Record button will not go down and lock on M70!

[BoomboxLover48]

I got some time this afternoon to work on an M70 that has a problem with record button.

Play, rewind, fast forward and all functions work, it will record when you manually move the lever assembly that the record button has to push down, but the red record button will not go all the way and lock. The safety lever was always depressed or a brand new cassette with the tabs not broken was used when this was tried. It goes ~5mm down before it stops completely.

I took the cassette mechanism from the chassis to take a better look, but I cannot see a whole lot because the record lever bottom tip is all hidden. My plan is to leave it outside for a while and find a way to fix this issue.

I was wondering if anyone had this problem and found a way to fixed!

 

[baddboybill]

Possibly something bent or old white grease that has gotten thick n dirty over years causing locking mech to not work.

 

[BoomboxLover48]

Thanks Bill!

Good suggestion!

I cannot see anything is bend or not, the interior is all completey hidden from our view because of the side plates that hold the mechanism. . It goes ~5mm down before gets stuck.

I will try to lubricate that area with some grease and see if that helps.

 

[baddboybill]

Thanks Bill!

Good suggestion!

I cannot see anything is bend or not, the interior is all completey hidden from our view because of the side plates that hold the mechanism. . It goes ~5mm down before it gets stuck.

I will try to lubricate that area with some grease and see if that helps.

Might I suggest cleaning with alcohol and swab to remove any old grease and dirt

 

[BoomboxLover48]

The deck interior was very clean, still I removed the old grease and put some new grease and wiped off the excess, still no luck. The same problem persists!
I removed the flywheel to see if I can get a better view.

 

[baddboybill]

I would double check the record lock to make sure it's fully releasing mechanically, especially if your only able to push record/play button 5 mm Depress lock with your finger to get full release effect

 

[BoomboxLover48]

I would double check the record lock to make sure it's fully releasing mechanically, especially if your only able to push record/play button 5 mm Depress lock with your finger to get full release effect

The record lock is fully releasing when I depress the button. There is an internal catch that won't allow the record button to go further down and lock.

 

[agc]

What's happening there is the metal piece that's attached to the record button is bent, causing it to not clear the record-tab lever even though it is being lifted by the tape tabs being in place. If you manually push the lever waayy back, will it work? This is usually caused by ham-fisted people who try to force the record button down without checking to see if the tabs have been broken out

 

[BoomboxLover48]

What's happening there is the metal piece that's attached to the record button is bent, causing it to not clear the record-tab lever even though it is being lifted by the tape tabs being in place. If you manually push the lever waayy back, will it work? This is usually caused by ham-fisted people who try to force the record button down without checking to see if the tabs have been broken out

Hi, Thanks for the information! It looks straight from the top to the area I can see, but cannot see all the way down. Let me see if I can somehow pull it out from the top.

 

[baddboybill]

What's happening there is the metal piece that's attached to the record button is bent, causing it to not clear the record-tab lever even though it is being lifted by the tape tabs being in place. If you manually push the lever waayy back, will it work? This is usually caused by ham-fisted people who try to force the record button down without checking to see if the tabs have been broken out

Hi, Thanks for the information! It looks straight from the top to the area I can see, but cannot see all the way down. Let me see if I can somehow pull it out from the top.

You may need to tear down just to get a better look at whats going on

 

[BoomboxLover48]

What's happening there is the metal piece that's attached to the record button is bent, causing it to not clear the record-tab lever even though it is being lifted by the tape tabs being in place. If you manually push the lever waayy back, will it work? This is usually caused by ham-fisted people who try to force the record button down without checking to see if the tabs have been broken out

Hi, Thanks for the information! It looks straight from the top to the area I can see, but cannot see all the way down. Let me see if I can somehow pull it out from the top.

You may need to tear down just to get a better look at whats going on

Hi Bill, I removed the deck assembly and took the flywheel out to get a better view. I can see that when the record button goes down 5mm there is an internal catch from the "buttons locking and operating assembly". This part is inside the two metal brackets that hold the movements of the deck mechanism incuding the levers, wheels springs and all. To tear down that bracket, It's a bear!! I used to repair clock and watches when I was much younger for fun. Now I am not fit for that kind of work, not anymore

To my great surprise it once went down all the way down and locked, but on a second try it is stuck again and will not go down. :'-( :'-(

If I look right above the play head I can see the little bottom tail of the record button lever coming down when I depress the rec button, so also the side lever is free to move the lever mechanism that press and turn on the record switch.

I'm pretty sure it is the problem is inside the little "buttons locking and unlocking assembly".

Please see the picture below:

 

[baddboybill]

Since we live so close maybe you might want to send me deck or meet me near south side of chi town to let me have a try at it on weekend I get my kids

 

[BoomboxLover48]

Since we live so close maybe you might want to send me deck or meet me near south side of chi town to let me have a try at it on weekend I get my kids

Thanks Bill! I'm travelling the upcoming two weekends.

Betweeen work and all I get only little time for this work. That is my main problem.

 

[dankaholic]

Hi,

next time you're working at it - could you maybe take a photo of the top back of the deck, especially of the AutoStop solenoid and the position of its spring? That would be great as I'm still working on the problem, see this post.

Thanks

 

[BoomboxLover48]

Hi,

next time you're working at it - could you maybe take a photo of the top back of the deck, especially of the AutoStop solenoid and the position of its spring? That would be great as I'm still working on the problem, see this post.

Thanks

Oh Brother! I'm so sorry! I put them all back together yesterday. I gave up on the Rec button malfunction because I am kind of busy with work and had to free the dining table where I normally put a large card board, towel and foam to work on boomboxes.

Sure, I will take pictures of it when I get to this deck sometime. I feel terrible because I couldn't get the pictures for you. It was left open for days and I was tired of spending too much time when I get little time in the evenings.

 

[dankaholic]

Haha - no problem man! I'm pretty confident there will be the day when somebody gets into the M70 again
(btw I'm familiar with the situation of the dining table )

Cheers!

 

[BoomboxLover48]

HI Dankaholic,

Good news! I took pictures of it when I was working on it. Just got it from my camera...

If you want the better quality pictures PM me with your e-mail ID.

 

[dankaholic]

Thanks so much - I can see the position of the spring. I will continue working with that and keep y'all updated about the success! Thanks again