Cassette Problems

[Lorenzo]

I would also agree that the belts need replacing. If you live in Vancouver, BC, I would recommend Main Electronics. They're are Main and 29th. Take the belts with you. They'll match something up for you. Belts are specific to model and make. Another area that needs attention is the rubber wheel that pinches up against the shaft. It needs to be cleans with a Q-tip drenched in alcohol. The wheel gets glazed and becomes slippery. Sure tale sign is that the tape gets eaten or the speed is varied. While your at it, check the condition of the cassette head. Run your finger nail across it. If you feel a groove in it then the head is worn out. The tape is pulled across the head and eventually wears out.

Ok I Can check all of this, I dont live in vancouver i live in Ontario In Milton 🙂 Well i just took a crappy cassette player at my home apart and got 2 belts out of them, ill see if they match this delco one

 

[Lorenzo]

Hopefully you tried more than one tape...

That clicking noise is the unit trying to turn the tape. So you have several possible causes, most of which are mechanical, not electrical. Here are the most likely, IMO:

1) Bad tape that just won't turn easily. Try a couple of different tapes.

2) You are at the end of the tape and the auto reverse is trying to work, but just can't complete the mechanics,
or
3) Weak tape drive mechanism, and the tape deck thinks it's the end the tape whether it is or not, and just keeps trying to turn and reverse, turn and reverse, turn and reverese, etc.

The most likely cause for both 2 or 3 is a bad belt, probably dry and stretched, like Anubis said. Replace the belt with a new one. And yes, the belt is that little black rubber-band-looking thing that runs around a big wheel and a little wheel. Take the belt to a local place that carries such things and have them give you the correct replacement. It should be less than 10 bucks.

Ok So i took it apart again and this time attached it to the car to see what the belt was doing. This Gold little circle is turning fast but the belt is not moving at all? Does this mean i need a new belt?

Could also be a bad tape drive motor, or the mechanism could be jammed, but doubtful, especially on two different tape decks.

 

[azmalibuwagon]

Ok So i took it apart again and this time attached it to the car to see what the belt was doing. This Gold little circle is turning fast but the belt is not moving at all? Does this mean i need a new belt?

That's a good place to start, watching what is happening inside the player.

Gold circle - you must mean the pulley on the motor??
Did you have a tape in it while this was happening? If you did, then that probably does mean you need a new belt. If not, go back, stick tape in in and see what happens.


And here's my disclaimer - it's hard to troubleshoot without having the unit in hand, so this is just my opinion and is not guaranteed to fix anything. 😀

 

[Lorenzo]

Ok So i took it apart again and this time attached it to the car to see what the belt was doing. This Gold little circle is turning fast but the belt is not moving at all? Does this mean i need a new belt?

That's a good place to start, watching what is happening inside the player.

Gold circle - you must mean the pulley on the motor??
Did you have a tape in it while this was happening? If you did, then that probably does mean you need a new belt. If not, go back, stick tape in in and see what happens.


And here's my disclaimer - it's hard to troubleshoot without having the unit in hand, so this is just my opinion and is not guaranteed to fix anything. 😀

Yep The pulley was spinning. And i did have a tape in to. So is there like a kit online to order a part for this?

 

[azmalibuwagon]

I've seen 'kits' with 10 or 20 belts. You buy the kit and hope one of them works. Not a good deal.

What you want to do is measure the width and length of the belt and get one the same size. Better yet, buy two or three belts; they're cheap and may come in handy.

Here's how to measure your belt:
http://www.studiosoundelectronics.com/beltmeas.htm

You can buy from the same place, or choose your own source.

 

[Lorenzo]

I've seen 'kits' with 10 or 20 belts. You buy the kit and hope one of them works. Not a good deal.

What you want to do is measure the width and length of the belt and get one the same size. Better yet, buy two or three belts; they're cheap and may come in handy.

Here's how to measure your belt:
http://www.studiosoundelectronics.com/beltmeas.htm

You can buy from the same place, or choose your own source.

Would you know one that works with this radio? Here is a pic.