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Autostop gone mad

D

DeLorean_4

New Member
Hi everyone,

For a while now I've been having problems with my Sony TC-K61 tape deck. Basically, what happens is that I play a normal length tape for a few minutes, everything sounds great and then click! The autostop kicks in.

Am I right in saying that it's the idler wheel? If so, how do I find a new one, or make do with what I have?

Patrick,
 
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Does your counter work? That is usually the first thing I check when I have an auto stop issue on a deck of that era. Basically the auto stop is controlled with a spinning magnet under a sensor. When the magnet stops, the auto stop mechanism is engaged. It was a way to make play, rewind and fast forward all auto stop as earlier units used a tension sensor mounted at the heads which was less effective and only offered auto stop on the play mode and did not prevent spilling like the counter set up.

Given the location of your counter the belt probably runs along the take up reel like most of them, so check out that belt. If the belt is fine and the counter is working, locate the small magnet on the back of the counter spool and clean it. If it still does not work either the sensor is faulty, or there is some other electronic issue with the transport controls themselves.

Both Pioneer and Yamaha mounted theirs on the supply reel (which did not prevent spilling) on the decks that had the front loading inset diagonal transport because of the location of the counter which would not only trigger the auto stop, but would cause the tape to mis-track due to incorrect tension on the reels.
 
Thanks, I'll check it out.

The tape counter works for the time the tape spins, but I've noticed that the take up reel spins in an unstable manner. Instead of spinning smoothly in a constant motion, it seems to go by clicks. I've tried multiple tapes, and the problem persists.

In playback mode, without a tape, it spins a little more smoothly, but slower than it used to before this problem arose.
 
Well, it sounds like your issue is in the take up spool. I don't know if this was the original intention of this design, but by having the counter based auto stop mechanism fed by the take up reel, it becomes a safeguard from tape spillage.

More than likely the take up reel is put in motion with an idler with a rubber tire making contact with a plastic based hub. Either the tire is sticky, missing or more than likely just glazed causing the wheel when under load (i.e. playing a tape) to move erratically. Under normal operating conditions the magnet under the sensor at the counter would be moving without hesitation. The moment that magnet stops for any reason the auto stop is activated.

Basically replace the idler tire at the take up reel and your problems should be solved unless there is a bigger underlying problem.
 
Don't know if the counter system is the same, but my TC-K71 would stop after awhile. I finally noticed that if the counter was zeroed, it would stop at approx 091-097 each and every time!! Found the counter would seize or stick at that spot, couldn't clean, lube, fiddle with to help it, so I jammed the reset down. Never had the problem again!!!

Gonna look for a new counter one of these days and put on new belts. Till then, I don't worry about the counter!!
 
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