Tascam 246 Weak Takeup Reel Motor?

C

Cye3212

New member
Hello everyone,

I have a Tascam 246 that I picked up real cheap so as you can expect it had some issues. Namely the tape transport is shoddy.

At first glance the machine wouldn't even play tape since it was missing belts so I replaced that, easy fix. The machine could now play tape but now my pinch roller was sticking/stripping my tape (literally, almost destroyed a bit of it!) turned out the pinch roller was practically bubble gum so I changed that out. The 246 worked for a few days (electronics and all) and THEN the machine began to eat my tape at the capstan/pinch roller when playing! Everything else seemed to work fine like RW and FF but it ate my tape when in play mode - the capstan was still running well and the pinch roller/belts were fine so I figured the idler tires may be the issue this time, and they really did seem like they needed replacing (gummy and partially melting away).

I replaced the tires and now the machine won't even play the tape, much less eat it. The FF and RW functions no longer work either. I noticed the Takeup Reel looks weak and seems to be lacking torque. I'm thinking it may be an issue with the Takeup motor in which case I'm SOL but I'm hoping to get some opinions from others on what more I can do to test the function of the motor.

If it is an issue with the motor, would I be able to find a similar motor in a 244 or 144? I am thinking about salvaging one from another machine if I am forced to do that but I am not sure what all my options are.


Thanks everyone!
 
Hi,
I hope I'm not patronising you but what is the condition of the tape?
I understand you had bigger problems to begin with but if the tape is shedding even slightly that can gum a machine up into a pure lockdown, very quickly!

Take the tape off an inspect everything it should contact; Heads, posts, any guides or pulleys.
Share some pics too. ;)
 
Hi there,

Thank you for the response! Tape is fine. Plays normally on all my other 4-tracks. Almost all [moving] rubber parts in the tape transport were past their lifetime and needed replacement.

I can post up some pics later today of the idler assembly as it is currently but basically, when I put my finger on the little brass ring(?) that connects the TU motor to the idler tires, I do not feel much torque and I am even able to stop it from spinning entirely by just applying a bit of pressure - don't think that is normal but I am hoping I am wrong.
 
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