Hello, while doing some odd jobs on the car 1999 XK8, I noticed that the CD changer was giving problems. Not reading disc's properly, skipping and just going off and stating no disc. The car has premium sound and the Harmon Kardon system sounds remarkably good even by todays standards.
I thought I would just have to swap it with the one in my XJS Celebration and see if it changed anything. Got them both out and they look the same but the connections are different. The XJS has an outer ring of seven pins with a single centre pin, the XK8 has two large pins in the centre with three smaller pins each side. Does anyone know if there is an equivalent Alpine CD changer available? The XJS CD could be changed with the Alpine CHM S620 so I believe, is there a compatible one for the XK8?
Or is there a solution to fixing the skipping problem and not reading disc's, I have cleaned the CD lens a few times with a HI FI cleaning disc.
I am ready to strip her down if there are no suggestions, but that will be a last resort.

XK8 CD part# LNC4160AA
XJS CD Part# LXF4160CA
Any advice appreciated.
Cheers,
ArtyH

 

Did you remove and clean the CDs as well? It's dusty back there and that can make them skip and not change tracks properly.

I do not think the models between the XK & XJ you list are interchangeable, but am not the expert.

 

If it were mine, I would send it to a repair shop and have it rebuilt or get a good used one from a junkyard. Anytime I tried to trouble shoot one of these, it ended up as a paperweight.

 

Mine skips everytime I go over moderate bumps in the road. The no disc error is easily fixed by removing the cartridge with the cd's and firmly shoving it back into its slot. That should clear no disc error message.

 

Thanks for the replies guys, the cd's were all cleaned and are not copies, the laser was cleaned as a matter of course. Was looking for a replacement Alpine model on ebay but not sure which typre it is, but it looks like the 620 only with a different connector? I will try pushing in the cartridge more firmly next time and hopefully the good clean will help matters.
Thanks for the replies,
ArtyH

 

Arty - I have the Alpine premium in my 2000 - I can check to see what model it is and advise tomorrow

 

Hi Steve, as long as it is not to much trouble I would appreciate that, thank you very much. I was wondering if the uprated sound system required an uprated CD changer to make the grade as uprated? I will do some research to see if an adaptor is available to make the XJS one fit the XK8 lead. Its interesting as both units look identical apart from the connector.

I am NOT a farmer by the way, a friend who is allows me to store my car there over the winter.

Thanks again for your interest,

Regards,

ArtyH