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Technics RS-TR313

Arch L

Sep 10, 2015
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First the record side & then the play side of this unit would either reverse or stop shortly after playing. It would also pull the tape out of the cassette, requiring to re-spool the tape. I know nothing about what is what on this machine but can follow instructions pretty well if someone can tell me what amy be the problem & how to fix it.

Thanks
 
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Harald Kapp

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This sounds like a mechanical problem: too much friction on the pickup side of the tape reel.
Check the mechanism for easy movement, tension of any drive belts that may be there, dirt etc. Clean the drive mechanism, put a drop of oil into the relevant bearings.
Dirt may clog sensors, especially forked light barriers like this one. Use pressurized air (from a can) or a vacuum cleaner at low setting to clean these places.
 

shrtrnd

Jan 15, 2010
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Harald's advice is pretty complete.
You may have a worn-out part, but the odds are, your mechanism needs a good cleaning.
I use Q-tips and isopropyl alcohol. Be especially sure to clean the tape heads, as build-up on those can physically grab at the tape running across the heads, and cause your symptoms.
Clean all the rollers the tape runs across and make sure they spin freely as Harald explained.
Good luck, hopefully this'll get you going again.
 

Arch L

Sep 10, 2015
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Thank you for the suggestions. I sprayed both sides with compressed air and used a cassette tape cleaner but nothing changed. I'm not familiar with what I'm suppose to look at or check or where to put some oil. Can you please provide more detail on specifically what I need to do, where & how do I identify it when you say "Check the mechanism for easy movement, tension of any drive belts that may be there, dirt etc. Clean the drive mechanism, put a drop of oil into the relevant bearings." Thanks, again
 

Harald Kapp

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You'll have to open the recorder and access the innards of the drive mechanism. I'm sorry I don't have the necessary information to give you more detailed instructions. Maybe you can find a service manual on the internet?
Good luck!
 

Arch L

Sep 10, 2015
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Thanks for the input. I do have a manual but I don't know what to look for. What am I looking for in the drive mechanism? How should everything work or how can I tell something is not right?
 

Harald Kapp

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You'll have to carefully go through all the mechanical moving parts and check they can move freely. Start the deck and see where motors or gears seem to stutter or stick, where springs or rubber belts may be loose or too tight etc.

Or find an experienced technician to repair the deck.
 

shrtrnd

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Like Harald said, you'll have to take the chassis cover off of the unit to look at everything inside (make sure you unplug it when you do that).
You may be surprised to find something inside the unit that is clogging things-up.
I've found units with dust, dirt, pet hair, build-up of tape residue from all the tapes run through it.
Thoroughly clean out the dust and whatever, use the isopropyl and Q-tips to clean worn tape residue off all the rollers and tape guides that the tape runs through.
Check the moving part mechanisms like Harald suggested for free movement.
When you think the unit is clean, with the chassis cover off, (being careful not to shock yourself), plug the unit in, insert one of you less important tapes, and watch the tape load and play operations.
Look for wherever the tape is hanging-up (if it still does) to isolate the problem area.
This is not difficult to do, just realize the mechanical assemblies are very delicate, you don't want to damage them while you're cleaning or manipulating them to check for unhindered movement.
 

Arch L

Sep 10, 2015
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OK, so I took off the top and front cover. What I saw is that the right spoke that turns the cassette sticks or something but it stops turning. FUnny enough, same one one each of the dual sides. The one side makes noise likes it's stuck & the other just stops turning. I looked from the back but just saw that the gears stop turning. When I put in FF, it works fine for awhile but stops when it gets about half way on the tape. Does that pin down what may be the problem so you can tell me what I need to do to fix it?
 

shrtrnd

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Can you tell if the rollers that stick are driven by a rubber belt?
A belt driving the rollers would be the first thing to suspect if it's worn/loose.
It's possible the capstan motor is failing, or that the mechanical rollers are so worn that they' hanging-up, but any belts that might be in there are the first thing to suspect.
 

