Radio Antenna
 

Hi all. Maybe some of you more experienced owners can help me out with this. My antenna doesn't seem to be going up or down. I just tested the motor and it works fine. Im thinking (more like hoping) its the switch. My question is...is it common for the switch to go out...or am i gonna have to buy knee pads and sort through my wiring?

Re: Radio Antenna
 

How'd you find that??????
Besides the antenna mast really isn't the problem. I tested it out using a battery...the motor and mast are fine. Im attempting to change the switch.

I guess the question i really wanted to ask is if this model of 300zx has a chronic Antenna problem related to wiring. :confused:

Thanks for the reply tho.

no. the antenna mast on the 300ZX is the typical piece that breaks.

did someone install an aftermarket stereo? if so, then that's a good indication that the installer had no idea what they were doing. Or they used crappy connectors and the connector fell off and the wire shorted or something.

No its the factory radio..but everything is pretty gunked up and old. Thanks again for the reply.
Im hoping the switch works..otherwise im gonna be hunting for a short in the line somewhere.
Any other theories?

since you have the factory radio, the switch is to put the antenna in the half mast position instead of all the way up.

In the "on" or up position, the antenna is supposed to go all the way up.

In the "off" or down position, the antenna only goes to a halfway point.

Do this:
turn radio on.
put antenna with a helper, ask them to turn the switch on an off.
listen for the motor.
if you hear the motor, it's the antenna mast.
if you don't hear the motor, make sure 12V is getting to the antenna on two different wires, then start testing the wires behind the stereo.

Hey i'll do that. Thanks a lot for the help.
Thats one of my lesser problems at the moment tho. I just lost my digital dash...i think its probably a grounding problem but i'll check into that at another time. Thanks again for the help.

Just fixed mine
 

I had the same problem with mine. It was the mast. It is really easy to remove the broken one. Took me about 20 mins total. I would suggest MAKING sure that the mast isn't broken, as mine was cut in half. So it would only go up a little. Just my two cents.

Haha crap...i replied to one of your threads regarding this issue as well.
Im pretty sure the mast is working. I yanked out the motor and hook the damn thing up directly to a battery. The mast shot out and started knocking things down and what not. I even got a new switch..no go. AZ-Z Bum said that i should test the wires behind the switch and did that. I got 12V coming out of 2 wires at the plug that goes into the motor, but the damn thing still doesn't work. Suggestions anyone?
Also..should i test the plug for the switch? Wat kind of readings should i get there. Also does it matter wat two wires gives me a reading of 12V?

I noticed on my antenna motor assembly that there was this "black box". I believe that is the controller for the half up and full up for the switch. I would test the wires going into this, and then test the wires coming out going to the motor. When you tested the motor by hooking it up to the battery did you use the black box or just straight to the motor? If you did straight wires, then try with the box.

Not to sound redundant, but did you take the motor assembly apart and see with your eyes that the mast is fine? That is pretty easy to do, just one nut (6mm). Then becareful, it will just explode in your hands. :) (At least I found all the parts)

Well i never took it apart. I assumed since the mast came out that everything was ok. I'll yank it out again this weekend and take a look at the mast..im almost certain the mast is fine but i'll look anyway. Could it possibly be some problem with the connectors? Or maybe bad wiring within the motor somewhere...
Eh crap..maybe i'll just get one of those crappy fixed antennas and eliminate this problem altogether.

Antenna's fixed! Thanks to everyone for the help.

So what was the problem?

Oh the problem was actually pretty simple. One of the wires in the plug that goes into the motor got cut. It was just a matter of re-connecting it :rolleyes:
My wires are actually pretty decrepit. I smell future problems.