Need Help With 1990 Ls400 Cassette Adapter

[calvin2376]

I have a 1990 Lexus LS400 with a Nakamichi sound system. I want to use a cassette adapter to play my iPod through the stereo, but the adapter ejects itself after about 3 seconds in the tape player. I believe this is because the adapter has a wire coming out of the player to the iPod and the tape player has a flap that needs to close and is stopped by the cord. Is there anyone who has bypassed/fixed this problem? Please help, I really appreciate it!

calvin2376@aol.com

[microcat36]

Do both the wheels on the adapter turn freely and does an ordinary tape play ok

[Cotswold Pete]

I have a 1990 Lexus LS400 with a Nakamichi sound system. I want to use a cassette adapter to play my iPod through the stereo, but the adapter ejects itself after about 3 seconds in the tape player. I believe this is because the adapter has a wire coming out of the player to the iPod and the tape player has a flap that needs to close and is stopped by the cord. Is there anyone who has bypassed/fixed this problem? Please help, I really appreciate it!

calvin2376@aol.com

I have same problem, but I have found that once the radio is warmed up the problem usually goes away. I am not aware that the flap does need to be down, it is usually that the cassette player does not see enough tension on the take up spool, and so stops as it thinks the tape may jam.

Some cassette adaptors are better than others, Belkin are generally a bit iffy, Sony AC-9 is better. The other thing to consider is that Maplins do an adaptor that has a head that can allow you to play tape in either direction, so this might be answer, as I have found that if I put my tape in reverse, the adaptor never gets ejected, but the Sony will not actually pick up the music in reverse, so I may be spending £7 at Maplin sometime soon to see if it is a better fix to my (and your ) dilema.

[cleverdick]

I have a 1990 Lexus LS400 with a Nakamichi sound system. I want to use a cassette adapter to play my iPod through the stereo, but the adapter ejects itself after about 3 seconds in the tape player. I believe this is because the adapter has a wire coming out of the player to the iPod and the tape player has a flap that needs to close and is stopped by the cord. Is there anyone who has bypassed/fixed this problem? Please help, I really appreciate it!

calvin2376@aol.com

Many cassette machines depend on one or the other - or both - spigots turning in order to remain in play mode. This is normally achieved with an optical tachometer, or, in the case of an older machine, a rotating magnet which causes a reed switch to constantly open and close. (Really old machines use a 'tension sensing finger' in the tape path, and the auto-stop function is activated at end-of tape when it is pulled tight into the path of the flywheel, which in turn trips it out of play.) Some adaptors incorporate a short loop of tape to 'fool' the player into thinking it's a real cassette, other do not. I suspect that yours just has two blind holes where the tape hubs would normally be - it won't be anything to do with the wire tail. Even if you did have an adaptor with a tape loop, rest assured this will knacker your cassette player before too long. Ironically, a good quality cassette recorded on a well-aligned machine will p*** on MP3 in terms of subjective performance! However, if you really do feel the need to use an iPod (as opposed to CD), why not consider one of the small FM transmitters for in-car use? Hope this helps... :winky:

[runsgrateasanut]

No shame in reviving a thread on yesterdays technology as many of us seem to prefer our Cars to be classics and have a bit of patina.

Last reply to thread forgot that early Lexus Radios don't have FM, VHF or AM so can't use a transmitter to play an MP3 or whatever.

My tape deck is I suppose, knackered, and so can't use a cassette as a host to my MP3.

The unit doesn't seem to pull in a cassette of any description. I press the "Tape" button but the CD carries on playing. Maybe it would change if a cassette was drawn in or was not springing back out when I let go.

Bally irritating especially as I've given up the idea of installing the Sony Xplod.

If anyone can cast their mind back a couple of decades to the bad old days of Tape, am I doing something wrong. No light seen in the capstan area. No tape stuck with a mile of celloloid tangled.

[ambermarine]

There is a goldmine of cassette tapes in goodwill stores across the USA as the new technology as firmly trashed this media but I regularly pick up gems of long ago given to this charity outfit for 10 cents a piece.Last year I came back with a couple of dozen and then used a cassette adapter available for £15 on eBay to play through my Bose system it can also be used to download onto a mp3 player and as Cleverdick says the sound repro is magical if done by one of the legend recording studios originally.

[cruisermark]

I have one in the 430 and use it sometimes without any problems - i will check the make tommorrow and reply back if that helps

[Cotswold Pete]

No shame in reviving a thread on yesterdays technology as many of us seem to prefer our Cars to be classics and have a bit of patina.

Last reply to thread forgot that early Lexus Radios don't have FM, VHF or AM so can't use a transmitter to play an MP3 or whatever.

My tape deck is I suppose, knackered, and so can't use a cassette as a host to my MP3.

