Zenith MJ1035 volume control - replacements?
 

The volume control (2-megohm dual pot) in my Zenith MJ-1035 stereo FM radio is shot (the radio works, but I can just barely hear it). I'd like to get the radio working again as it used to. Are there any replacements available for this control? That failing, would I be able to use any standard potentiometer, or does it absolutely have to be 2 megohms? If the latter, I may have to junk the radio, as I don't think they make 2-meg dual pots anymore. I don't want to junk the set if I don't have to. When it was working, it sounded great, and I miss it.


Thanks in advance.

You should have good luck going here for your volume control.

http://www.oldradioparts.com/

Best of luck!
Matt D

Thanks for the reply, Mr. Davala, but I was wondering whether any other value of potentiometer would work (I have several of them somewhere in my junk box). I'm not intereted in stereo sound; I would just like to get the radio playing again like it used to, and without too much trouble.

Eh, what's the part number on the pot? It should start with 63, typically 63-XXXX for a part number. I've got a good selection of older Zenith pots, all catalogued,

Cheers,

First, are you SURE it's the pot? An ohmmeter can tell you. A good pot will read 0-2 megohms from center to either end as it's rotated.

The Sams folder I have for the 1035 (NOT 1035-1) shows a dual 1 meg pot. I think either 1 MEG OR 2 MEG would be fine. AES has a couple of dual 1 meg audio taper pots with long shafts - tubesandmore.com. I would suggest getting one, THEN trying to fix the existing one. Start by googling "the secret life of pots". First step - spray with cleaner. Second, measure and see if the elements are good (2 megs). If so, disassemble and see if you can bend the wipers back into contact - even if the resistance element has a worn-out track, you may be able to bend the contact to hit a good area. or even sub in an element from a good pot...

Anything can be fixed. Not everything is WORTH fixing, but should we let THAT stop us?