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Please Help me get this Elac Miracord 750 II up and running

A

AnthonyL

New Member
I picked up this beauty on Ebay, and she is gorgeous! Someone really took care or just had this stored really well for 40 years. I can't find a scratch or a ding anywhere. Even the foam inside the springs is perfect.

s-l1600.jpg


Unfortunately, there's some problems with the mechanics. The motor runs and is quiet. I'm following Larry's tutorial to re-grease the bearings and will clean and lube / oil the linkage while I'm in there. I still think aside from that there's something else wrong. When I rotate the spindle, I could feel an obvious grating at one point in the rotation, and I can't imagine the bearings having such an impact.

I suspect (but don't have a reference) that there might be a problem with the linkage:
linkage-problem.png

Armature wire (A) isn't connected and just sits on top of spindle locking lever (B). During my initial tests as I rotated the spindle clockwise by hand, I noticed the B would contact a detent in the spindle and would seem to lock it. I didn't apply much force. Should A be connected to B in some way other than to sit on top of it?

Also, looking at the underside, there is a large metal gear that with moderate force applied will not turn. I'm assuming it should, but I'm not familiar enough with the mechanics to know if they need to be in some "state" before that can happen. If you understand how this should work or rotate please advise.

IMG_0760.png

Here's the pic of the large metal gear that won't turn with moderate force applied. Do I need to remove the brackets and linkage and apply lube to free it, or is there some mech. configuration that needs to be engaged for it to turn?

I'll post more pics as I progress.

Lastly, I really appreciate any help, feedback or opinions you can lend.
 
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The scraping is probably the noise made by the platter brake. It is automatically appled when the turntable shuts off.
The spring is in its normal position.
The large gear is the main gear and won't turn until triggered by pressing one of the start buttons, either the 7", 10" and 12".
Be very careful when removing anything. I would bet that it's probably fine.
Good luck
 
Maybe give a try for a Dual style reset...lock down the tonearm and hit play, let it cycle through with arm locked down, then unlock the arm and try it.
 
Thanks for the replies. Flasher1, before I disassembled it I tried to get it to play. I plugged it in and pressed play and it spun, but was making that grating sound as it spun, then eventually stopped. The ebayer noted that it didn't work. I'll continue with clean and lube, then try the Dual style reset that bobaloniny recommended.
 
OK, clean and lube is finished. I also cleaned the idler wheel and motor top with denatured alcohol and a green scrubby. Now with no mechanics engaged the platter spins smoothly at all speeds. However, as soon as any automation is engaged, it stops. I can turn by hand the platter -- it's a little stiff -- but nothing happens, despite about 20 clockwise rotations by hand. As I mentioned, no matter the state of the armatures and levers, the large metal gear doesn't turn.

Any ideas on what to do next?
 
OK, a bit more progress. I've removed the spindle and bracket, and now can access the whole metal gear:

IMG_0782.png


I'm also able to (carefully) turn it by hand and see the tonearm and linkage move accordingly. But it is incredibly stiff, much too stuff for the idler wheel and platter to be able to move it. I suspect this is the problem, because as soon as this system is engaged everything stops. I've been pumping wd-40 into the shaft and moving it back and forth. It has gotten slightly easier (really slightly) but is still super stiff.

Is it seized up with old oil or am I missing something important here? If it's seized up, what's the best method to resolve? Should I be using alcohol or some other chemical instead of wd-40?
 
I have 3 Elacs (50HII,46 and 625) and it didn't take much to get any of them going, but the one thing they all needed was a cleaning and relube of the linkage between what connects start with the speed selector (33, 45...).
When you push start, the speed selector nudges a little counter clockwise, if the linkage is gooked up it doesn't nudge and you have to give it a little help by hand, not much, like maybe an 1/8th or so.
Hope that's your issue, as its an easy one to remedy.
 
Thanks ... I wish the issue was simple. In this case, the main cam appears to be seized, and am in the process of trying to un-seize it now. Has anyone worked on a TT with a seized cam before?
 
Hmm, I never use WD 40 except to get stickers off, its good for that.
Kind of odd, things look pretty clean under there, anyway....
I guess I would maybe try dropping some sewing machine or gun oil (oil dissolves grease) in there and let it soak like overnight and see if that helps. May even try heating the hub with a soldering iron to maybe expand a little so oil will draw in easier.
My thoughts are good if it works, but if theres that much corrosion or hardened grease binding that up that badly, then seems things would have to come apart for a thorough cleaning and relube.
 
You are king! My soldering iron tip is too small, but I used a heat gun. Just a little heat and the cam started turning with normal force. I removed it, scrubbed the shaft and gear with alcohol, then lubed with white lithium grease. Now the cam moves with the sort of force you'd expect the motor to deliver!

Re-assembly in progress, stay tuned!!
 
I saw that one. It looks like the seller knew how to pack, which is good. Good luck!

FYI - the only good thing about BSR 710 and 810 machines is they used Elac parts. In case you need peripherals.
 
After removing the seized cam gear I noticed this unconnected linkage, which seems to sit under the gear.
Anyone have any idea where it should go?

unconnected+linkage.png
 
Got it, seems someone in its past had bent the play arm into a U shape, for some unknown reason !#?!#?!#@? I've discovered through my time with this TT that there where some attempted "repairs". After straightening and re-attaching the play arm, and re-wiring the connections between tone-arm, mute switch and RCA jacks, it plays and functions normally! Thanks to everyone who helped me, what a great community.
 
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