1988 560SL Radio Replacement with Blaupunkt Help is desperately needed

[Tom McMenamin]

My radio ( replaced the Becker 10 years ago with Blaupunkt) has delivered some unfavorable results. I replaced the existing Blau. with another Blau and all seemed to be going well. Suddenly the car would not start and I replaced the battery. Following the battery replacement the Alternator seemed to be the culprit as the non starting began shortly after battery replacement once again. Replaced the Alternator.

After replacing the Alt, about 3 days later, and about two weeks following the radio install, I returned to the Radio Shop as they had neglected to connect the driver side speaker. On completion I drove the car several miles on various errands and close to home the radio completly blacked out. On the way home the Tach and Speedo startied jumping around fluctuating up and down as well, ABS lights and all the dash lights and instruments went a little crazy.On arrival at home I shut the car down and replaced the fuse for the radio. Radio came back but fluctuations continued. The next morning I removed the radio and the speaker completly. Charged the battery to 12 amps. Car started with charger
attatched. On removal and shut down next start was nothing. The positive was that the fluctuations stopped and all lights etc. returned to normal. The exception was air conditioning but I believe that to be the #7 fuse.

Re-started with Charger, Drove the car to the Alternator installer. about 12 miles away. Car drove and ran fine for the first 11 miles. Last mile car began to slow down speed was very low and as I pressed on the accelerator car went slower. Stopped dead In the mecahnics driveway. I got out of the car went inside. while standing at the counter smoke started leaking from the engine bonnet. Car had stopped in the driveway and now smoking. Smoking did not last. Pushed the car into the bay and it is still there.

How the heck can a radio install cause this much trouble? It seems that the car has a ground problem but I have no clue, do You?
By the way, the Alternator is a 75 AMP as the 80 doesn't fit.

[meltedpanda]

hmm. Did you do the radio , if so Retrace your steps carefully Tom, does not sound coincidental with your radio replacement

Were these new speakers ? were they wired up differently ?

, look for a pinched or grounded wire , look at mounting points and areas where you had to place the radio - did a wire get disconnected , shorted?

Were all connections on the old radio accounted for on new - ground, power, constant power , same fuse protection, antenna ect?

Did you look for a parasite draw when the radio was in , or out ?

I'm leaning to a serious short/ground . The alternator is in correctly ? +/- ( dont laugh ) ground strap?


Where was the smoke coming from - alternator?, wires melting

electrical gremlins are never fun.

[optimusprime]

Tom most of these Becker radios are fixed in and are alse fixed in to a part of the car alarm system . So removing them can cause problems with the alarm .

[rowdie]

One of the first thing I did on my '86 was unplug the alarm system. Too many problems reported with '80's systems.

[Tom McMenamin]

Is it necessary to remove the box from behind the glove box or can I simply uninstall the fuses or the unit under the hood? What I mean is do thesae fuses disarm the whole unit? I have seen posts to the contrary?

What affect does the removal of the two red fuses have on the alarm? Do you have any idea HOW any of the alarm could affect a new radio install?