I fixed my Sony JE-320 & JE-510 MiniDisc recorders!

[A Reel Person]

Yep! It was a bitch, too, but they were both suffering a case of the chatters, & disc misload too. The JE-320 worse than the 510, but both would not load a disc.

I disassembled both minidisc players, exposing the MD loader mechanics & got the JE-510 loading first, although I don't remember specifically how. I think I just gave the MD mechanism a little help loading [push], until the joints freed up, and it's now loading properly.

Not so easy for the JE-320. It was chattering badly from the load/drive gears, and it was very much jammed, empty though trying to eject constantly, chattering away. Disc load was failing altogether. I didn't know why it was chattering so much, but I ended up DISASSEMBLING the miniature loader mechanics, spraying the mechanical parts with WD-40, [avoiding spraying the lens], and then fortunately getting it back together properly, which I assure you took a couple trys. Then, it basically loaded, read the discs, but still CHATTERRED in the 'home' position. I eventually deduced that there's a home-position microswitch, which the mechanics has to trip solidly, but it was in a flakey in-between position. I bent the metal -thing- ever so slightly forward, and SOLVED that darn chattering! Now, it's either disc's loaded & ready, or "No Disc", and nothing in between, especially no "Eject" chatter.

Man: 2; Machine: 0

I'm so glad to be able to fix lots of stuff, especially those pesky failing minidiscs. Now, I have a second Tascam 564 MD Portastudio that needs repair, as yet TBD. T/y later about that.

C'ya.

-Huh,... What was the topic?

[badgas]

Hi Reel.
Glad to hear you got your machines fixed.
Does feel good when you get one working. I'm guessing here, cuz I rarely get any of my stuff working. I'm buying stock in my local fix-it-shop.

I envy your abilities and patience. I'd of tapped the thing with a maul a few half dozen times.

[philboyd studge]

I've had a 320 and a 510 and both had transport problems and my fixes didn't last long. I think Sony just kept working on the transports and making different models till they got it right.

Right now I've got a walkman MD and two 330's and they've worked without a hitch for several years.