Radio resets everytime I crank the truck

[jam sandwich]

This is a very strange problem indeed.
I lose my radio presets everytime I start the truck, IE everytime I use the starter. It will have the presets saved before I start the truck (Key in ignition, on '1' position, but as soon as i turn over the starter the radio instantly resets..
What could cause such a strange problem?

 

[Cincinnati Guy]

Does it lose the presets when you turn the key on, or just when you crank?

 

[jam sandwich]

ONLY when I crank. If i turn the key (without cranking) the presets are still there.

 

[Cincinnati Guy]

Have you done any work to the radio, or is it the factory radio?

 

[jam sandwich]

Its an aftermarket radio. The truck did not come with any radio (or speakers )

I wired it according to the wiring chart I found off this site. Is it possible the hot and ign 12v wires could be switched?
It works fine otherwise..

 

[Cincinnati Guy]

You should have a keyed on power wire. Then one that stays constant. If you can pull the radio back out and use a test light on the wires and make sure your constant hot wire is on the right plug and not backwards.

 

[jam sandwich]

I'll take a look. But I was fairly certain I got the colors spot on per a diagram i digged up for my 89. This truck is stricken with bad grounds all over the place!

 

[Dsl_Dog_Treat]

Is it possible the hot and ign 12v wires could be switched?
It works fine otherwise..

That would be my best guesstimation.

 

[icanfixall]

I'm thinking the ignition switch is going bad.

 

[redneckaggie]

Get a tester under there. If you swapped the constant and ign wire then your radio would be on constantly and only keep the presets so long as you had the key on I would think. I have seen some starters put such a drain on the electrical system that they wiped out all power everywhere else. Or batteries so weak that they couldn't keep adequate power to the starter and other accessories, and the starter would naturally take first dibs giving the shorter and larger diameter wire leading to it.

I would get the radio out and test all of the wires. make sure to find the constant 12+ and connect the constant to the tester and then crank the truck and watch what your voltage does. If it drops down below 9-10 volts then I would think you have found your problem. To make sure run a jumper wire direct from the battery and test volts on it while cranking. If the jumper wire has the same results as the other then I would look to the batteries being drained or the starter pulling to much juice, if not then your problem lies in that constant 12+ wire.

 

[jam sandwich]

Hmm. If my starter IS pulling too much amps how would I correct that? Could a bad fuse somewhere else cause this issue?

I was looking at my ground cables from the batteries and they look very old.. should I try and replace those to see if it helps at all?
I replaced both batteries recently.. so i dont think thats the problem. The alternator also tested out fine.

As for the ignition switch, I just had my ignition cylinder replaced, is it possible it isnt wired correctly?

 

[icanfixall]

The ignition cylinder is mechanical where the ignition switch is electrical. The switch is found down below the dash on top of the steering colume...

 

[jam sandwich]

Thanks for the clarification icanfixall, I'll take a look at it and see if anything is wrong.
I know that whoever owned the truck put in a trailer brake and hacked up a bunch of wiring.
Theres also a grey 6-8 pin connector that is left unplugged underneath the dash.. Im not sure what that even goes to
I bought new ground cables today so I'll be re-installing those as it looks like my ground cables are the original ones

 

[dieselgiant]

Make shur your ground from the Radio is good. My JCV radio sort of does this, the music stops like it turned off when i hit the starter, but I don't lose presets. Good grounds to the batteries won't hurt ether

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

There are many KEY-ON circuits that the ignition-switch turns OFF when the key is in START/CRANK position and they immediately resume ON once the key returns to RUN position; A/C, blower, and wipers, for example.

Your situation reads like you have wired your radio to one of these and you have no constant HOT to maintain the memory.


Memory radios and radios with a clock require one constant HOT connection and you messing with the key should have no effect on this.

The ignition=HOT connection turns ON and OFF the radio/tape/CD function, while the constant HOT maintains the memory and clock.

I wire all my radios to constant HOT anyway, with the key-switch having nothing whatsoever to do with them, thus I can leave the radio ON with the key in my pocket.