Tascam 244 recording issues

[field hymns]

Hey all - it's been a long slog, picked up a 244 cheap (dead) and now have replaced all the rubber but it has other issues - track two is always on (both in remix and cue) and also will not erase.
It will record fine, but no erase. I have demagnetized it but it's still not fully erasing the track, there is still ghost noise there. Using type II tapes, et al...

Also as a general question - there is a knocking in the drive mechanism coming from the idler section that's very audible, roughly every revolution - is this normal for a 244?
thanks


ALSO: there is a jumper cable that has no particular place to be - is this a diagnostic thing? There is no place to seat it...

 

[j.harv]

That cable is normal. When you say you replaced all the rubber did you include the idler tires?
A bad tire will usually be the cause of knocking sounds.

 

[field hymns]

Yessir - all rubber was replaced, as all of it had turned to liquid - it took some time to get the funk off everything...