Old Steve

Jul 23, 2015
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Or find an experienced technician to repair the deck.
I think that this is the best answer so far. Some things are best left to the professionals.

Edit: If you really insist on doing it yourself, with help from the very knowledgable people here, a good clear photo of the innards would help enormously.
 

Arch L

Sep 10, 2015
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It's hard to see much from the back. The back of the sprocket that goes into the tape to turn it is connected to another gear but I can't see what that's connected to. I've attached a photo showing what I can see at the back of the sprocket. The first is the record/play side of the deck & the 2nd is the play only side. Does this help? How can I make sure that side turns properly? Thanks
 

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Arch L

Sep 10, 2015
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I think that this is the best answer so far. Some things are best left to the professionals.

Edit: If you really insist on doing it yourself, with help from the very knowledgable people here, a good clear photo of the innards would help enormously.

Sorry Old Steve but I only saw your note after I posted the response. I don't seem to have a repair shop near me so I don't have much choice but to either try to repair the problem or junk the deck & I hate to waste anything. Hope you can help with what I posted or can direct me to what you need, Thanks
 

shrtrnd

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You don't sound like you've got much experience with repairs like this. Do you know anybody in the area who does?
I wouldn't mess with any mechanical adjustments until I replaced the rubber belt.
That's my two-cents worth.
If you Google the make and model of your tape deck with reference to replacement belts, you'll find somebody to buy a replacemt kit from.
You'll also get hits on any parts available for your deck, but none of this will help much if you don't have some skill in work like this.
A repair shop would probably charge more than you'd want to pay.
Replacing the belt may not solve the problem, and somebody with repair skills would have to look at it to determine any other potential issue.
It just takes somebody with experience to physically check the deck and isolate the exact problem.
Your pictures tell me the deck is belt driven, and that's what usually wears-out first, but may not be your only issue.
 

Arch L

Sep 10, 2015
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Yes, it's obvious that I've got no experience with repairs like this. I can't even name the part that stops turning & fits into one of the tape holes. You're also correct that taking it to a repair shop will probably cost more than replacing it. I've followed other repairs like on a computer by using photos of step by step instruction but I assume that will just take too much of your time. Do you think it's a bad belt causing the problem? Would you be able to tell me or take photos on how to reach the belt to replace? Anything you can do will keep this unit from ending up on the junk heap so I'd appreciate whatever you can tell me. Thanks
 

Old Steve

Jul 23, 2015
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Sorry Old Steve but I only saw your note after I posted the response. I don't seem to have a repair shop near me so I don't have much choice but to either try to repair the problem or junk the deck & I hate to waste anything. Hope you can help with what I posted or can direct me to what you need, Thanks
Arch, I can't personally help with your problem, but figured a photo would have to help the others to see what's going on. Good luck with it.
 

shrtrnd

Jan 15, 2010
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Like Old Steve, this sounds to me like something you'd have a real problem doing.
What follows is my advice if you really intend to scrap the unit:
First, take a good look at your sprocket gears (the ones with the teeth), if any one of them is worn-down or chipped-off, that would explain your symptom. Make darned sure there aren't any foreign objects stuck in the moving parts
that would gum-up the works.
1) Convince yourself that you're going to trash the recorder. That way if you try to fix it, you won't feel bad if something goes terribly wrong in disassembly or reassembly.
2) If you don't have the operator manual that came with the deck (sometimes they have mechanical exploded views of the innards), Google a free service manual, or schematics on your make and model. What you're looking for is an exploded diagram of the mechanical assembly, and/or instructions about replacing the belts.
3) Find the replacement belt kit for your recorder, and if it isn't too expensive, buy it.
4)Make sure the deck isn't plugged into power. Look at the assembly carefully, and determine which chassis screws are holding the assembly in place that prevents you from getting to the rubber belts. Carefully remove the
assembly blocking access to the belts, being sure you know how to reinstall it when the belts have been replaced. This is a delicate operation because everything has to be reinstalled exactly the same way you originally find it.
5) If you do all of the above and it doesn't fix the problem, a service guy would be needed.

