'87 cassette radio problem

[rch105]

I understand this to be a common problem with the cassette portion of the radio. It refuses to play the cassette. After inserting a known good cassette, it almost immediately clicks and tries to reverse. The cassette will never play, just keeps jumping back and forth. Does anyone know what is wrong? I'd like to fix it myself considering the cost. I do have the time, tools, and mechanical ability, and some electronic knowledge. Thanks! Rick

 

[John Robinson]

Try this

Get a good cassette cleaner tape and clean the cassette player heads. This may be all you need to do since the the cassette player is a number of years old it probably needs cleaning. If that does not work then send the unit to Doctor Don's. Let us know what fixes the problem, thats how we learn.

 

[rch105]

I'm sorry but I failed to include in my post that I did buy a cleaner tape at RS and it didn't help. The salesman at RS thought it might be a stretched / weak dive belt, or need some lube, as he thought the reversing mechanism was kicking in. Thoughts anyone? Thanks again! Rick

 

[John Robinson]

Starting Place

I'm sorry but I failed to include in my post that I did buy a cleaner tape at RS and it didn't help. The salesman at RS thought it might be a stretched / weak dive belt, or need some lube, as he thought the reversing mechanism was kicking in. Thoughts anyone? Thanks again! Rick

Sounds like a place to start and if you dont find anything wrong at least you have the radio out and can send it for repairs.

 

[jmccloud]

Tape player

The most common cause of tape player failure is the cassette, not the player. Have you tried other tapes? Yes, you tried a known good one but perhaps not known good in that tape player. Try others.
If it is the player, it's usually the rubber pinch roller. Don't try to clean it with a normal swab, the hairs will get into the mechanism. Radio shack used to sell head cleaning swabs that had a foam or chamois cover - that's what you want. The recommended cleaning fluid is isopropyl alcohol. Methanol (stove alcohol) works best but is hazardous to your health.
C60 and C90 tapes have thicker base than 120's and will play much more reliably in a car. Pre-recorded tapes are frequently 120 base (thinner) even though they are shorter play length. So home-made tapes are more reliable so long as you use C60 stock.
If you really value a poorly performing tape and can not replace it, fast forwarding and rewinding it may get a few more plays out of it. But you're much better off recording CD's onto C60's and using those tapes in your car player. Also, never put a tape into the player until the player has a chance to temperature equilibrate (cool off in the summer or warm up in the winter).
Yea, I used to work in a tape plant. Could go on for hours.
Hope this helps, good luck
PS My '95 tape player had a dirty pinch roller when I bought it. Works fine now.

 

[rch105]

Thanks for the insite. I'll be checking it this weekend and hopefully will get it corrected. I really hate to send it out due to the cost. But time will tell. Again, my thanks. Rick