i’ve got an 84 se with a delco 16040862. the front speakers have very weak audio (like so weak you have to unplug the headrest speakers and turn it all the way up to hear anything weak.) the speakers work just fine with a different stereo, any idea what would cause this?

Radio have fader F 2 B.
You set wrong or Fader have problem(s)...
Fader itself, wire/plug to front inside and other things.
Most old radios have problems w/ crack solder, bad capacitors, and others problems besides dead rubber for tape units or dead opticals for CD players.

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it is nearly silent when set to front, i also noticed i only get right rear channel audio. not both left and right rear. i thought this had something to do with the tapes id recorded because one of my tape decks doesn’t have a working left channel but it’s the same on the radio. but you’re thinking bad solder joints or caps?

quote Originally posted by theogre: Radio have fader F 2 B. You set wrong or Fader have problem(s)... Fader itself, wire/plug to front inside and other things. Most old radios have problems w/ crack solder, bad capacitors, and others problems besides dead rubber for tape units or dead opticals for CD players.

Are they original speakers? Might be the speakers are blown out.

Could be bad finals. You seriously want to troubleshoot the stock radio? I bet you can find an original replacement for less than the hassle of trying to figure out whats wrong.

https://www.fiero.nl/forum/...4/HTML/075303-6.html

My first guess would be bad/cracked solder joints. These radios are absolutely notorious for them.
Second guess would be bad finals. (Output amplifier transistors/ICs.) With that said, they are fairly robust. Unless some atrocity ( a short circuit or water damage) has been perpetrated upon them, they are probably okay.
Also check the solder joints where the harness connector pins are soldered into the circuit board.