Sony ST-SA3ES problem & recapping

[Robinsons]

Hi,

I have Sony ST-SA3ES tuner for long years from 1997 when I bought it brand new.
I am listening FM only, never AM.
A few years ago appears a problem - the tuner suddenly & arbitrarily started "lose reception". It start hissing for a while then knock - and everything goes back to normal state like nothing else happens before. The issue repeats randomly. It feels like radio station switch off/on their signal. Sometimes the tuner works normally but the there are sounds some modulations "sounds like from Mars" in between.

I am tired from that and removed the main plate to look through it for dry solderings. Found 2 doubtfult solderings, fixed, but it didn't help. Then I tried lightly hit on the front end box by screwdriver and the issue appears. I've soldered out the front end box with hope to find out at least one dry soldering there. Nothing.
I am stuck. Perhaps are there some ideas where the problem is?

Also I would like to know do it need to recap the tuner? Perhaps need to change a few capacitors in the front end box at the same time while it has removed?

I remove one of them form front end to try measure it. Unfortunately my old Mastech MY68 multimeter doesn't want to measure capacitors.

 

[penn07]

Hi. I have the same tuner with the same problem, mine is worse when cold after an hour or so seems OK. I removed PCB and checked solder joints all seem OK. I was beginning to suspect the front end input relay. Have you had any luck fixing yours yet?. In the meantime I have got a replacement used but good Sa3es tuner on Gumtree for £14. Probably cheaper than fixing mine Thanks M.