alconk

I started my car today the first time in a long time and when I turned the radio on the factory power antenna worked as normal. Well later tonight I was playing around with the fuel pressure and every time I started the car the power antenna would go up and down until the last time. The motor was continually running but the mast was up. I ended having to push the mast down to make the motor quit running. When turned back on the mast only comes up 3 inches. Keep in mind this is a factory NOS unit that I put in last fall. What do you think happened and can it be fixed??

jdp6000

Thats weird! Were you playing around in the storage compartment where the power antenna relay is?

alconk

Nope! The only thing I can think of is that the nylon mast came off the gearing??

alconk

Well I took apart the assembly and it looks like the nylon line popped out but the quest is how in the heck does it go together. I have checked the web and found nothing??

Wrecked82

Have you thought about leaving it up, say, 6" or so, put a black vacuum cap on the top, buy a long piece of black heat shrink tubing from Harbour Freight or elsewhere to cover cap and mast, shrink nice and tight and be done with it. I got tired of mine breaking about every 6+ years and did not have the "strength" to replace it one more time. So, just did that.

Arkyvette

Mine has very strong reception all the way down. No plans of fixing it as I like it down. Wonder if an aftermarket antenna would install and last a bit longer?

Wrecked82

Two of mine were aftermarket. They just seem to die for some reason.

jdp6000

I keep telling you guys. The only one almost exactly the same is out of an 92 or 93 or94 Cadillac. Its in the rear of these cars. Because the Cadillac fender is on an angle the top of the shaft the mast is in is cut on a 60-70 degree angle. The cut is the difference. The solid crome ring out of a 1997 Mecury Sable is the perfect length to make up for the 60-70 degree angle cut on the caddy power antenna. It screws right in for a nice finish.

I know. My friend owns a scrap yard. I had to go through about 20 of these before I found the right combination.

You will never replace just the nyon. I was never able to find one the exact thickness.

Jim

Jim

jdp6000

I believe it was this design

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Delco-power-...8f7e6d&vxp=mtr

Unfortunately I can not find the Mercury Sable beauty ring.

alconk

I found the problem, at the end of the nylon mast is a metal hook that attaches to the gear wheel. Right where the metal and nylon connect it broke. I have ordered a replacement mast from one of the vendors here on the site. We'll see hoe it goes.

alconk

I like that but I'm gonna fix mine. If it does it again, then yea maybe.

Mark G

I actually own a 93 Cadillac DeVille and YES the antenna is basically the same. I've owned this car for many years (don't drive it much anymore). But I've rebuilt that antenna many times over the years. Cold winters, ice and age are tough on them. The metal hook on the end does break, so does the point where the metal end attaches to the nylon chord. There is a hard flexible wire in the center of the nylon chord down at the bottom and eventually, the nylon becomes brittle with age, then cracks develop, which they all will eventually do, the wire rusts through due to water migrating down the mast (expecially if it doesn't close 100% tight or the drain is plugged (make sure your antenna drain works properly) and then it breaks free. A replacement mast and chord is about $25 (DeVille or Corvette) and isn't too difficult to replace if you have moderate mechanical skills. There is a website called antennaMastsRus and they sell the kits as cheap as anyone. Good luck.

Good luck.