Philips R681

[matthewsemple]

My query is just as applicable to Montegos but since I have a Maestro I thought I'd post here...

Yesterday I fitted a Philips R681 to my MG Maestro Turbo as this is the OE stereo.

All went well and the security code supplied worked. The radio works but there are two problems. The first is that the LED display is not illuminated. All the lights that backlight the buttons are working and the display is working (I can see the letters faintly) but the orange illumination is not working. Does anyone know if there is a bulb that can be replaced and has anyone opened one of these up before? It appears to be screwed together with tiny star headed screws.

The second issue, that I am less worried about because I will probably play music through an MP3 player/FM transmitter, is that the tapes are playing too slowly. Is there an adjuster inside the unit that controls the playback speed?

By the way, I am aware that some people will think I am mad so please don't post to tell me to buy a new CD tuner ;)

[steve smith]

i think the black light for the display is a blub i did take one apart to replace it wasnt east either took a few days to sort it out to get it apart and back together good luck with it

[E_T_V]

Yes there is a wire ended bulb inside that illuminates the LCD screen. You can get spares from the likes of Maplin etc. The hard part is disassembling it all to get to it!

[G51 NAV]

The lid and base just pop off. Not even sure if you need to remove a screw first. Though it's a pain getting to the bulbs.

Playback speed can be adjusted through a hole in the motor.

While you're in there, clean the heads, capstan and pinch-roller with head-cleaning fluid. If you don't have any head-cleaning fluid, nail varnish remover does the job but go sparingly on the rubber pinch roller!

[henocsr]

I have a r681 that i fitted in to my Turbo. The bulb can be replaced (as i need to do this) but you have to solder it onto the circuit board. I had to dismant the radio completely to do this. The same bulb as used in the instrument pack is what i used.

The tape player on mine doesnt work though so have removed it and am fitting the later VDO MG unit that (brown and gammons are selling them) was in the MGF

[matthewsemple]

Interesting replies! Dan and Steve think the unit is hard to take apart, whilst John and henocsr (sorry I don't know your name) say the unit comes apart easily.

If I was to choose, I would prefer a unit that opens easily as these things have a habit of being complicated to put back together if they are hard to take apart. I am not so worried about the soldering as I have a soldering iron.

I'll report back!

[E_T_V]

Not difficult, just one of those annoyingly fiddly tasks. I'm not the most patient of people!

[TLC]

These units do come apart quite easerly but make note of how you do it esp when taking the front paneloff so it goes back in the correct order.If the bulb is dead then you will have to solder anew one in. All i needed to do was to change the colour to green so i took off the orange cover on the bulb and used some speical bulb paint that i aquired when working for ** before being closed down .Dont know about the slow play on the tape so ill bow down to those who know.

[G51 NAV]

Interesting replies! Dan and Steve thing the unit is hard to take apart, whilst John and henocsr (sorry I don't know your name) say the unit comes apart easily. The top and bottom comes off easily but getting to the bulb after that is difficult.

[matthewsemple]

Okay, I am now tending to agree with those who said it was difficult to open.

I have the R681 and an R670 (to practice on) and they have three star-headed screws on each side. Are these the ones I have to remove to open up the unit? My precision screw drivers both flat and Phillips won't budge them and they are the wrong shape for an allen key. Do I have to buy a star-headed attachment to get the units to open?

[E_T_V]

Torx bits are the ones you are after. They are sort of star shaped. If you are a bit brutal you can often get a set of pliers on them to turn them to open them if you don't have the right sized bits. Not that I'd advocate that of course ;)

[henocsr]

The top and bottom lids lift upwards using a screwdriver. You then need to undo the 2 torxs screws which hold on the plastic face. there are also some hiden clips at the sides (where the screws are) that need to be pushed down to release the face.
You should now be able to see the lcd screen. This carefully lifts up to revel the bulb underneath.

You need to remove all the other torxs screws(there are lots) including the 3 for the cassette player to allow the circuit board to come out of the metal frame. It is quite a lot of work, take you time and be careful

Ross

[TLC]

I got a torx set like allen keys. from a local motor factors quite cheap.

[matthewsemple]

Righty - I'll get a torx bit before I do anything else. I have managed to remove the base but that won't get me far without the front being removed.

I'll let you know how I get on.

[G51 NAV]

Okay, I am now tending to agree with those who said it was difficult to open.

I have the R681 and an R670 (to practice on) and they have three star-headed screws on each side. Are these the ones I have to remove to open up the unit? Presumably you've got the top off as well...iirc that doesn't need any strange drivers, it just pops off.

[matthewsemple]

I took the bottom off as this is closer to the display but I put it back on as I dn't think I'll get very far without the torx bit.

