Aiwa XK-007 does not play

[khongtiennang]

I have bought Aiwa XK-007, japanese version. After replacing the both capstan belts the deck can play, record, fast forward and rewind well.

After storing a year in a carton box i have checked the belts they are OK. I now plug it and try to use.
Fast forward, rewind are good, but when i press play button the head block, the both pinch rollers seem to be engaged too tight against the tape so that the tape can not be transport and the machine stops.
When i press play and pull the head block with finger a bit under/back the machince can play as normal. When i do not pull it further, the machine stops again.

May anyone have that same problem and find a solution to remidy it?

Thanks

PS: Aiwa XK-007 shares the same mechanic/transport like XK-009 except the exclusive Play motor(tape winding by play/record mode)

[HWTest]

Taken from www.hifiengine.com:
"aiwa xk-009
Submitted on January 10th, 2010 by diep btt

Two reasons may cause that symtom of your Exelia Xk-009:
Fast forward/rewind Ok but play 1-2 inch tapes than stops

1. By play mode the small belt from play reel motor drives the right reel table to spool tapes. This small belt were worn out , stretched or gets loose. The reel table therefore stops, the tape sensors find no tape transport and the machine stops. You must replace it.

2. In case this small belt is OK, but the deck nevertheless stop because the head block is put up too strong against the cassette tape by play mode, tapes are to tight against play head and can not transported. That may be caused from changed spring force in the cam drive in the back of the whole mecha-block due to long time existance. I have two XK-007 with this case and to repair it i put a small plastic piece in the head block. When the head block goes up by play mode this plastic piece (it must be modified to the right dimensions)stands against tape tape shell the tapes contact the head slightly and both machines play now Ok. This is not a good repair method but i can not find spare part and replacing it is not a easy work indeed because this aiwa mecha-block is right complicated."

[A.N.T.]

The head position in play mode is fixed, the only force on the tape apart of the tape tension should be the pressure pad in the cassette. It is very unlikely that a spring would cause that problem and what was described is not a good solution at all. My guess would be that most likely the belts needs replacing again, in particular the belt "B" between two flywheels.

Alex

[khongtiennang]

The head position in play mode is fixed, the only force on the tape apart of the tape tension should be the pressure pad in the cassette. It is very unlikely that a spring would cause that problem and what was described is not a good solution at all. My guess would be that most likely the belts needs replacing again, in particular the belt "B" between two flywheels.

Alex

Thanks Alex,
I will check the capstan belts again.

[khongtiennang]

Thanks Alex,
I will check the capstan belts again.



You are right Alex, one of these belts conecting both capstan wheels gets loose and comes off. So i have replaced both capstan belts with new ones. Now the machine runs in play/record modes smoothly.
The speed however seems to be a bit slow but i can adjust it through the hole on the back of the capstan motor if the cause is not the worn idler rubber.
Thank you.

[A.N.T.]

You are right Alex, one of these belts conecting both capstan wheels gets loose and comes off. So i have replaced both capstan belts with new ones. Now the machine runs in play/record modes smoothly.
The speed however seems to be a bit slow but i can adjust it through the hole on the back of the capstan motor if the cause is not the worn idler rubber.
Thank you.

Good news!

One note thought - where did you get the new belts? The belt "B" between capstans needs to be of an exact size - 4mm wide, 0.4-0.43mm thick and 228mm (9'') internal circumference (if you measure the belt length folded flat, it is 115mm). If this belt is different in size (especially the width) then the tape tension between two capstans will be incorrect and it could lead to an increase in W&F, azimuth instability and sometimes even problems with erasing old recordings, as the tape does not touch the erase head properly. The second belt "A" between the motor and the right capstan - is not that critical, however if the size is not quite correct then the tape speed would need to be adjusted. Here is the size of the original "A" belt - 4.5mm wide, 0.4-0.43mm thick, 254mm (10'') internal circumference (if you measure the belt length folded flat, it is 127mm).

Alex

[khongtiennang]

Good news!

One note thought - where did you get the new belts? The belt "B" between capstans needs to be of an exact size - 4mm wide, 0.4-0.43mm thick and 228mm (9'') internal circumference (if you measure the belt length folded flat, it is 115mm). If this belt is different in size (especially the width) then the tape tension between two capstans will be incorrect and it could lead to an increase in W&F, azimuth instability and sometimes even problems with erasing old recordings, as the tape does not touch the erase head properly. The second belt "A" between the motor and the right capstan - is not that critical, however if the size is not quite correct then the tape speed would need to be adjusted. Here is the size of the original "A" belt - 4.5mm wide, 0.4-0.43mm thick, 254mm (10'') internal circumference (if you measure the belt length folded flat, it is 127mm).

Alex

Thank you
I have bought some chinese belt kits and choose the belt between both capstans with the length 115mm (fold flat), appr. 0.25mm wide and 0.45mm thickness.

The other belt connecting the capstan motor and the right capstan wheel has the length of 120mm(fold flat), 4.5mm wide and 0.4mm thick(taken from my kenwood KX-9010 as it stretched from 115mm to 120mm).

Maybe my belt connecting both capstans ist not correct yet and causes wrong speed.
I will check it again.

[A.N.T.]

Thank you
I have bought some chinese belt kits and choose the belt between both capstans with the length 115mm (fold flat), appr. 0.25mm wide and 0.45mm thickness.

The other belt connecting the capstan motor and the right capstan wheel has the length of 120mm(fold flat), 4.5mm wide and 0.4mm thick(taken from my kenwood KX-9010 as it stretched from 115mm to 120mm).

Maybe my belt connecting both capstans ist not correct yet and causes wrong speed.
I will check it again.

The tape speed depends mostly on the belt "A" size. What is the width of the belt B? Surely not 0.25mm?

Alex

[khongtiennang]

The tape speed depends mostly on the belt "A" size. What is the width of the belt B? Surely not 0.25mm?

Alex

Sorry for my type mistake, correct is:
The belt "B" - between both capstans with the length 115mm (fold flat), appr. 2.5mm-3.0 wide and 0.45mm thickness.

Maybe the width is not enough?
Thank you

[A.N.T.]

Sorry for my type mistake, correct is:
The belt "B" - between both capstans with the length 115mm (fold flat), appr. 2.5mm-3.0 wide and 0.45mm thickness.

Maybe the width is not enough?
Thank you

Yes, with this width you would have almost no tape tension between capstans. It should be 4.0mm x 0.4mm exactly, even 3.6mm x 0.5mm is not good enough (I've tried!).

Alex

[khongtiennang]

Yes, with this width you would have almost no tape tension between capstans. It should be 4.0mm x 0.4mm exactly, even 3.6mm x 0.5mm is not good enough (I've tried!).

Alex

I just replaced two belts again based on belt specs of Alex suggestion and the machine runs greatly with exact speed. Thank you very much Alex!