Recently, my 8-track player in my '78 Lincoln Mark V has stopped working (the radio still works though). I was cleaning my car today and looked inside the 8-track slot and saw what appears to be a fuse. I thought maybe replacing the fuse inside that slot would fix my 8-track player, but I can't get it out. I have tried using needle nose pliers and a hook, but the fuse won't come out.
Before I damage anything, I thought I'd make a post here and see if any of you know how to remove that fuse through the 8-track slot, or if the entire radio unit needs to be taken out of the dash in order to replace that fuse.
There is not a fuse in the slot to insert the 8 track tape.
Not sure what item you think is a fuse. Looking at your picture of the opened slot for the 8 track, there are some rollers and a head.
If there is a internal fuse (and I do not think there is one) the entire radio case would need to be removed and the metal case sides or top unbolted to gain access.
Action
Phoenix - Yeah, it's hot, however it's a dry heat
2006 Lincoln Navigator Limited 5.4l 3V
1996 Lincoln Mark VIII 2DR Coupe Diamond Anniversary 4.6l DOHC, 4R70W, 3.07
1970 Continental Mark III Triple Black 460 4v, C6, 2.80 (Used for Woodward Dream Cruise or just generally stored in Michigan)
1966 Lincoln Continental 4DR Convertible 462 4v, C6, 3.00
1966 Mercury Park Lane 4DR Breezeway 410 4v, C6, 2.80
Action's on point there. Based on your picture, what you think is a fuse is actually a capstan, the roller mechanism for the tape in the 8-track cartridge to move (i.e., play). There are no separate fuses for the tape player and the radio; it's all one integrated unit, regulated by one fuse in the fuse panel. So, if your radio works but your tape player does not, that means the drive belt inside the unit has finally deteriorated and broken (or melted, that happens many times with many players, factory-stock or otherwise). To fix that, you need to remove the whole unit from the dash, open it up (that is, if you have the tinkering skills for exploratory surgery, otherwise get someone else who knows how to do it), remove and measure the dimensions of the old belt, buy a new one, clean up all the drive pulleys that belt loops onto, install, reassemble, reinstall in the dash, and play on.
New drive belts of all sizes can be had on E-Bay. Ask me how I know this.
An alternative you could think of, assuming that OE is not necessarily a requirement for you, is to find a factory-stock cassette unit from a slightly-later Ford vehicle and put that in there instead. Its overall size is the same as your 8-track unit which means no chopping of the dash will be involved to make it fit, the plugs ought to be very similar if not the same, and you have the advantage of having the most versatile hard-media unit ever invented for an automobile. Now, chances are that such a unit from an organ donor will also require a new belt, as well as internal cleaning; but that is just as easy as repairing your existing unit...and in the early-'80s, a lot of Ford cars were fitted with those cassette units, so you'd have quite a lot of options to pick from. You may even find such a unit on E-Bay, already removed, possibly inspected. Just stay away from those that were fitted in Lincolns of that period; those were of very different designs which would not fit in your dash without chopping. Keep your search to Fords and Mercs of that period, if this option sounds appealing to you. Cassette players have the advantage of being able to play any media source ever invented with a simple cartridge adapter that can be had anywhere, except for phonograph records and 8-track tapes. But today, both those media sources are best played in the safety of the home, anyway; besides, you can always make a cassette of either of those if you have a home stereo system.
Below is an example of one of these head units by Ford, which I took from an E-Bay listing about a year and a half ago. You'll see it looks the same as your 8-track head unit, save for the tape deck.
---Tony
Attachments
AM-FM/Cassette Stereo Head Unit, early-'80s app
Last edited by TonyC on Mon Apr 12, 2021 3:46 pm, edited 2 times in total.
"Don't believe everything you read on the Internet, just because there is a picture with a quote next to it." (Abraham Lincoln, 1866) "Question Authority!"
1966 Continental Sedan, affectionately known as "Frankenstein" until body restoration is done (to be renamed "General Sherman" on that event)
Oh, ok. It seemed like an odd place for a fuse to be, but I'm not used to this style of radio. I appreciate you guys for helping me because I would've spent all day trying to get that "fuse" removed and damaging my 8-track player more in the process. Just so you guys don't think I'm completely dumb, here is a photo of the style of fuse I thought was in the back of my 8-track slot.
I guess I will remove the radio next winter and see if I can fix it. Anyways, thank you all again for your help.
I may be wrong, but I don't think I am; Ford steered away from the glass-tube fuses by your year, going instead with the blade fuses. Well, I know that was the case with Buicks of that year, anyway...
But, next winter? We're just thawing out now from this past winter! Wouldn't now be the best time to do that..or, at least, a little later like in the summer? After all, you likely have to get on the market to find and buy a drive belt, and you'll need to know its dimensions first.
