Teac TEAC A-4010-S - Plays everything double speed - help!

[ericleehall]

I got this nice old Teac Reel to Reel to play some prerecorded albums I've been buying at thrift shops..

Trouble is that even thought the tapes are clearly marked as 3 3/4 ips they, and the player has settings for 3 3/4 & 7.5 ips even on the slowest setting they play back at double speed.

I'm guessing the machine has been altered to play at double the rated speed?

Can this be easily reversed?

 

[audiojones]

Are you sure the pinch roller is pulling all the way up tight against the capstan when you hit play? If not the tape will fly through the machine pretty fast no matter what speed you select. Sticking pinch roller linkage is a super common problem with these old machines and not difficult to fix if that's the issue. When you hit play the pinch roller should immediately snap right into place against the capstan shaft without any sluggish action.

 

[eddisc]

VERY much >>>'what he said'<<< couldn't sleep last night & watched a vid on UTube on servicing stick p/r on a 4010. Having done ~ 15-20 A series TEACs it's real straight forward.

 

[audiojones]

If the machine is operating properly but just plays a bit too fast then the capstan belt is probably on the larger diameter 50hz section of the motor pulley instead of the small 60hz section. This will make the machine run a little too fast when used with 60hz house current but not crazy fast like a sticking pinch roller would. If that's the case then all you have to do is move the belt back onto the smaller diameter 60hz step on the capstan motor drive pulley. Also make sure the internal switch behind the faceplate is set for 60hz so the motor capacitor will have the right mfd value for 60hz power.

Sometimes these machines come back from overseas set for 50hz. More often the belt gets put on the wrong pulley when it gets replaced or sometimes when the belt gets worn and stretched out it will jump to the wrong step by itself (usually when the motor kicks into reverse).

 

[petehall347]

you should be able to clearly see if the speed changes .
try a different tape .

 

[ericleehall]

If the machine is operating properly but just plays a bit too fast then the capstan belt is probably on the larger diameter 50hz section of the motor pulley instead of the small 60hz section. This will make the machine run a little too fast when used with 60hz house current but not crazy fast like a sticking pinch roller would. If that's the case then all you have to do is move the belt back onto the smaller diameter 60hz step on the capstan motor drive pulley. Also make sure the internal switch behind the faceplate is set for 60hz so the motor capacitor will have the right mfd value for 60hz power.

Sometimes these machines come back from overseas set for 50hz. More often the belt gets put on the wrong pulley when it gets replaced or sometimes when the belt gets worn and stretched out it will jump to the wrong step by itself (usually when the motor kicks into reverse).

Thanks for that, but no the 50/60 switch is set as 60hz, and the pulley is on the smaller section.

However the mail pulley on my unit seems to be substantially smaller than the units I can view on Youtube. see

Is it reasonable to think that someone can merely replace the main pulley on these units to double the speed?

I've attached some pics.

Thanks!

 

[petehall347]

pulley doesn't look stock to me .
maybe was used for expensive recordings at some time . . i gave up on my 4 track teac when i found quality tapes are expensive per minute

 

[audiojones]

Yep, someone clearly put a different motor pulley on there for higher speed operation. Your pulley actually looks larger than the stock pulley (if it's the pic on the left) and it follows that this would make the machine run faster. Fortunately TEAC 4010 units are extremely common and you should have no problem finding the stock 3 3/4 & 7 1/2 ips pulley for it.