I know this is really lame - but can anybody tell me how to set the @#$% clock on the stock radio?

I was going to trash the unit, since there was no display. But I read a post about replacing the lights in the radio. So I did & it now looks good as new (better, actually since I changed the color of the lights!)

But now it constantly blinks 1:00 - I can't figure out how to set it & I have no manual (tried searching these forums too...)

In the lower right hand corner there are two clear buttons.
One is marked STA the other is PRESET SCAN.
Press and hold the STA button and adjust the minutes with the TUNE ^ button and the hours with the TUNE\/ button. Release the STA button when you have it set.

That sounds about right, even though it has been several years since I've had the stock radio.

Richard

Where did you find that? I searched for it and couldn't find it...need to fix mine too.

Thanks, Jay

uhh... it's SUPER easy. open radio. find light. cut light leads out. replace light with 12v one from radio shack (or a LED and a resistor, or a piece of EL wire, or whatever). solder in place. put radio back together. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />

if you aren't comfortable soldering inside the radio, offer a geeky friend some beer and make him do it <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />

I would make sure that you give him/her the beer AFTER they fix the radio. Might not want them to have a buzz while trying to fix YOUR radio.

Richard

<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/baby.gif" alt="" /> Ohhhhh Kaaayyyy... <need the red cheeks 'embarassed' icon I've seen on other forums...>

<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> Just hadn't bothered to pull it out yet to look.

Guess I just assumed there had to be more to it...soldering's not a problem, in fact, I probably qualify as the geek other folks would bring their stuff to to get it soldered. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> I mean, I already have 3 colors of LED's on hand, plus the resistors to match them to 12V (or 9V or...) <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/pfft.gif" alt="" />

A big 'Dohhh' and out to the garage for me. Thanks...

Jay

OK, straight from Ed's Isuzu Archives (think it came from the long lost lamented ITOG original forum, pardon the formatting):

""I have replaced the bulb twice in the last two years. The second time I used
my mulitmeter to find that the light gets 4 volts from the radio. I went to
an electronics parts store and purchased a "grain of wheat" bulb, 3-6v, 25mV,
for $1.19( I bought an extra for next time). The light is very bright.
Maybe a 6-12v bulb would generate less light. Anyway it works! Good luck
everyone!
>I was recently scanning through the messages when I found some info on
>replacing the backlight on the original Isuzu Tape Deck. Well today I tackled
>that project and would like to RE-VISE the parts needed. Originally I used
>the Radio Shack 272-1141A 12v 25mA bulb as was mentioned in previous posts. I
>noticed that 2 other bulbs had also blown that lit up the pre-sets and volume
>knobs.
>
>When I proceded to test the LCD I was severely disappointed! Very very dim.
>Not up to spec at all. So I went back to the Shack and found a pack of 3
>bulbs in one: Part# 272-1099 which are 12v 60mA bulbs (more current). They
>come in yellow, blue and red. I scraped off the coloring on 2 of the bulbs
>with a knife and put BOTH behind the LCD, hot glueing them to the 2 tabs that
>are there. Replaced the other 2 bulbs with the 272-1141A bulbs which yielded
>good results for that area (basically for just night viewing).
>
>MAN is it EVER BRIGHT behind the LCD!! Not TOO bright, perfect. I do want to
>thank all those who responded to the original post because without reading
>them I would have not guessed that it would be something serviceable (Thought
>the LCD was defective.)""

HTH, I did one of mine a few years ago, and it was VERY bright. You might want to experiment and dial it in. Be sure to use colored lights or pull the little green sleeves off the old lights and slip the sleeves onto the new lights, as plain white looks funny and it too bright.

Yep, that's the post I used. Pretty easy to do, just work slowly and be sure not do drop any small parts. Some tips from a guy who just did this-

The stock lamps are of 3 different sizes. I replaced them with 3 of the same size from Radio Shack. I bought the smallest 12V lamps they had in stock. They're very small, clear glass, but very bright. I would recommend leaving the colored green slip on jacket on the lamp that goes in the volume/tone bezel. I left mine off, and it's almost too bright. I'd leave them off the other 2 lamps for the dispaly & buttons - nice bright display - but that's personal taste I guess.

If you can find replacement lamps of the exact same size as the originals, it's best. There are little rubber grommets that fix them in place (so the light goes where it should), and while they will work for smaller lamps, the same size is a better fit. Also, the colored sleeves will fit better.

The new lamps I found did not have insulated wires - they had uninsulated 1.5" fixed leads. Buy some very small shrink wrap you can use as insulation. Otherwise you could use tape, but that's crummy.

If you need the room to work, or access to the wires, the entire "tape" section is easily removed with a couple of screws. There are 2 modular wire connectors also. Just remove the tape section, and you can more easily get some slack on the wires if you need it (I had to since my wires were hard & un-strippable near the ends).

Almost forgot - thanks to all who helped with my clock setting question. I now have a clock!