Pioneer PL-400 Slows Every 9-11 Seconds

[Ikura]

Hello, I have a PL-400 turntable that slows down enought to notice. It happens every 9-11 seconds, please fine between slow downs. When I watch the red lights in the front window the slow down occurs when they red dots move from right to left. I cleaned this window and used an air gun on rest, it looks pretty clean. I tried having it plugged into the receiver and into the wall to confirm possible surges.

Oh, and on 45 speed my 45's play fine, no slowing down at all at any time, but turn back to 33 and though an album on and it slows again after 10 seconds. Maybe the speed switch needs to be cleaned? Though that does not answer why the red lights move in the little window.

Is there anything about the red lights I might be missing, something else to clean? I can go inside of it if need be but allways like to try the simplier options first if I did not have to go inside.

Thank you for any help or direction you can offer me and if more info is needed to help please let me know I can reply back.

 

[spark1]

The red lights are a function of the strobe lamp...they show the speed variation, have nothing to do with controlling it.

Clean the speed potentiometers and selector switch with deoxit D5 or similar.

 

[Ikura]

Thank you, I cleaned them both, it did not work. Of course I opened it up without a manaul to see there there were 2 parts on the top that have to go into the bottom while you are closing the two pieces and that space is SO small for my too see if I did it correctly. So now Start/Cut does not work. Only silver lining is I would have had someone with more skill and talent fix the speed issue though now it will cost more to fix the Start/Cut (close the unit correclty). Thank you for your assitance. I am off to try and locate a technician within 50 miles of me now.

 

[spark1]

Manual at vinylengine.com. Free.

I don't recall anything tricky about getting to the pots or putting it back together, but it been quite a while since I worked on one.

In fact, I seem to recollect you can get at the speed pots via openings in the bottom panel. For best results, turn the 33rpm pot back and forth 7-8 times 10-15 seconds after spraying it. Note it's setting before turning it, and put it back to where it was when done. Then use the strobe to get it back to perfect spot (adjust until strobe dots hold steady).