Garrard Zero 100 Issues With Automatic Functions

[tiga]

I picked this up a few weeks ago and have been rehabbing it. I've been removing all the old grease that I can and replacing with white lithium grease. Everything seems to be moving fine. I removed the motor and oiled. I lubricated the top levers under the platter and all are moving freely. The idler seems to be fairly supple and I cleaned off the spindle.

If I turn it on in Manual mode it gets up to and holds speed just fine, and at the record run out it will pickup the tonearm and return it, and turn off. Essentially functioning as a semi-automatic, which is fine.

If I turn it on Automatic - it lifts up and moves the tonearm way over to then end of the record, I hear a clunk under the platter, at the run out it lifts up, with a clunk, returns to the tonearm rest and and then goes back to the record. This will just keep repeating. I've tried adjusting the size selector and it still goes to the same location (7"?). Got to think the clunk noise is some how related but not sure where to look here.

Part of me is thinking just stop now and enjoy it as a semi-automatic and go one to other projects, but the OCD in me would like to see this fully functional, especially if it's a doable fix. Any thoughts / direction is greatly appreciated.

 

[T68]

Is this part pivoting very, very freely on the pin, clicking into end positions with help of the spring? It's a vital part of the auto functions on the Zero.
You usually need to free it up from the pin using heat and then clean thoroughly before lubricate with light oil.
The pin should not rotate only the brass part around it.

 

[tiga]

Thanks - yes I got this part moving freely into each end position. Was able to do it without removal which was fortunate. Without this moving freely it wouldn't stay powered on in manual mode.

 

[stereofisher]

Will be watching. My Dual 1019 on auto start drop on the record and stops. Runs well on manual. Plays and then shuts off well. Paired with my 1219 and a PE 3046! Sounds great. Can’t find the hiccup!

 

[gadget73]

My canned answer for every record changer problem is bad lube. My Zero was pretty bad, some spots the grease looked more like spilled soda than lube, just a hard crust that chipped away. Other spots it was very glue-like. I basically stripped the thing to a bare chassis, cleaned everything, and put it all back together with fresh lube in spots that had it.

 

[T68]

Another tip is to check all flat metal parts with surfaces sliding against eachother. On a Garrard AP76 I worked on gunky grease between some sliding surfaces caused automatics malfunctioning.

 

[tiga]

My canned answer for every record changer problem is bad lube. My Zero was pretty bad, some spots the grease looked more like spilled soda than lube, just a hard crust that chipped away. Other spots it was very glue-like. I basically stripped the thing to a bare chassis, cleaned everything, and put it all back together with fresh lube in spots that had it.

Yeah I used isopropyl alcohol to remove all the old grease that I could see and applied new grease. I was really hoping to avoid doing a complete teardown.

 

[tiga]

Another tip is to check all flat metal parts with surfaces sliding against eachother. On a Garrard AP76 I worked on gunky grease between some sliding surfaces caused automatics malfunctioning.

Thanks - I did this everywhere I could see metal surfaces contacting each other by using a zip tie covered in grease and sliding it between them.

Just wondering - since I hear the clunk under the platter when in auto mode - could there be some issue with the cam causing this?

 

[T68]

Thanks - I did this everywhere I could see metal surfaces contacting each other by using a zip tie covered in grease and sliding it between them.

Just wondering - since I hear the clunk under the platter when in auto mode - could there be some issue with the cam causing this?

Not sure about the clunk without hearing it...
But regarding the sliding parts: try removing the grease you added and run them dry (just clean thoroughly with isopropanol.

 

[gadget73]

yeah lots of spots do not have grease. I took pics (which I have since lost) as I took things apart. Fairly easy to tell where the original lube was, and thats the only place it needs to be put back on.

 

[Bruno Primas]

Thanks - yes I got this part moving freely into each end position. Was able to do it without removal which was fortunate. Without this moving freely it wouldn't stay powered on in manual mode.

You say that it moves to each end position. There are two pieces stacked on one another. Do the two different pieces move independently of one another? They are supposed to. You really should pull those off and give them a good cleaning. Use a light oil to lube, no grease.

 

[tiga]

You say that it moves to each end position. There are two pieces stacked on one another. Do the two different pieces move independently of one another? They are supposed to. You really should pull those off and give them a good cleaning. Use a light oil to lube, no grease.

Currently they are moving indepenently of each other. Thanks for the advice - I'll work to get it off and give it a good cleaning.

 

[tiga]

Last night I realized the white tonearm wire was off - so I went about soldering it on. A bit unnerving considering how tiny those wires are and the mediocrity of my soldering skills. I managed to get it done but in the process the red wire came off (Ughh). It was a bit more difficult to reattach but eventually I managed it. I connected it to a stereo and both channels are working! Whew.

The cartridge that came with the TT is a Shure N75ED Type 2. Don't know much about it but thinking I'll use if for a while.

 

[gadget73]

Perfectly capable cart. I have one bolted up to my Rek-O-Kut at the moment. My Zero-100 came with a Pickering V15.

 

[tiga]

Was up way too late last night working on this some more. I removed the top lever as discussed above - took some doing I had to heat it up with a soldering iron. Gave it a good cleaning and a bit of oil and reassembled. I thought it was moving freely before but it's even better now. I then went about looking at the size selector issue. There is a lever under the tone arm that rotates and pushes a long rod diagonally to another lever down by the motor that mates up with the speed/size selector switch. I found this movement a little sluggish. So cleaned everything and heated up the lever pivot point at the tonearm which allowed me to raise it some. I got a little alcohol in there to clean what I could and hit it with a drop of oil. Then cleaned any other part it touched. Bingo! Moving freely now and almost no resistance to trip the lever at the speed switch. At this point I'm thinking - "Oh yeah - this should be good now".

Well - nope. Still the same issues occurring. It keeps cycling in the auto mode although now it's dropping at the 10" position instead of 7" so maybe that's progress lol!

Maybe this is destined to be a semi-auto table ?

 

[tiga]

I also noticed this piece around the spindle (see picture below - touching it with screwdriver). I'm assuming this is some sort of bearing? It's very loose on the spindle - wobbles a little and almost seems like I could slide it up off the spindle if I wanted to. Thoughts on this? Could this be causing my clunking noise?

Also wanted to say everyone's advice has been great and much appreciated!

 

[Bruno Primas]

This piece needs to to move independently slightly in the direction of the arrow. (That's why there's a spring on it). People miss this part because they think it is a solid piece.

Also, here's a video of the size selection in action and how far into the selector cam it needs to go to size correctly.

 

[Bruno Primas]

That washer is O.K. There should be five little bearings underneath it that are sandwiched between.

 

[tiga]

This piece needs to to move independently slightly in the direction of the arrow. (That's why there's a spring on it). People miss this part because they think it is a solid piece.

Also, here's a video of the size selection in action and how far into the selector cam it needs to go to size correctly.

Great videos thank you! These seem to both moving freely now. It sort of seems like the rod isn't being moved far enough to push the lever whole way over - stopping at the 10" mark. I wanted to investigate that next but it was 1am and I couldn't see straight at that point LOL.

 

[tiga]

That washer is O.K. There should be five little bearings underneath it that are sandwiched between.

So it's ok that it's wobbly (best way I can describe it)