Parts Available

Symptoms and Repair Tips

Basic VCR Notes

Removing Cassettes That Won't Eject

Deck Layout and Parts Locations

Parts available

ITEM	PART NUMBER	PRICE	PICTURE
Idler arm	IA-PA5	8.95
Belt kit (2 belts)	BK-571	2.39
Carriage gear	GE-P5	1.59
Pinch roller	PR-23	5.99
End Sensor	PT-20	2.19

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Symptoms and Repair Tips

Symptom: after inserting the cassette, it loads; but once fully loaded, it immediately ejects.
The Cure - replace mode switch. Requires some soldering. Difficulty rating 3 - easy.

Symptoms: defective cassette carriage
1.) may make a clicking sound when plugged in or turned on.
2.) cassette tray travel may be incomplete. May not load or unload all the way.
3.) where the worm gear on the chassis meets the cassette carriage gear, look for tiny fragments that may have come off the carriage gear.
4.) VCR may not be able to eject cassettes.
The Cure - replace cassette carriage and retime. What happens is that there is a gear on the cassette carriage that wears down and eventually jumps timing. This is the gear that meets the worm gear on the chassis. Check to see if this gear is white. Blue gears are upgraded and stronger. Difficulty rating - 5 moderate.

Symptoms: power supply module
1.) VCR may be totally dead.
2.) florescent display on front panel may blink or be totally out.
3.) if unplugged for a while, it may take 15 to 30 minutes for florescent display to illuminate after plugging AC cord back in.
4.) voltage line that feeds the capstan motor may be contaminated with AC voltage. In such case, audio wavers or audio quality may be poor; may also have speed locking problems. Because of the AC voltage component, the capstan is speeding up and slowing down many times a second.
5.) if you have a voltmeter (optional), measure the voltage on 5 volt line. It is easy to identify because there is only one connection plug between the power supply module and the main chassis; two adjacent pins in this plug are the 5 volt lines and they are the only two pins in the 5 volt ballpark. They should measure 5.1 volts. When this defect occurs they will measure between 3.5 and 4.9 volts. The lower this voltage, the more problems your VCR has. Be careful not to short any pins together with the voltage probe (it could damage the board further). THERE ARE DANGEROUS VOLTAGES INSIDE THIS MODULE! AS LONG AS YOU STAY OUTSIDE THE MODULE CAGE, YOU ARE SAFE.
The Cure - remove power supply module and send in to our rebuild shop. Difficulty rating 3 - easy.

Basic VCR Notes

This VCR uses a single geared idler for all transport modes. The Moving Mechanism and cassette carriage are integrated into one system and driven by one motor which is located almost under the right side plate of the cassette carriage on the bottom side of the deck. It has instant play features and is equiped with a pinch roller elevator system. The mode switch is a circular geared type located on the bottom side of the deck behind the Moving Mechanism motor.

Removing top cover - most models mave two screws in the back and two more on the bottom; the bottom screws that need to be removed have an arrow next to them; Cover must slide up and back. When reinstalling, be sure slots in cover align with the pegs on both ends of VCR.

Removing bottom cover - remove 2 screws from bottom cover, there is a 3rd one inside that screws down from power supply module. Towards the back there are two black plastic retaining hooks; press these down and the cover should now be free to slide forward. Before you waste too much time, I think it's only fair to point out that removing this cover really does not give much access to anything.

Tape End Sensers - no special precautions necessary with top cover off. Keep direct sunlight off VCR and don't use extremely bright light over bench to avoid false trips of tape end sensors.

Removing Cassettes That Won't Eject

This VCR is a difficult situation if a cassette ever refuses to eject. In order to get to the Moving Mechanism motor for hand cycling, you have to pull the deck; but you can't do that if you can't get to the screws because there is a cassette stuck in the way. If you encounter a stuck cassette, the only way to safely remove it, is by removing the cassette carriage with the cassette still in it.
1.) remove top cover and front mask.
2.) remove 6 screws from carriage; 2 in back, 2 on top up front, and 2 more behind circuit board up front.
3.) if there is any tape outside the cartridge, try to get the pinch roller in the center of it. The spring on the pinch roller will let it come back so you can put equal amounts of tape on each side of it.
4.) now remove carriage by lifting up. You should now be able to get to the Moving Mechanism motor's pulley underneath the carriage for hand cycling.
5.) while holding the carriage in one hand with a loop of tape around the pinch roller, hand cycle the motor pulley with the other until the pinch roller goes up the elevator and the half load arm comes back to release the tape.
6.) with the carriage in your hands, reel the tape into the cassette with your hand by turning cassette reel from bottom of cassette.
7.) you can now push the cassette out of the carriage.
8.) on reinstallation, correct timing is achieved by hand cycling the Moving Mechanism motor all the way back to the unloaded position until there is a resistance felt to confirm you are at the end of travel. With the carriage in the fully unloaded position, carefully set it in place on the worm gear. You might want to hold a little tension on the carriage gear before you set it on the worm gear.
9.) replace screws.

For further information see Cassette Won't Eject.