Hey all,

My stereo has behaved oddly ever since I got the Magna. When I turn the ignition to ON, I am able to get radio reception. However, when I start the engine, I experience a lot of interference. You can barely make out the radio stations. This ocurrs most of the - there have been a few cases when the reception is ok with the engine running. The cassette players works regardless of whether the engine is running or not running. It is, as far as I know, an original stereo.

Any suggestions as to what might be causing this behaviour?

1992 TR Magna Executive Sedan.

Check the earth of the radio..make sure the connection is metal to metal ......and make sure all connections are stable

On the back of the alternator is a little silver can. Its a noise suppressor, if it dies you get engine noise over the radio. try that:D

I have this same problem, although it didn't come up until I started fiddling shortly after getting the car (original loom had been cut, requiring rejoining everything. This worked until I had a go at mounting it properly, as the brackets were missing also.)

Checked, double checked and triple checked my grounds, so I'm certain it's not that!

Was anyone able to confirm the can on the alternator? I can see that on my V6 that's going to be a LOT of fun to get to! :rant:

Update: Narrowed it down to the alternator, as the problem went away when it was disconnected. Driving around with it disconnected isn't an option, removing it looks physically impossible due to lack of space, so unless I get a noise suppressor for the radio itself, looks like i'll have to live with it!

On the upside (?) AM reception is unaffected.....

Check spark plugs & leads too. Sometimes 1 broken lead (internally) can do that,
then once the little screwcap on top of the plug unscrewed itself into the lead cap
and my radio went a bit scratchy too.

Hi there

Had a similar problem with the original Clarion radio/cassette unit in my 91 TR. Always OK with engine off, start engine and radio would die or be intermittent, especially FM, and then sometimes come good after 15 minutes or so.Seemed worse in cold weather! Was back in repair place several times, they froze it, heated it and so on, couldn't fault it. Put it back in and it would fail!!

Car 12v system seemed OK.Alternator seemed OK.

A radio expert told me it was almost certainly the filter capacitors failing in the tuner unit and the alternator noise was then causing a problem.Too hard/expensive to fix.:shock:

I fiddled around and fitted a 3 terminal 12v regulator plus 2 capacitors to feed the tuner section to try and get rid of the noise.

Never failed again. Cost $1.50 or so from Dick Smith and a lot of fiddling. :)

Hi there

Had a similar problem with the original Clarion radio/cassette unit in my 91 TR. Always OK with engine off, start engine and radio would die or be intermittent, especially FM, and then sometimes come good after 15 minutes or so.Seemed worse in cold weather! Was back in repair place several times, they froze it, heated it and so on, couldn't fault it. Put it back in and it would fail!!

Car 12v system seemed OK.Alternator seemed OK.

A radio expert told me it was almost certainly the filter capacitors failing in the tuner unit and the alternator noise was then causing a problem.Too hard/expensive to fix.:shock:

I fiddled around and fitted a 3 terminal 12v regulator plus 2 capacitors to feed the tuner section to try and get rid of the noise.

Never failed again. Cost $1.50 or so from Dick Smith and a lot of fiddling. :)

Rectifier and filter circuit out of passive components.....now that's the kind of thinking I was looking for :)

Will give that a try!

Rectifier and filter circuit out of passive components.....now that's the kind of thinking I was looking for

Will give that a try!

BTW I used a 7812 12v 1amp regulator plus a couple of 0.1mfd capacitors.
Good luck.