---Tony
"Don't believe everything you read on the Internet, just because there is a picture with a quote next to it." (Abraham Lincoln, 1866) "Question Authority!"
1966 Continental Sedan, affectionately known as "Frankenstein" until body restoration is done (to be renamed "General Sherman" on that event)
I forgot, anything that has a replaceable fuse is listed in your owner's manual. Along with the location.
Don't have an owner's manual!
That would be the next thing to get for your '78. And you may learn some things about your quadasonic!
Action
Phoenix - Yeah, it's hot, however it's a dry heat
2006 Lincoln Navigator Limited 5.4l 3V
1996 Lincoln Mark VIII 2DR Coupe Diamond Anniversary 4.6l DOHC, 4R70W, 3.07
1970 Continental Mark III Triple Black 460 4v, C6, 2.80 (Used for Woodward Dream Cruise or just generally stored in Michigan)
1966 Lincoln Continental 4DR Convertible 462 4v, C6, 3.00
1966 Mercury Park Lane 4DR Breezeway 410 4v, C6, 2.80
I bought my Lincoln just over a month before winter here, so I have been driving it a lot ever since it has gotten warm out (and no more salt on the roads). I am capable of taking the dash apart to get the radio out, but I don't want to rush and break something just because I am eager to drive it. I will have to wait until next winter Also, I did buy the original 5 volume Detriot Iron manuals for my 1978 Lincon. I searched in them for anything related to the radio and couldn't find a schematic of it or any info about an inner fuse. It does show me in detail how to take the dash apart, however. Thank you all again for your help.
The internal wiring of each different radio set is in a different publication. (See attached)
The 5 volume shop manual set was written for the dealership technicians. If any radio needed repair it was sent out for repair to a radio repair shop.
So the shop manual set does not address any internal radio repairs
Action
Attachments
Phoenix - Yeah, it's hot, however it's a dry heat
2006 Lincoln Navigator Limited 5.4l 3V
1996 Lincoln Mark VIII 2DR Coupe Diamond Anniversary 4.6l DOHC, 4R70W, 3.07
1970 Continental Mark III Triple Black 460 4v, C6, 2.80 (Used for Woodward Dream Cruise or just generally stored in Michigan)
1966 Lincoln Continental 4DR Convertible 462 4v, C6, 3.00
1966 Mercury Park Lane 4DR Breezeway 410 4v, C6, 2.80
If the AM/FM section works, I would not yank the radio until the winter.
Well if I lived where water freezes. (And I don't)
Pulling the radio is rather easy. A tech would do that in about a 1/2 hour.
I would take an hour as I clean everything as it comes out.
I believe the shop manual will show -
Remove the radio knobs
Remove the fascia panel (carefully) There may be a couple of screws and then some expanding pins on the back side of the panel.
Four screws hold the radio assy
After removing those, slide the radio out and disconnect the wiring and antenna
And check the shop manual first
If the belt is snapped for the 8 track that would be rather easy. Beyond that I am not going to be much help.
Action
Phoenix - Yeah, it's hot, however it's a dry heat
2006 Lincoln Navigator Limited 5.4l 3V
1996 Lincoln Mark VIII 2DR Coupe Diamond Anniversary 4.6l DOHC, 4R70W, 3.07
1970 Continental Mark III Triple Black 460 4v, C6, 2.80 (Used for Woodward Dream Cruise or just generally stored in Michigan)
1966 Lincoln Continental 4DR Convertible 462 4v, C6, 3.00
1966 Mercury Park Lane 4DR Breezeway 410 4v, C6, 2.80
If you found blueprints for the innards of any given radio, stock or otherwise, you'd have something almost as valuable as the Dead Sea Scrolls. But luckily, we aren't talking about circuit-board surgery here; replacing a belt is mechanical, and if you study the insides carefully when you take the shell off, you can spot it and work on it. Even cleaning up components you can do with relative ease.
Well, I can, anyway...
---Tony
"Don't believe everything you read on the Internet, just because there is a picture with a quote next to it." (Abraham Lincoln, 1866) "Question Authority!"
1966 Continental Sedan, affectionately known as "Frankenstein" until body restoration is done (to be renamed "General Sherman" on that event)
Also, I did buy the original 5 volume Detriot Iron manuals for my 1978 Lincon. I searched in them for anything related to the radio and couldn't find a schematic of it or any info about an inner fuse. It does show me in detail how to take the dash apart, however. Thank you all again for your help.
But luckily, we aren't talking about circuit-board surgery here; replacing a belt is mechanical, and if you study the insides carefully when you take the shell off, you can spot it and work on it. Even cleaning up components you can do with relative ease.