Need help with tascam 80-8

[Brettlowden]

Hi, my first post-
My faithful 80-8 is broken after many years of great recording and I hope someone here might give me some direction.
It started with the left hub being limp when machine was first turned on. It would tighten up after warming up. After a few weeks it would start skipping I guess you would say, and the VU meters would flash and sometimes get brighter than normal. Finally got to the point where reels wouldn't turn at all.
Before I take it for service I would like to try anything I can to try to get it going again. I removed the cover and see 5 fuses and I have never seen fuses like them before. One broke when I tried to remove it. Looks like there are resisters in them. Took one to my trusty Radio Shack and they had never seen them before.
Haven't tried contact cleaner or anything, hope someone could maybe point me in the right direction. I have seen posts where a fuse is bad.
Please excuse my ignorance folks, I just record stuff, never been inside the 80-8 before- Here in Rochester NY where I am there is a great place to have it fixed but it ain't cheap.
Thanks
Brett

 

[The Ghost of FM]

Sounds like a dirty brake solenoid on the supply reel motor. No doubt some degraded rubber seals on that are flaking off and clogging the movement of that electric piston.

About the fuses, they sound like slow blow type fuses. That's what the resistor inside is all about. Don't know why they would be so uncommon unless Radio Shack has really cut back on their parts selection? Maybe try mouser.com. or your local repair shop would have them for sure.

About the Vu meter lamps flashing or getting brighter, that might be failing capacitors in the power supply that feeds it.

All of these things are more or less expected for a 35+ year old machine. Much as it might hurt to spend some bucks at the local repair shop, if you're not familiar with doing these sorts of repairs, bite the bullet and throw them some business.

Cheers!

 

[Brettlowden]

re.. thanks

Sounds like a dirty brake solenoid on the supply reel motor. No doubt some degraded rubber seals on that are flaking off and clogging the movement of that electric piston.

About the fuses, they sound like slow blow type fuses. That's what the resistor inside is all about. Don't know why they would be so uncommon unless Radio Shack has really cut back on their parts selection? Maybe try mouser.com. or your local repair shop would have them for sure.

About the Vu meter lamps flashing or getting brighter, that might be failing capacitors in the power supply that feeds it.

All of these things are more or less expected for a 35+ year old machine. Much as it might hurt to spend some bucks at the local repair shop, if you're not familiar with doing these sorts of repairs, bite the bullet and throw them some business.

Cheers!

Thanks very much for your speedy reply-
I was pretty sure that I would have to take it in, but live in hope.
This has been a great machine, and the heads still look fairly good. I will take your advice. Hopefully the 80-8 will be restored to it's former glory!
All the best---