Sony TC-353D Rebuild Question

[punchback]

I'm in the middle of cleaning and lubricating this deck. The auto-shutoff is actuated by a little formed wire affair. The tape holds it in the on position while playing. When I started it was very slow to spring back to the off position. I thought it was probably gummed up grease. After removing it from the shaft it rotated on, it looked like silicone oil that you'd use in a turntable lift mechanism. Am I imagining things? Does anyone have experience with this?

I have a service manual, but it doesn't mention this or lubrication.

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[audiojones]

You're not imagining things, there is supposed to be a thick grease on the pivot section of that trigger wire. They want the switch action to be damped slightly to prevent the recorder from shutting off unnecessarily if the tape has a little temporary slack in it (which often happens when you first start a tape with a full reel). It's just a slight time delay, probably not as long as the cue damping used on a tonearm. Some thick silicone grease from the plumbing aisle would probably do it, although if you have tonearm dampening fluid you could try just a little tiny bit to see if it works (might be too slow though).

 

[punchback]

Thanks for the feedback. I just happen to have some of the grease you're talking about in my plumbing toolbox.

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[GrampaDave]

Thank you for this thread, saved me starting a new one. I am cleaning a TC-353D for my neighbor, and I wondered about the auto-shutoff. The clue is that it moves at the same speed cold or hot. That says it's some kind of purpose-made damping grease like Nye Laboratories makes.

 

[hanksvintage]

I just serviced my TC-353D and am scratching my head on how to put the front panel back on. Is there a trick to it?