I'm suggesting all this trouble because the vast majority of belt-driven recorders I've worked on are belt issues. The belts get so worn they slip; or stick, if the rubber deteriorates.
I'm only suggesting this because you said you'd probably have to trash the recorder. All the previous advice from guys on this site are valid. The recorder should be looked at by somebody who knows how to work on them.
 

Arch L

Sep 10, 2015
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Like Old Steve, this sounds to me like something you'd have a real problem doing.
What follows is my advice if you really intend to scrap the unit:
First, take a good look at your sprocket gears (the ones with the teeth), if any one of them is worn-down or chipped-off, that would explain your symptom. Make darned sure there aren't any foreign objects stuck in the moving parts
that would gum-up the works.
1) Convince yourself that you're going to trash the recorder. That way if you try to fix it, you won't feel bad if something goes terribly wrong in disassembly or reassembly.
2) If you don't have the operator manual that came with the deck (sometimes they have mechanical exploded views of the innards), Google a free service manual, or schematics on your make and model. What you're looking for is an exploded diagram of the mechanical assembly, and/or instructions about replacing the belts.
3) Find the replacement belt kit for your recorder, and if it isn't too expensive, buy it.
4)Make sure the deck isn't plugged into power. Look at the assembly carefully, and determine which chassis screws are holding the assembly in place that prevents you from getting to the rubber belts. Carefully remove the
assembly blocking access to the belts, being sure you know how to reinstall it when the belts have been replaced. This is a delicate operation because everything has to be reinstalled exactly the same way you originally find it.
5) If you do all of the above and it doesn't fix the problem, a service guy would be needed.

I'm suggesting all this trouble because the vast majority of belt-driven recorders I've worked on are belt issues. The belts get so worn they slip; or stick, if the rubber deteriorates.
I'm only suggesting this because you said you'd probably have to trash the recorder. All the previous advice from guys on this site are valid. The recorder should be looked at by somebody who knows how to work on them.

Thank you for the useful directions. I do have a service manual, although I wish I knew how to read it. I saw where the 2 belts on each side are listed but when I put the part number on ebay, nothing came up. It looks like belts are sold in lots without any specific size or reference & you're expected to pick the ones that work. They show how to take various things apart but nothing on how to replace belts. Also, on the one side, I noticed a noise before the sprocket stopped altogether. Not sure if it means anything. The other side just stops turning but seemed to keep turning it I pushed it along with my finger. I would appreciate if you could help me understand how to get replacement belts & I think I will try to take it apart & see if I can replace the belts.
 

Old Steve

Jul 23, 2015
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I would appreciate if you could help me understand how to get replacement belts & I think I will try to take it apart & see if I can replace the belts.
You could try Googling "cassette deck belts". ;)
(You'll need to measure the length and width/diameter of the belts first, so you know what you're looking for. Do they seem loose?)

You'll get results like this:-
http://www.studiosoundelectronics.com/cassette.htm

I used to deal with these guys here in Australia, when I was still working:-
https://www.wes.com.au/mediapub/ebook/wescat2014np/#1220
(They didn't have this fancy online catalogue back then.)

Edit: And don't forget to buy belts slightly shorter than your stretched old ones are now, or the new ones will also slip. ;)
 
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Martaine2005

May 12, 2015
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Hi Arch L,
Never give in with a repair of your own goods!!
The Technics decks are real nice old skool decks.
I found two videos on youtube about 1. replacing the belts and 2. about your deck.

The first video is not your deck but the tape mechanism is the same or very similar.
The second is a guy who has cleaned his deck. He has replaced the belts and you might find it useful to contact him with your photos.

Always, ALWAYS, take photos of every stage and MARK all connectors.
And draw a layout of all the screws you can see and as you remove them, place them on your drawing so you know where they go and don't get confused if some are longer / shorter.
It really is very easy to take apart and repair if done methodically.
Good luck.



Martin
 
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