[WallaceRoger]

It looked kind of homemade to me too, and the soldering around it is sloppier than the rest. It is separate from the parts I've labeled in green tape with the numbers (those are the solder points for the battery plug wires, which were in the way and I removed for now).

This "thing" is soldered directly to two of the pins of the 3Q5 tube, and seems to be joined by a very thin filament of copper wire wound around the object itself several times, but I'm not seeing any such part on the Continental Radio schematic in this location. It's almost like someone's idea of a wire resistor, but there's really not enough wire there to do much resisting...

I do suspect someone has been in here before, as there's a mixture of older cloth-covered wire (still in decent shape) and rubber covered wire (crumbling to bits). And some ancient electricians tape over one end of an old capacitor.

[WallaceRoger]

Is it pretty common to find parts inside a radio that differ significantly in spec from what is on a schematic? I'm assuming the answer in a cheapie set like this one would be yes.

I've found a couple resistors and capacitors that are off from the schematic and parts list. One is a large electrolytic cap that says "12 MF 200 PV" on it, but no such cap exists in the schematic. I've found three 250k resistors, but the parts list only shows one. Then the parts list shows a couple of two-part caps, but I only see one.

The set has a mixture of older fabric-covered wire and rubber coated wire (the rubber wire is crumbling and I'm replacing those strands as I go). The volume knob also seems to be somewhat newer than the others.

EDIT: Here's the schematic I've been using.

_M0002989.pdf Size: 46.46 KB  Downloads: 163

[WallaceRoger]

Ok, so I completed the recap and resistor replacement, with the exception of the big 10 watt wirewound resistor. I also replaced all of the old crumbling rubber wire, but left the few bits of cloth covered as it was fine.

The weird homemade "thing" I posted about earlier in the thread? Best I could surmise from looking at it and the schematic is it was someone's attempt at a wirewound resistor. I replaced it with a regular 1/2 watt resistor at the value on the schematic (all are 1/2 watt except the big wirewound). We'll see what happens...

The tuning cord is easy enough to reinstall, but doesn't turn the dial. I'm guessing it must have been tacky at one time, is now dry and smooth. No idea how it ever could have operated otherwise. Is there a way to restore the tackiness or any other suggestions for repairing/replacing it if not?

Another question, since I'm a noob at this: what should I expect to see on the meter when testing the transformer for continuity?

Some photos!


[Image: http://i.imgur.com/4jCyLUor.jpg]

[Image: http://i.imgur.com/O2ZxpZI.jpg]

[Image: http://i.imgur.com/56nENEO.jpg]

[Arran]

The dial cord is probably stretched, either that or it has too much slack and needs to be wrapped around the knob shaft  another turn. Braided fish line makes a good substitute for dial cord, just make sure it's 20 pound test or higher.
Regards
Arran

[Paul Philco322]

Lots of Truetone here....not sure about yours.


http://www.westernautoradioland.com/#!truetone

Paul