Cd Player Probs

[deelcee]

No sound from my CD player!

Loads CDs OK,changes from 1 through 6 OK

Sometimes when I select a disc 'check disc' shows

but all are bought quality cds and loaded correctly.

Sound on radio and cassette is OK.

Anyone experienced the same?

or any ideas how to fix?

[cleverdick]

This is the Mark Levinson system I presume?

I'm not familiar with it, so I can only offer generic advice.

You may find dried/hardened grease on the slide bars which carry the optical pickup assembly. I would suggest cleaning those first (e.g. with a dry cotton bud) then reapplying the tiniest smear of teflon oil (such as Tri-Flow).

Check also that the disc motor spins freely.

Next, gently brush the lens - again with a dry cotton bud.

Anything more than this you'll need the service manual, a certain amount of test equipment and quite possibly a manufacturer's test rig. There may be certain parameters that you could tweak by trial and error (such as laser output power) but I would strongly advise against if this is new territory. Unless of course you get a replacement unit off a scrap car, in which case you can experiment on this one as much as you want.

[deelcee]

Thanks for the advice cleverdick

But unfortunately the Mark Levinson CD is a self contained unit in the dash!

[Cotswold Pete]

From experience with other CD loaders, it sounds like the CD system knows it has 6 disks, but the laser reader is not able to read the contents of the disk headers.

On normal home system I have had problems with, this means the laser arm is not working, and there could be several reasons why it has failed, from failed laser, stick track guides, to failed wiring to laser head.

So it sounds like the laser assembly is not working, and I would guess the only way to resolve is replace the CD unit.

Not a nice situation to be in, as on a normal stereo at home not too bad to get at, but an in car unit, a heck of lot more fiddly work.

Best of luck with getting it sorted.

[cruisermark]

there is a video here sowing how to remove the cd player if you decide to go down that route

http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/topic/100942-ls430-satnav-screen-removal/

[deelcee]

thanks for the replies

looks like another cd player!!

[deelcee]

theres a firm in usa advertising a fix for the unit for £91 + postage

maybe the way to go rather than another 2nd hand unit

anyone used them?

eBay item no. 351396358049

[cruisermark]

ring svt services in edinburgh and ask them if they can fix - they fixed my amplifier - maybe they can do something about the cd player aswell

[deelcee]

contacted svt and they only do the amps

thanks anyway

[Nodding_Dog]

CD Player - fixed!
Having put up with the clatttering Mark Levinson CD player for over 12 months, and being unable to find a swap-out replacement genuine unit, I bit the bullet and gave the head unit to a local car audio repairer.
They could get a new identical replacement CD changer mechanism from Pioneer, but 6 weeks wait.
They then did a bit of digging and discovered that the up-market Hondas have a Pioneer CD changer which is virtually identical to the Lexus one.
2 hours in the shop, and $295 later, all is fixed again with a complete new CD stack mechainism transplanted into the original head unit case.
Not only do I now have a brand new fully working CD changer, with warranty, but my ear is getting some relief from constant complaining from the passenger seat............
Worth every cent I reckon...!!

Cheers, Nodding_Dog

Toowoomba, Qld, Australia