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Old 02-06-2008, 06:10 PM   #1
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Autochangers

My autochanger is screwed ...

Now , there are a lot of changers on Ebay , but they all seem to have a different MC number ( Mine is MC 3198 ) .

So , the predictable question is , how interchangeable are they ?

They all seem to have the same two plugs on the back ( power and fibre optic ) just in a different place on each different model .

Head Unit is an Audio 10 . Any advice ? Is it imperative to match the MC model number or do they all work pretty much as a muchness.

Car is a 99 CLK , the radio has a code to input ( it's not part of an overall bigger system , i don't think it needs to be coded on a STAR ) ..

Thanks in advance

H
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Old 02-06-2008, 06:22 PM   #2
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I think they are interchangeable, the connector location being for model specific mounting.

Before condemning it try cleaning the laser.
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Old 02-06-2008, 06:24 PM   #3
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Better not take my word for it (but Richard or Alfie probably will pop in at some point ), but I think the 3198 is interchangeable with the MC 3010 and 3110. They should all be D2B fibre optic changers, but this is from memory and I am getting senile .
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Old 02-06-2008, 06:40 PM   #4
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Quote:
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I think they are interchangeable, the connector location being for model specific mounting.

Before condemning it try cleaning the laser.
The unit has had a bottle of oil spilt into it while open i doubt if cleaning the laser will help .... it doesn't even power up , there are CDs stuck in it ..

Guido , thats potentially good news ... there are a lot of them on Ebay , all with the same connectors as mine , just located in different places on the back.
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Old 02-06-2008, 06:41 PM   #5
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Technically oil shouldn't harm electrical devices. It's probably worth opening it up and spraying in a good dose of isopropanol.
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Old 02-06-2008, 06:42 PM   #6
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Initially i thought it had had a soft drink spilt into it , but when i licked the residue , i realised it was oil ...
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Old 02-06-2008, 06:44 PM   #7
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As DieselMan has said, Oil shouldn't affect electrical devices.

In fact, Oil is used as an insulator and cooler in heavy switchgear..
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Old 02-06-2008, 06:44 PM   #8
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Well , it doesn't work .... so something must have affected it ....
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Old 02-06-2008, 06:45 PM   #9
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It's probably just stuck up due to the oil.

Just pull it apart and have ago, nothing to lose.
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Old 02-06-2008, 06:47 PM   #10
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It would probably still be working if you hadn't licked it.
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Old 02-06-2008, 09:52 PM   #11
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Quote:
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Better not take my word for it (but Richard or Alfie probably will pop in at some point ), but I think the 3198 is interchangeable with the MC 3010 and 3110. They should all be D2B fibre optic changers, but this is from memory and I am getting senile .
Guido you are not wrong.

Basically any of the D2B fibre CD changers will work. the trick is mounting the changer in the boot and running the cables from there to the head unit. Thats all.

I dont have any in stock myself although I might have a mounting bracket for a CLK W208 somewhere. I've offered to install it into the 'Salmon' for Howard at the GTG.
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Old 03-06-2008, 10:22 AM   #12
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Thanks for the confirmation guys.

Basically the 'well' that the changer sits in is huge so lots of room to bend cables to get them to fit into differently laid out holes on the back of the changer ( providing the connections are the same ) ..

I already have the cables ( 2 x orange fibre optics , and one multi core cable ) in place . and i have the bracket for the w208 on the old changer so mounting the new one won't be a problem.

Why do they make so many different changers with the same innards just with different layout plugs ?

Excellent , i'll get looking.
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Old 03-06-2008, 06:14 PM   #13
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Ok chaps and chapesses ....

Drama over ...

Silly Mr Toad was tinkering with the car , and thought ' Why isn't the head unit seating back properly ? '

Took it out , and the reason it isn't seating properly is because the connector for the CD changer had fallen out and was blocking it from going all the way in .....

I have had the head unit out a couple of times already this week and never noticed the missing plug ...

Bunged it back in and the joy is twofold ....

1) The headunit goes right the way back in so you can't see the metal frame ...

2 ) The CD autochanger works !!!

Thanks to everyone who has given advice to try and solve this problem !! when in reality it was my own stupidity !!

H
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Old 03-06-2008, 06:26 PM   #14
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The CD autochanger works !!!
Do the CDs that come out feel oily now?

Great to hear that the problem is resolved, H.
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Old 04-06-2008, 02:47 AM   #15
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I'm curious if it makes Mr. Rod Stewart now sound more like that Pavarotti fellow, instead of some football hooligan who gargles with bourbon and Gillette blues.
I "fixed" my optical/no MP3 issues with a nice Blaupunkt Brisbane. No CDs, either, just SD cards. And Rod still sounds great.
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