Here’s Some Great Tips on Tape Deck Repair

While doing some tape deck repair, a customer handed me the popular SONY TC-WR665S, (dual cassette deck) for repair. The complaint was the old classic, "My tapes are stuck in the unit, and it won't play" he said. Music to my ears! This is a very straight forward and simple repair. You should now get a thin flat blade jeweler's screwdriver, a long, thin needle-nosed pliers, and a #2 Philips screwdriver ready. This problem is caused by the stretching out of the main drive belts, over time.

We can start by taking the cover off and setting it aside. Here's an Inside Tip: when you first power up the deck, you'll notice that both motors spin for about 2-3 seconds. This under normal conditions returns the mechs to their "standby" mode by driving the cam gear to it's "stop" position.

Because the belts are stretched, they slip and fail to drive the cam gear, and the deck gets "stuck". Using a thin flat blade jeweler's screwdriver and some patience, turn the power button on, and put some slight pressure down on the belt close to the motor pulley to help take up some of the slack of the belt, and help drive the cam gear to it's "stop" mode.

If you succeed without derailing the belt, you've got half the battle won and you'll be able to eject the tape normally. Now unplug the unit and disconnect everything that pertains to the front panel. Next remove the two screws holding the front panel underneath, and remove the front panel. Yes tape deck repair can be challenging!

At this time, take a moment open the cassette door and remove the cassette door trim cover by pushing up gently from it's lower edge. This will greatly help to remove the deck away from the front panel, and is very common in tape deck repair.

Having the deck removed from the front panel, place the mech face down. You may have to carefully unplug the head connector from the circuit board. Remove the two screws from the plastic base that holds the motor, and the circuit board. Also remove the screw in the middle of the circuit board. Now you should be able to start to lift the "top" part of the plastic base back towards you, and away from the "front" part of the mech.

Lifting it up slightly will show you how the belts ride in the mech (remember how they're placed). Using the thin needle-nosed pliers, take off the small F/R belt first from the pulley on the plastic base that you're holding, and let it rest on the "front" part of the mech.

Now remove the main belt from the motor pulley end and hold on to that end with the pliers. You should be able to see a plastic post sticking up from the "front" part of the mech, which lines up almost touching the motor pulley when the two parts are sandwiched together. Now put the end of the main belt that you were holding around that plastic post to hold it in place.

Now you can continue to swing the plastic motor base back and away to expose the "front" part of the mech, and see the flywheels and other parts. Note that there are two "hinges" that the plastic base fits into the "bottom" side of the "front" part of the mech.

To reassemble, FIRST mount the new main belt in the mech in the same way that the old belt was (using the little plastic post as a helping hand). Looking down at the flywheels, take the new belt and loop it around the bottom of the flywheel that is on your LEFT HAND side, and hold the sides of the belt belt in place with your thumb and finger.

Holding the "top" part of the belt with your needle-nose, swing it over towards your RIGHT HAND side. The "right hand" side of the belt should curve over and "ride" on top of the flywheel that's on your RIGHT HAND side. Continue to pull the belt over and place around the little plastic post as before.

Now comes the step that requires major Patience and Perseverance for this tape deck repair. Put the plastic motor base back onto the "front" part of the mech with the hinges first. Start closing the two pieces up, and use the needle-nose, to mount the belt around the motor pulley. Sandwich the two parts even closer now to be able to remount the small "F/R" belt around it's corresponding pulley on the plastic motor base.

Remember to reconnect the head connector to the board, then replace the screws. Remount front panel, all connectors and check operations. I hope this tape deck repair information will be of help to you. The Sony part # for the cassette motor main belt is: 335941701.

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