Stereo Amp- FJ80- '91

[FJ80HI]

The original factory stereo on my 91 FJ80 over the last 3 years has gotten less and less volume to the point now it puts out nothing. The radio still scans and seems to work as it indicates "stereo" on the strong stations. Cassette works but no volume.

I understand this radio has an external factory amp, so was thinking this amp slowly failed. I bought a used amp and went to install. Found the 3 connections plugs behind passenger side front speaker- but there was no amp installed! How could the radio have worked with no amp? Was the amp an option, and the radio could work without it?

I connected up my replacement amp, but still no volume (no sounds at all) out of the speakers. Could purchase a new stereo but if it is somthing simple, would rather get the factory unit working again.

Any thoughts?

Regards

 

[landcrshr]

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[Mixelplix]

If your 91 doesn't have speakers in the front door, then there was no amp. (Except the one attached to the subwoofer)

I suggest troubleshooting it by attaching any know good speaker to thee wires, and determining if it's the head unit, or the speakers.

I suspect your speaker cones are dust, and essentially non existent.

 

[FJ80HI]

Thanks for reply. I will test the speakers. I did not drive truck today, so cannot look. The truck does have the two dash speakers and the rear door speakers. I do not think there are speakers in the front doors.
Regards

 

[landcrshr]

Be sure to remove the additional amp you installed also.
That will conflict with the internal amp in your head unit.

 

[JCruse]

Sorry to interrupt but where is the sub amp located?

OP, did the sound get worse as it got lower, or just lower? If the surrounds/cones had rotted it should have gotten more distorted over time.

 

[FJ80HI]

Sorry to interrupt but where is the sub amp located?

OP, did the sound get worse as it got lower, or just lower? If the surrounds/cones had rotted it should have gotten more distorted over time.

I think the Sub (whoofer) amp is located next to the single sub woofer at the back of vehicle.

The stereo amp is located behind the dash mounted passenger side front speaker. To get to this amp just pull out the glove box (push in the glove box so the stops clear which allows it to swing down). You can now get to the amp located behind the dash mounted speaker.

The sound just got lower. No distortion just kept getting lower. I used electronic cleaner to try to clean volume control but no help. I bought truck used 5 years ago and reception and volume were great. Then over the years the volume got less and less (had to turn control up higher and higher for same sound level). Now no sound at all- not even static. The strange thing, before the sound went out totally, if you left the radio on, over a period of 30 minutes the volume would improve. This seems to indicate a failure electronically, but with my experience, electronics either work or they don't (unless it is a loose connection issue).
Regards

 

[brices123]

What ever happened with this? Did you get a resolution? My factory radio is now doing the same thing as yours. I have a 91 with the 9 speaker option.

 

[FJ80HI]

What ever happened with this? Did you get a resolution? My factory radio is now doing the same thing as yours. I have a 91 with the 9 speaker option.

My problem turned out to be the radio. A local radio shop had a good deal on a new stereo and offered free install. I had it installed and it worked using the original toyota speakers that came installed with my 91 landcruiser. Evidently the original toyota stereo dies a slow death. FYI, my LC never had the amp installed. I bought a used one and installed but it made no difference (removed the amp). Also, the speakers in the back doors had a lot of rust on them, so I disconnected. When I get to it I will replace. The sub woofer is not connected to the new stereo (it never seemed like it was connected to the factory installed either).
Good luck

 

[HankMoody]

Have the same issue where the speakers are making a cracking/popping noise or not working entirely. Don’t have the factory amp because I don’t have door speakers. Thought maybe it was a loose wire but believe I’ve narrowed it down to the head unit, when you tap on the head unit the speakers fade/pop/crack. Removed the head unit, disassembled, and cleaned but still no luck. May have to get new head unit or after market

 

[FJ80HI]

Have the same issue where the speakers are making a cracking/popping noise or not working entirely. Don’t have the factory amp because I don’t have door speakers. Thought maybe it was a loose wire but believe I’ve narrowed it down to the head unit, when you tap on the head unit the speakers fade/pop/crack. Removed the head unit, disassembled, and cleaned but still no luck. May have to get new head unit or after market

This is the OP. Landcruiser still running strong. I did replace the stereo with a new unit (Sony). The rear door speakers were falling a part so just used the front speaker and no sub in the rear. After the 7 or so years, the Sony is now not receiving FM stations unless the signal is real strong. I have other cars where the same thing is happening. Seems like the receiver deteriorates over time to where it does not receive well. Crutchfield is a good source for speakers and radios if you need.

 

[FJ80HI]

Have the same issue where the speakers are making a cracking/popping noise or not working entirely. Don’t have the factory amp because I don’t have door speakers. Thought maybe it was a loose wire but believe I’ve narrowed it down to the head unit, when you tap on the head unit the speakers fade/pop/crack. Removed the head unit, disassembled, and cleaned but still no luck. May have to get new head unit or after market

It would be worth while to take a look at the speakers. When the paper cone starts to break loose from the housing it will fade and pop. Sometimes the electro magnet in the speaker breaks loose from the paper cone and does the same thing. Probably worth just installing new speakers and see if that helps. If not, the old speakers were probably at end of life in any case. The paper cones are done after 20-30 years due to the heat, speaker use and humidity in the hostile environment of the car.

 

[Malleus]

Of course, you could have the OEM speakers cones replaced.

 

[HankMoody]

It would be worth while to take a look at the speakers. When the paper cone starts to break loose from the housing it will fade and pop. Sometimes the electro magnet in the speaker breaks loose from the paper cone and does the same thing. Probably worth just installing new speakers and see if that helps. If not, the old speakers were probably at end of life in any case. The paper cones are done after 20-30 years due to the heat, speaker use and humidity in the hostile environment of the car.

I thought I ruled out the speakers because I replaced the front drive side dash speaker with an OEM speaker (old one was in rough shape), and the issue still persisted. Is it possible the speakers are in series and one bad one disrupts the whole system? So far the front passenger speaker works, drive side sometimes, back seat rarely, and 3rd row never.

 

[FJ80HI]

I thought I ruled out the speakers because I replaced the front drive side dash speaker with an OEM speaker (old one was in rough shape), and the issue still persisted. Is it possible the speakers are in series and one bad one disrupts the whole system? So far the front passenger speaker works, drive side sometimes, back seat rarely, and 3rd row never.

From my work of installing several stereos, one bad speaker should not effect the others. The balance and fade speaker control knob (rheostat) on the stereo could be defective. You could try spraying with CRC electronic cleaner and see if that cleans it up. I have fixed "scratchy" volume controls that way. My understanding is the factory FJ80 radio used an external amp. The amp might not be working on all channels, or the stereo does not have output on all channels. I bought a used amp from cruiserparts.net and installed, but that did not solve the problem, and thus ended up installing a car stereo that had amp built in (no need for the external amp).