastic on the tuner section. If I remember correctly, I think there's some screws behind that plastic. You can take that panel off and spray all of the function buttons with Deoxit.

Hope that helps a little. GOOD LUCK!

quote:

Originally posted by Petey Awol:
After taking a deep breath, I realized I'm going to HAVE to open the box. Which I'm scared sh*tless about doing. Its going to need a clean up job that I'm just not prepared to do. Nor do I possess any real "know-how" about fixing radios at all.

Petey, I'm sure a lot of us remember feeling the same way at one time or another. Trust me, once you open your first boombox, the rest come so much easier. Just don't try to fix everything at one time.

You think working on a big, black, empty boombox is scary? Try cracking open a GF-777 for the first time. I got so scared, I immediately closed it back up for a couple of months before getting the nerve to finally dig in.

You can do it. Have faith, brother. You have plenty of knowledge on this board to help with ANY problems you might encounter.

YA see, work space at my crib is real limited. Between the gazilion retro video game units, turntables, records, computer, tv, boomboxes. (Plus my normal sh*t like couches and bedroom furniturn and stuff...lol.)

I need a nice controled enviorment. Gonna bring this thing over my brothers house. I just dont want to open it up with out seeing apicture of one opened first before i go snapping something I cant replace.

I have faith its just a dirty as sh*t boombox. I just wish it was mentioned in the auction that it was mad grimey. I was shocked when I opened the box. I will follow Yoda Jedi training and give it a whirl.

just be careful when you pull the back case off cos the wires are very short .i think its only 2 antenna wires and two power wires to unplug.

The J-1 is pretty easy to work on dude. Once the rear panel is removed you can remove the the whole middle assembly in one piece. i.e tape decks, eq, tuner, amp etc. All of this is mounted on a separate plastic chassis. Just undo the screws. You will have to unplug the connector for the "peak level meter" to remove the chassis too.

The tape speed problem will be the speed adj pots being corroded. (Very common problem with these units). Best to replace all 4 of them and re-align the speed.

Gettin pretty techy though, don't know if this is too much for you.

Cheers. Roddy

I love you guys. I'm thinking mid week I will crack the sucker open.

Here's a far out shot...anyone got a service manual? PDF?

Congratulations Petey. I'd love to get my hands on one of those soon. I'd even be glad to get a grimey one.

Best way to clean the AUX jacks? Can I spray them with Deoxit? If so, where and how?

hey Petey- with all the good advice on this site don't bug out. taking boxes apart is not as bad as you imagine. just go super slow, take pictures,label wires, and if something doesn't seem to come apart look for another screw (there is always one more hiding )

i just started opening them and taking a look around and surprised myself with how much i actually could fix just by giving it a go. and when you do it makes the music sound all the sweeter....

about the aux jacks, i spray deoxit right into the holes a bit and wipe around the outside. i never had a problem with doing it like that. with the thing unplugged!

quote:

Originally posted by blah blah blah:
hey Petey- with all the good advice on this site don't bug out. taking boxes apart is not as bad as you imagine. just go super slow, take pictures,label wires, and if something doesn't seem to come apart look for another screw (there is always one more hiding )

i just started opening them and taking a look around and surprised myself with how much i actually could fix just by giving it a go. and when you do it makes the music sound all the sweeter....

about the aux jacks, i spray deoxit right into the holes a bit and wipe around the outside. i never had a problem with doing it like that. with the thing unplugged!

Good to know. Wasnt sure if i can spray right into the hole.