The unit doesn't seem to pull in a cassette of any description. I press the "Tape" button but the CD carries on playing. Maybe it would change if a cassette was drawn in or was not springing back out when I let go.

Bally irritating especially as I've given up the idea of installing the Sony Xplod.

If anyone can cast their mind back a couple of decades to the bad old days of Tape, am I doing something wrong. No light seen in the capstan area. No tape stuck with a mile of celloloid tangled.

Sounds like your tape deck has failed, as it does not latch onto the tape an pull it in.

From my days of pulling apart car cassettes years ago, this is due to gunk just bunging up, or the latching system has failed. That is usually caused by over use.

Without taking the head unit out it would be hard to work out what is what, but because the system is auto-reverse it is nigh on impossible to try and fool it into playing a cassette because the torque sensors in the auto-reverse mechanism interfere too much.

The fact that it springs back out tells me something is jammed, maybe fixable, but likely to be a pain.

Do you have an old proper cassette that you have tried out (if not visit a charity shop - some still have them). If that works then it tells me the mechanism is complaining about the MP3 adapator rather than tapes in general.

Have used cassette adpators in Mk1, Mk2 and current Mk4 with no problems.

I did find the SONY adaptor would not work in any Lexus or Honda (fine in my old Omega), and so bought some cheapie off e-bay which has been great for last 6 years.

[Malc]

... I still occasionally listen to my tapes in my Mk3 Ls400 :outforcount:

I have a great one, Richard Burton talking ............" Taming of the Shrew " ...........it's brilliant

Malc

[runsgrateasanut]

Thanks Pete, I had a peer in with a scope linked to my Computer - not a great image but couldn't see anything (coins!) in there.

Chucked a whole box full of tapes a few years back when I had the Merc with no cassette player slot. Should have kept them.

Not a single one in the house unless I kept that classic double tape set of Brian Johnston and Aggers at Lords. Don't think I could have parted with that - too precious a tape - makes me laugh just thinking about it!

(ps the reject button is only out about a millimeter and a half. Should it be further as I seem to recall on other players?)

[Cotswold Pete]

Stuart,

Just popped out to look at mine. The eject button stand about 1mm to 1.5mm and does not differ whether tape is in or out. I assume it is not a mechanical switch. I guess there is a chance that yours has permanently latched on which means it would reject any tape straight away (not sure if that is easily fixable).

One thing I remembered is that

DO NOT USE Adaptor with cable exit like this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Audio-AUX-Car-Cassette-Tape-Adapter-Converter-3-5-MM-for-iPhone-iPod-MP3-CD-S2-/261958038009

GET ONE LIKE THIS http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Cool-New-Car-Tape-Cassette-To-3-5mm-AUX-Audio-Adapter-For-iPod-Video-MP3-MP4-/131628781459

You see different exit points, and seems like Bose, and Nak systems prefer one type only.

Also I would advise against driving while listening to classic Lord commentary, I used to love listening to cricket at Lords when I used to work in a garage many moons ago, but sometimes the tears in the eyes from laughter could be a driving hazard.

[cleverdick]

No shame in reviving a thread on yesterdays technology as many of us seem to prefer our Cars to be classics and have a bit of patina.

Last reply to thread forgot that early Lexus Radios don't have FM, VHF or AM so can't use a transmitter to play an MP3 or whatever.

My tape deck is I suppose, knackered, and so can't use a cassette as a host to my MP3.

The unit doesn't seem to pull in a cassette of any description. I press the "Tape" button but the CD carries on playing. Maybe it would change if a cassette was drawn in or was not springing back out when I let go.

Bally irritating especially as I've given up the idea of installing the Sony Xplod.

If anyone can cast their mind back a couple of decades to the bad old days of Tape, am I doing something wrong. No light seen in the capstan area. No tape stuck with a mile of celloloid tangled.

Erm... I don't think I've forgotten anything actually. Especially having had - and still using - a factory original system from a 1990 LS.

[runsgrateasanut]

You are absolutely right Cleverdick - it is my memory that is at fault. Thank you. I spent the night thinking shall I take out the unit again (what a bind) or buy a replacement unit or go back to the idea of installing the Sony. Fact is, I'd forgotten I had used an FM Transmitter early 2015 but had failed to select UKW whatever that means when I tried it recently. Don't get out much you know!

[cleverdick]

UKW = Ultra Kurz Welle - "Ultra Short Wave" otherwise known as "Very High Frequency"!

[Cotswold Pete]

UKW = Ultra Kurz Welle - "Ultra Short Wave" otherwise known as "Very High Frequency"!

I always thought it meant United Kingdom Wavelength, but only on the misguided notion that we use different de-emphasis on the FM band compared to a lot of other countries.

You learn something new every day