[Ricky]

I'd be quite surprised if you didn't already have the torx bit you need, Matthew - they seem to come with most 3/8 and 1/4 socket driver sets, and also quite a few of the screwdrivers with removable heads have them in too, if you dont have one I know I bought a socket set recently from The Range which was all of a fiver, and this had quite a few in.

HTH

[Simon]

The way to replace the bulb is to snip the glass bit off the old bulb and solder the new bulb's leads to the old ones. You will need to remove the LCD screen first to gain access but this simply lifts out. The bulb will need its orange contraceptive refitted.

[matthewsemple]

I put the unit back in and as well as missing the illumination, it seemed to have a few other faults. When you start the engine and it cuts off and comes back on again, it was forgetting what radio station I was tuned into. The tape player also doesn't work properly so I have decided it is probably not worth fixing. I will keep it and maybe put it in for shows.

I am now on the look out for another R681 - so if you have one knocking around, please PM me.

In the meantime, I managed to get a brand new Philips 741 radio cassette player on eBay. This is the one fited to MGFs and it has a removable button panel. The best bit was the price as it only cost me £10.50 which is pretty good for a new item with an MG logo on it.

It is now installed in the car and it sounds really great. The only niggle is that there isn't a tape/radio switch to turn the radio back on when you have a tape in the player.

[G51 NAV]

The only niggle is that there isn't a tape/radio switch to turn the radio back on when you have a tape in the player.That's commonly known as the Eject button ;)

Good find!

[Oli]

Fair shout Matthew i bet that looks quite good in situ and not out of place at all.

[matthewsemple]

That's commonly known as the Eject button ;)
Yes but that is not what I want to do. I want to keep the tape in the player but turn the radio back on. Doesn't the R681 have such a button?

[matthewsemple]

Fair shout Matthew i bet that looks quite good in situ and not out of place at all.
When I get the chance, I'll take a picture. I think it looks good and an extremely subtle enhancement.

[G51 NAV]

Yes but that is not what I want to do. I want to keep the tape in the player but turn the radio back on. Doesn't the R681 have such a button?lol yes it does Matthew. Just my obviously-poor attempt at humour

[The Professor]

That was a bargain Matthew £10.50. Can't complain at that.
By the way out of curiosity do the MGM group have any plans to go to Athelhampton this year?

[TLC]

Quite easy to do but fidely.Done a few on my spare radios.But cannot change the orange over on myRover (blaupunk) cd player to green as it done by colour diodes and i dont tink they can be changed.:banghead:Unless onyone knows better?

[matthewsemple]

lol yes it does Matthew. Just my obviously-poor attempt at humour
I did think that you were pulling my leg there. It is a shame that this feature was left off the 741. Someone on the MGF BBS has confirmed that you have to eject the tape to listen to the radio - a backwards step in my opinion.

[matthewsemple]

By the way out of curiosity do the MGM group have any plans to go to Athelhampton this year?
The MG 'M' Group will be at Athelhampton again this year. I am going to be there, probably in no.314.

[Simon]

Tape player will be a broken belt or one of the 2 pinch roller capstan flywheel "tyres" broken up. Not storing stations etc is the permanent feed fuse having blown. All can be fixed on an R681...

[matthewsemple]

The tape player is playing the tapes too slowly and therefore it sounds pretty terrible.

I checked the 'memory' lead but:

1. The Philips 741 isn't suffering in the same way when connected to the same multiplug
2. I connected a wire directly to the battery wth a crocodile clip and it behaved in the same way.

There was a fuse in the back of the stereo. I checked this and it was not blown either. The stations can be stored and recalled and it is remembering the security code - but it changes the station when I start the engine.

[digital efi]

Defaulting to medium wave on startup is a common fault, unfortunately. (or at least to me, it is, as I've had it on a couple of 681s and some 570s over the years).

Probably a dry solder joint somewhere, but I wouldn't have a clue where to start looking :giveup:

[matthewsemple]

Yes I must agree with digital efi here. This particular unit has too many faults for the DIYer to fix. If it was a simple fuse or faulty wire that would have been great. Luckily I have the rather wonderful MGF unit installed that doesn't look out of place but gives me a few extra features like RDS and the all-important MG logo :)

[G51 NAV]

With our EFi, someone had got there long before me with the wire-cutters, so it didn't bother me too much fitting something modern. I've recently fitted a Sony CD-Radio with USB, bluetooth and a remote-control pod which I've mounted behind the washer-stalk. I've got a spare instrument-binnacle which I'd love to modify to include a flush-fitting sat-nav to replace the clock and ash-tray :cool: Trouble is I want it to look like it's always been there, so finding one that's just the right style as well as good specification is challenging.