Pioneer PL-518 Automatic Return point is in the middle of the label, how do I fix it?

[pizzadogs]

I'm trying to fix the automatic return on my PL-518. The stylus doesn't return when it gets to the end of the record, but if I lift it up and move it towards to the center it will kick in and return once it gets about halfway into the sticker label.

I took off the little rubber cap and used a screwdriver to turn the little adjustment screw but it doesn't seem to be doing anything, or I'm not understanding how it works. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[WaynerN]

If you go to the vinylengine website, you will find a service manual for the PL-518 and it does describe how to adjust this function.

ner

 

[pizzadogs]

Already have it, that's how I found the adjustment screw.

Turning it doesn't seem to have any effect though.

 

[WaynerN]

Me thinks the innards of the old table is all full of "gunk" and perhaps needs to be cleaned and re-lubed......

 

[Moby Dick]

Have you pulled the platter off to get a look at the mechanics?
You should be able to determine what is causing the issue with the help of the service manual.
Here is what my pl 540 looks like with the platter removed.

 

[kaplang]

Follow the section in the manual Mechanism Operation and Adjustment. Clean and lub but only lube the parts that require it. Some moving parts should not be lubed. The service manual should tell you which ones and what type to use.

Stay away from WD40

 

[Homer4beer]

I can't see how lubing would change when the arm returns. Surely it's to do with something either mechanical or electrical in adjustment?

 

[Montycat]

Those Pioneer tonearms have a tendency to get misaligned with the auto shutoff. It can be fixed by pushing the arm past it's normal range of motion (with power off) to reset it.

With the guts exposed as in the picture above you will be able to see the lever and the track it travels along in area closest to the tonearm base. You actually don't have to remove the cover with that to do this but it helps to see what has to touch what. When the arm is forcibly (but gently) moved further it will rotate the arm relative to it's mounting nut and the mechanism. If you go too far you do the same thing in the other direction, outwards away from the record.

 

[revox-b77]

^ I didn't know that.

 

[Montycat]

^ I didn't know that.

Yeah. I can't find a good pic, but I think my memory is correct on this and also think it was similar to the 514 and 516 which are more likely the ones I messed with. There is a nylon pin attached to the tonearm base that touches a paddle on the sliding track. which then causes the gear to rotate and push the arm back. The arm should be held together underneath by a brassy sleeve with a set screw or 2 in it. Ideally you would remove the tonearm, loosen the screws, rotate the sleeve and retighten. However you can't see how much you need when the arm is off the table, so you "force it". That's how it became misaligned in the first place likely anyway; you are just pushing it back the other way.

 

[pizzadogs]

Thanks for the replies everyone, if I have some free time today I'll try taking the platter off and taking a peek inside.

 

[pizzadogs]

I took the platters off, like in the photo posted above, tinkered with it for about an hour and made no progress. Turning the adjustment screw doesn't really do anything to help, it's only attached to a piece of plastic that turns and acts as a blocker. The real parts I need to get at are under the tone arm, I stuck the end of my screwdriver under there and moved the plastic tab that pushes the metal return arm, that seemed to help, but it keeps resetting back to the original position after the auto return does it's cycle. Can't figure out how to actually adjust it.

 

[Payneman2022]

Monty Cat - Just acquired a Pioneer PL-518 with a nonfunctional auto return. All it took was resetting the tonearm per your instructions. Thank you, it was one of the easiest fixes I've done.