Electronics > Beginners

Why would Delco/Delphi/GM use mystery codes for ICs etc.?

(1/2) > >>

dentaku:
I just opened up an old Factory Delco CASSETTE-AM-FM radio, Model # 09367585 mostly to salvage the potentiometers and buttons from it and I see that most of the components seem to have been custom made for Delco/Delphi. Lots of them start with 014 (even what looks like voltage regulators) which would lead me to believe they're specific to the manufacturer of the radio and not the regular part numbers. The ones with the Delco Electronics logo on them also have their own number that re-appears on different ICs.

Is there anywhere with a repository of Delco/Delphi/Chevy/GM component codes? The only part that has a number that's shows up in search engines is the DM-171 which turns out is an ancient LM1894 Dynamic Noise Reduction IC.

I recently opened up my old Toyota radio and it had regular part numbers for everything that I could easily find datasheets for but these are a mystery.

David_AVD:
I suspect "house numbering" (also called other names) is often where the manufacturer wants to control the sale of spare parts.  In some cases it could be that the parts have been selected for certain characteristics (such as gain for transistors)?

notsob:
It also was once (perhaps still is) used to avoid taxes in foreign countries, the listed cost price of 'home' branded components is massively more than the actual commercial component, allowing minimal taxes and maximum profit in the 'overseas' spare parts market.

dentaku:
Interesting. It's all down to greed in other words  :(
There's lots of interesting looking stuff on these 90s era boards because it's all through hole and easily un-solderable/breadboardable. Too bad it's almost impossible to find out what they are.

JackOfVA:
Although not necessarily a direct answer, a bit of electronic history may be of benefit.

In the 1940's - perhaps a bit earlier even - the EIA assigned manufacturer ID codes to component companies. These were 3 and later 4 digit codes that would be marked on components instead of or in addition to the manufacturer's name or logo.

Code 014 is National Semiconductor, so it's entirely possible, if not probable, that the semiconductors are manufactured by National Semiconductor. 

It's also possible that the 014 is a Delco-assigned part number prefix - I would look at non-semiconductor parts and see if they also have the 014 identifier. If it's only found on the semiconductors, the odds increase that it's National Semiconductor's manufacturer code. If it's on mechanical parts or transformers, inductors, etc., then it's a Delco-assigned part number prefix.

There are a few lists around of the codes:
1994 version is at http://www.davelevasseur.com/1994%20EIA%20Source%20and%20Date%20Code%20Book.pdf

This document has both a company -> number and number -> company list.

Older information:
http://www.thevintagesound.com/ffg/eia-codes.html
http://www.triodeel.com/eiacode.htm

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page