antenna

[zarbatad]

Hi... I have a dead antenna in my 1988 325is. I turn the radio on and the antenna doesn't budge. The radio works fine.. albeit only on some fm stations. There is no noise coming from the antenna motor.. no buzzing or anything. All connections look like new.. no corrosion. Is it a safe bet this unit is simply dead? I also tried raising the mast with a pair of vice grips, but could only raise it about an inch or two before it snapped back in. I suspect the whole thing is seized. Should I just replace it??

[pianodan]

The same fuse that powers your cig lighter powers the antenna. Check the fuse.

The antenna kinda lets you know when it's dying. It doesn't suddenly go into a coma.

Dan

[Wayne 962]

Check the power connections to the unit, or remove it and apply 12V to it to see if it goes up or down. It may just be a loose connection?

-Wayne

[zarbatad]

Wayne... I've remove the whole unit and opened it up. I can make the mast open and close by using my thumb on that little black belt inside. Movement is smooth so I suspect the mast itself is fine. To what wires would I connect a 12v battery to see if it works?
thanks
Dan

[Wayne 962]

There should be three wires. A 12V power wire (red maybe?) a ground wire (brown maybe), and a signal wire from the radio (black or blue?). Hook the 12V to the + of a battery, the ground to the neg. Then connect the black wire to ground (neg). It should work...

-Wayne

[zarbatad]

Hi again.. there is a plug-in.. with a red wire and a white wire. There is also a black wire which is separate from this plug. This black wire was connected to the car frame along with another flat braided copper wire which ran from the mast assembly. I assume these are both grounds. Are you saying to connect the red wire to the + terminal and the white wire (from the plug-in) and black wire to ground? thanks again, Dan

[Wayne 962]

Okay, the black is the ground then. Connect the red wire to +12V, the black wire to ground, and then touch the white wire to the ground (should be the switch)...

-Wayne

[zarbatad]

Hi again.. ok.. I connected the red wire to +12v and the black wire to ground. then I touched the white wire to the ground as well... and nothing. I also tried that copper braided wire to ground as well.. and still nothing. I also tried reversing the red and white wires and still nothing. Is this a dead motor??
thanks.. and Happy New Year!!

[pianodan]

I took a lookeesee at both my Haynes and Bentley manuals. Neither have much info on the antenna. I do know, however, on my '86, the white wire comes from the radio to switch the antenna.

Wayne's right.... Black is ground and the flex cable is also ground. I know that you know this car is VERY ground sensitive.

As long as fuses #28, #12, #21, and #27 are good, and the radio is sending info on the White wire, it should do SOMETHING.

I don't know, (mostly cause I haven't checked it out), if the White wire uses 12VDC, or switches to Ground, to extend the mast.

Dan.

[Wayne 962]

Okay, it does sound like a busted antenna motor! Replacements are pretty cheap - I think that we have them currently in our catalog. If not, someone on the toll-free number (in sales) should be able to help out.

Catalog:

http://www.pelicanparts.com/bmw/catalog/catalog.htm

Toll Free Number: 1-888-280-7799

-Wayne

[Jeff at WallWerks]

hey,

dont any of us have a life? we should be getting something more productive done.

happy new year to all

[Wayne 962]

I'm here cleaning up the office today...

-Wayne

[Jeff at WallWerks]

me too,

sorting just about a terabyte of data here. Looking for where i hid the O2 sensor photos.....

Fortunately, got a couple of 250 gig hard drives and a dvd burner for Christmas.

Organization for the new year.

[zarbatad]

thanks for all your help folks! I did test the unit and it is as dead as dead gets. I also checked for power in the car. both red and white wires have power... the white one only when you turn the radio on. Anyway, I hooked it back up and raised the mast manually so I now can get both fm and am. I'll just have to get a new motor.

[Wayne 962]

We've got the complete replacement unit for $104.16:

http://catalog.pelicanpartsexpress.com/pelican/detail_test2.jsp?partner=pelican&clientid=pelican&baseurl=http://www.pelicanparts.com/&year=1988&make=BM&model=325-IS-001&category=All&part=Power+Antenna

-Wayne

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

I should add here that you should disconnect the battery when you install the antenna. I installed my antenna without disconnecting the battery, and I got the antenna mast right in my eye.

[Wayne 962]

That's actually pretty funny! Well, unless that's how you injured your eye - I thought it was something else. I guess you just have bad luck with eyes!

-Wayne

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

I have bad luck in general when it comes to shop injuries. Just this weekend, I lost a toe-nail due to someone else's failure to watch where they were going.

You are right, I injured my eye the other time when a small piece of aluminum punctured my cornea.