Emerson vcr wont play, tape screeches

[Bradley1234]

Emerson EV406N budget vcr, original problem was glue on a tape that really
gunked up the video head and some of the tape path & ac head

Now thats all cleaned, load a tape, it tries to pull the tape across the
head and play but halfway it screeches, finally struggles and gets the tape
loaded, then it wont move.

The tensioner has the one reel so tight it cant move, take off some of the
tension and it starts to go, then gives up and ejects the tape

Nothing appears bent, its only been used a few hours, very clean inside

any suggestions appreciated

 

[Bradley1234]

The other thing is that if its not binding and screeching, the tape other
times loads fine, it then plays but at the play-FF speed, about 3 seconds or
so, then gives up and unloads/ejects the tape

In this case, the tensioner works normally.

For a short while it would seem to play but with a 99% snowy pix, only faint
video in the background and if by helping the tensioner a bit

 

[[email protected]]

I think from the history of this unit it is a cleaning problem still.

make absolutely certain that the drum is clean. if the grooves on it
are dirty/ clogged, this can impede movement, as I believe a sort of
slight air- field between tape and spinning drum helps keep down
friction (sorry 'bout the crap explantion)!

clean the roiller guides which draw the tape round the drum again.

Clean the whole tape path with alcohol, check the pinch roller also. it
shouldn't be shiny.

 

[Bradley1234]

Thanks

Ive done that, it still would screech, or it would play fast w/no picture

At some point it started to play, only if I helped the tensioner arm

then if I moved the main control sproket drive motor. then it slowly
started working

But it would croak all the sudden. hmm that happened as the sun broke out
from the clouds, I wonder if.... the light was causing some odd error, if
the thing was covered? it worked

I bought expensive vcr/mag tape cleaning solvent and the specialty swabs.
Alcohol from home usually was a % of water so I dont use it for recording
heads. IMO its okay for the tape path and capstan

 

[Ken G.]

Do not use alcohal .. thats your problem that stuff wont clean well at
all . clean the parts with windex