These pages are devoted to the 1991 3000GT VR4
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Antenna Mast Replacement

Dealers will replace your mast for you in about 10 minutes, they claim. Easy Job they say,, BUT,,
are they doing the job correctly??
Personally, I think not. Antenna replacement requires you to remove the unit from the car if you
wish to do the job right. I know, I know,, that isn't as easy,,, BUT,, the question is,,, do you wish your
repair to last?? I think most will say yes at $35 for the mast replacement for the parts cost without labor.
OK,,,  I will let you decide which repair method you wish done, but I don't want to heard a
word if you choose the dealer method about "I had mine replaced last year and,,, " or any kind of that
other stuff as this is not my method of choice.
Dealer Method: Option One

Remove the little black cap that holds the antenna Mast in the housing. It has little groves
on 4 sides and screws into the antenna mast housing. You can use two flat head screwdrivers to get leverage
on each side and applying pressure counterclockwise on both screw drivers using the side of the screwdriver tip,
remove the little retention cap. Turn your radio on. At the same time pull the mast out of the housing, plastic grooved
tape and all. It might need a little coaxing or if the additional holding clip has become stuck on the mast itself, you
might need the help of a pair of pliers to work it loose side to side. Once removed take the new mast and insert it into
the hole the old mast was in and face the teeth on the plastic tape toward the rear of the car. Turn your radio off and
at the same time, feed the plastic grooved tape into the hole and allow the antenna motor to pull it in until the mast
itself with retaining clip it is seated into the hole. Replace the black cap that holds the retaining clip down and
you are done.

My Method: Preffered Option 2

Follow the process mentioned above up to the part of installing the new mast into the hole, by removing
the old mast. Now, go to your trunk and remove the following items aside from all the junk you are
paying gas money to haul around and losing performance.


 
1. Remove the screws at the front of the floor panel remove floor panel.
2. Remove your spare tire.
3. Remove  your compartment trays on both sides.
4.Remove the screws holding the rear panel. (There are screws along the top edge under   
   little plastic caps, a couple on the floor and also two screws on each side inside your access 
   panels for the rear lights. Remove all your access doors from the rear panel checking for 
   screws. Don't force anything or you will break mounting tabs.
5. Remove the screws for the drivers side panel at least up to the rear strut location also 
   removing the strut access panel and your retractable shade mount.
6. Carefully pry the side panel away from the side wall exposing the inner area but don't  
    bend it out too far as to damage the side plastic panel.
7. Locate the antenna motor assembly. Once you have the top cap removed, (this should 
    have already been done along with the old mast, before you started in the trunk) there are 
    only two more fasteners to remove and a drain hose. 
8. Locate the nut holding the assembly and remove it. #10 socket.
9. Unplug the unit
10.Remove the drain hose from the bottom of the assembly.
11. Pull the antenna motor assembly out away from the area. It will also drop down from 
     the hole in your fender. (At this point if you have not removed the little black cap from on 
     top your fender you face bending the fender where the antenna goes through. All this is 
     easy removal,, no force needed. Force damages parts,, stay away from it.)
12. You will now notice the only thing holding the motor assembly to the car is a ground 
     wire screwed into the mounting bracket. Remove it.
You now have the motor assembly in your hands and out of the car. Take it to your workbench, as the next phase is bench work.

Ok, here are the photos of the process above up to the removal and taking it to the bench.
As always, click to enlarge them.

This is what your trunk should look like during the process. Of course your might be a different color,,, :-)

Below is a view of the antenna motor asssembly. Note the brass looking bracket and the two studs showing
top and bottom by the rubber grommets. (nuts have been removed)
Also note the ground wire (side fender wall) and the main plug (bottom of bracket)
Behind the main plug at 1 o'clock (hard to see) is a drain hose.
(Not that large black hose. That is from your hatch edge drain)
Don't forget to both remove it and replace it
or water that might go past the mast when in rain will drain into your trunk and rust out your fender or
cause moisture inside your car IE window fogging, musty smell, etc.

Mounted Antenna Motor Assembly View

Ok, now we move on to the work on your bench
Shown below is your assembly and the cap which we must remove. Note the 4 Phillips head screws
and the center (almost) bolt and nut. Remove all of them taking note where they go and taking care
because two of the retaining nuts are in a little housing on the side (left two) and if they fall out, you need to
know where they go for re-assembly.

Antenna Motor Assembly

Below you can see the assembly with the cover removed. I have it pictured this way so you can see
the winding process. The tape comes down the shaft and is redirected by that shiny metal part via
a ramp effect and then winds itself into that plastic ring that is able to rotate inside the housing.

Winder Assembly

OK, here is the reason we are doing all this. Note in the photo below the little broken off piece of
the feed tape. That is how much was left in the housing when mine broke. Dealers will allow this piece
to remain in there in their process. Sure, it will just get mixed in with the winding, but what damage can it
affect over time because of the extra space it is taking up and constantly trying to fit in with the coil ??
When the antenna is up, it is almost in there by itself with only a small amount of the new mast tape in there.
When you lower the antenna, all the tape must go into the coil inside the plastic housing and it must try
to blend in. Sorry,, not my kind of repair and taking the easy way out.
Sorry for offending those that took that route, but you have no one to blame but yourself or maybe the
dealer because he said that was the way to do it. So much for what dealers really know. I just wonder if
they would rebuild an engine that had a spun bearing and leave the shavings from the spun bearing
in the crankcase. I associate this with their same procedure if option one is the way they do it.

Antenna Mast Broken Piece

Ok, what we want to do is remove the broken piece and reassemble taking care to put things back
the way you found them all except the broken piece. Then install the Antenna Motor Assembly back
into the car the way it came out. Do not install the little black cap on top the fender yet.
Once we have the Antenna Motor Assembly re-installed, turn on the ignition and turn your radio on. This will
bring the Antenna Motor Assembly to the "Antenna Extended Mode"
Insert the tape from the new Replacement Antenna Mast as shown below.
 

Replacement Mast Inserted.

 Next, turn the radio off. This will start the Antenna Retract Mode. At this time feed the tape into the top
hole as the motor assembly draws it in. It should draw the whole antenna tape and the actual antenna
into the hole so try to get the antenna aligned as quickly as possible so it goes into the hole as smoothly as
possible and doesn't bind for too long. Once the motor shuts off with the replacement mast drawn all
the way in, replace the black retainer cap. If it does bind and shut off, then insert the mast into the hole along with
the retainer base and leave the remainder sticking out. (Remember, the tape goes inside the mast and actually is
connected to the tip of the antenna, so the rest of the antenna will slide over the tape with no problem.)
Then install the black retainer cap to hold the retainer base of the replacement mast in position.
Turn the radio on and then off again to redo the extend / retract process and this
time it should draw the whole mast into the hole.
Now all that is left is replacing all the plastic panels in your trunk and placing all that junk you take with
you everywhere for some strange reason. Haha
One last final thing before you  replace the panels and put all that stuff back.
Did you connect the drain to the bottom of the antenna Motor Assembly??
 
Have fun!!!

For those that are curious and also some additional photos
Antenna Mast Retainer  Drive / Retainer Gears and Clutch  Deflector Plate  Black Retainer Cap

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