right channel problems - cleaning question

I've just bought an old Rotel receiver for my garage and the right channel occasionally cuts in and out. It works more than it doesn't but it's annoying when it happens.

Is this a symptom of something serious or just a dirty contact somewhere, do you think?

I'm happy to open it up and clean/spray but I've no idea what I should be spraying or cleaning. Any non-technical advice would be most welcome.

ps. I've checked the speaker cable connections and the speakers are fine.

 

Does it happen with all inputs? Could be a dry joint somewhere.

 

I've only got the tuner set up - it won't have any other inputs.

I thought I'd spray contact solution around all the knobs/switches and see if that helps

 

You have though tried the tuner plugged into a different input, right?

 

Yes, but you can try a tuner source into Tape in, CD in, Aux, anything except phono. If it still cuts out its either the lead/tuner or something downstream from the input socketry in the amp. At this stage my bet is the volume control, especially if there's some crackling

PS I'm not a repair man but I sometimes play one given the moronic standards of the rest of my family

 

I'll have a play with the various inputs tonight.

This may well be a dozy response but the tuner isn't a separate unit so isn't an 'input' as such.

I only paid a fiver for it so it's not a big deal. Still it sounds okay for the garage and I like the retro tuner dial so it would be nice to get it running.

What about using a different set of speaker outputs - if the right channel on speakers A is down would that mean the right channel on speakers B is too? The amp uses funny speaker sockets which I've had to remove and replace with plastic joining blocks with crimping screws.

If the right channel is shagged on both speaker sets, what about running both speakers on the left channel? Obviously you'd lose the stereo thing but for the garage it's not a big deal.

 

Oops, sorry mate, missed the word "receiver" in your first post...

Have you had the case open to have a nose around?

 

There were loads of things inside covered in dust and fluff

I don't really know what I'm looking for frankly. The tuning mechanism for the radio was funky but apart from that it's all just stuff to me.

I guess anything mechanical like volume knobs etc. are susceptible to dust and wear and may benefit from blasting with contact cleaner.


I was really trying to gauge whether an intermittent right channel was a terminal problem as I'm sure it's happened many times in the past with amps.