Technical 54 olds am radio

Trying to get the radio Workin on this ol gal. Have power to head unit but nothing after that. No static or anything. Where do I start troubleshooting this thing.

 

At a guess, it will need all the waxed paper capacitors replaced, and most of the higher (1 meg+) resistors as well. Power supply will need to be replaced along with buffer capacitor. There may be more faults but that will go a long way to restoring tone, sensitivity and selectivity. An alignment would round out the performance and well worth the expense.

 

If it doesn't hum when turned on you need a new OZ4 tube in it. My dad had a 53 Olds and when ever the radio would quit working and not hum when turned on, it was always the OZ4 tube in it.

 

https://www.tubesandmore.com/products/T-0Z4-A

Almost three bucks! Better think about it.

 

Along with the OZ4 there's a vibrator that's what gives the hum.

 

We would bang stuck vibrators on the sidewalk & some would start working. Some brands could be un-crimped & the points filed.

 

It has been a long time since I played with a radio with tubes. The OZ4 sounds like a good place to start if there is one present & you do not get the start up hum. The days are long gone where a person could take the tubes to a TV & Radio shop to have them tested. First check that we used to do was power it up and check to see if there are any tubes that did not have an internal glow. It takes one dead tube. I had a 53 Chev and when the radio stopped it was the same tube that burned out each time. Usually there is a tube or two that run hotter and burn out more frequently than the others.
I took 4 years of electricity & electronics in high school & could fix a radio or TV. Transistors were taking over when I graduated & electronics became disposables. The skills stuck however and has been a help through the years.

 

You could always send it to a joint like R and B Vintage Auto Radio and have it retro fitted with an AM/FM stereo , mp3/iPod/phone hookup and Bluetooth controller all in your old radio. Pretty cool , you'd never know it was all in there . Probably gonna do that with the Penny Pincher .

 

Thanks everyone! Ill start with the tube and vibrator and see if that gets her going. Ha

 

Let us know what fixes it please.

 

Just getting it to make noise isn't "fixed"; a 60 or 70 year old radio is going to need a fair amount of maintenance. They will sound a hell of a lot better. They are much better performers than what's offered today, AM is mostly an afterthought.

Radio itself is going away bit by bit, and what's left seems like it's mostly commercials. Damn near unlistenable.

And you kids get off my lawn!

 

LMFAO !!

I agree also - radio pretty well sucks nowadays , unfortunately .