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Garrard Zero 100 stalling

Bobr

Bobr

Active Member
Struggling with a recent acquisition Zero 100. Everything underneath has been cleaned and lubed, the idler wheel is still very pliable and it's surface is not shiny.
It wants to start and does but stalls a bit on approach and just before the needle drops. It does this on end of record as well. I swear I've been over every inch of the linkage but I cannot figure out where the hangup is. Hoping someone has experienced this issue and have successfully resolved. Video attached.
 
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When you cleaned and relubed, did you disassembled enough to get at the cam wheel shaft? Otherwise it may be that gooeyd up so that the motor, idler and platter doesn't have enough torque to turn it when auto engages.
 
T68 said:
When you cleaned and relubed, did you disassembled enough to get at the cam wheel shaft? Otherwise it may be that gooeyd up so that the motor, idler and platter doesn't have enough torque to turn it when auto engages.
Click to expand...
I didn't go that deep to take the cam wheel off but it might be worth a shot
 
You will get this going. I've done about 20 Garrards, including 3 Zero 100's. This is always the last thing to take care of after you get it back together.

Now, if it still does that after cleaning, (which DOES happen)....Here's a slightly jerry-rigged way that has worked for me in the past.

I've placed 4-5 records for weight on the platter so they'll be more inertia to help keep the cycle going. I'll wrap a rubber band around the cycle switch and hang something off of the other end so it retriggers the cycle function on it's own. I have the tonearm cued in the up position to not damage anything. If it makes it through the cycle, (even slowly), I let it run until it starts to cycle much smoother. If it doesn't make it through the cycle with the weight, use the 45 rpm speed for a while. (I usually go in 1/2 hour increments.) When you go back to the 33 speed, it will start to work. You just need it to go completely through the cycle on it's own, even slowly. It will only get better from there.

20211203_090620.jpg

I apologize for how dumb this seems, but it has worked for me.
 
Bruno Primas said:
You will get this going. I've done about 20 Garrards, including 3 Zero 100's. This is always the last thing to take care of after you get it back together.

Now, if it still does that after cleaning, (which DOES happen)....Here's a slightly jerry-rigged way that has worked for me in the past.

I've placed 4-5 records for weight on the platter so they'll be more inertia to help keep the cycle going. I'll wrap a rubber band around the cycle switch and hang something off of the other end so it retriggers the cycle function on it's own. I have the tonearm cued in the up position to not damage anything. If it makes it through the cycle, (even slowly), I let it run until it starts to cycle much smoother. If it doesn't make it through the cycle with the weight, use the 45 rpm speed for a while. (I usually go in 1/2 hour increments.) When you go back to the 33 speed, it will start to work. You just need it to go completely through the cycle on it's own, even slowly. It will only get better from there.

View attachment 2411427

I apologize for how dumb this seems, but it has worked for me.
Click to expand...
Seems logical to me. I will give it a try. Appreciated.
 
The grease in my Zero-100 was really bad. The cycle cam had to come out for a proper cleaning. The grease looked more like rock candy than a lubricant. I think I finally got it clean using acetone to dissolve it.

and I have had the experience of the cycles not working reliably at first but after nursing it through a few it sort of figured itself out. I figure its the lube being re-distributed to where it actually needs to be.
 
I have several Zeros I worked on. As posted above, dry grease is bad on these. Need to clean out the dry grease. Replace with new grease. I use lubricate. I pulled the motor, cleaned it oiled it. Sanded the idler. Put a Shure M91ED on it. Kept one Zero for my collection. Have had it five years. Hasn’t needed a thing since I tuned it up. Found a British base for it. Sounds good. Holds it own against my Dual 1219 and BSR 810 that sit next to it. All hooked up. Good luck OP have fun.

Eric 6FE5499D-56E3-42C8-9F24-563BF4F237A5.jpeg6FE5499D-56E3-42C8-9F24-563BF4F237A5.jpeg
 
This is probably the last thing any Zero 100 fans want to hear, but I'll say it anyway.
87630535_934.jpg

Look at that mechanism! :yikes: It's either a work of genius or the product of Heath Robinson on acid. I tend to think the latter. If it was mine I'd strip out all the cams, levers, cogs etc., etc. and turn it into a reliable manual turntable with a simple stop-start switch for the motor.
Ok, so shoot me. :D
 
rothwellaudio said:
This is probably the last thing any Zero 100 fans want to hear, but I'll say it anyway.
87630535_934.jpg

Look at that mechanism! :yikes: It's either a work of genius or the product of Heath Robinson on acid. I tend to think the latter. If it was mine I'd strip out all the cams, levers, cogs etc., etc. and turn it into a reliable manual turntable with a simple stop-start switch for the motor.
Ok, so shoot me. :D
Click to expand...

It DOES look messy, but it's also made of all metal and really isn't as complicated as it looks. I've never NOT been able to get one of these types of Garrards going with a good cleaning and use. Here's a few vids I made of the movement of the mechanisms.

https://youtube.com/shorts/MUdbMMmNwak?feature=share

https://youtube.com/shorts/owqS_iiJFV0?feature=share

https://youtube.com/shorts/1jKsUldGIrc?feature=share
 
If you want to see a really excessively complex mess, have a look in a Lab 80 or one of the side pusher changers. Makes the Zero look pretty tame by comparison.

and yeah it does look worse than it really is. Once its clean it actually works pretty reliably. I rebuilt mine at least 10 years ago and its been fine since.
 
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