I know I know...you've heard this problem before...
First time poster, long time lurker...
I've worked on and fixed 3 other 388s in the past 10 years or so, but this one I just grabbed has me stumped. Trying to save it from being scrapped and pass it along to my singer...
I realize transport problems are common, but I believe I have taken a swing at the most common fixes, see below.
So seeking other troubleshooting tips.
Basically you hit play, it engages then immediately stops. FF and RW do the same, often going "limp" after engaging (insert joke) and becoming loose in the path, coming off the guides.
Friday night I had FF working, but I seem to have adjusted it to where it isn't right now. In fact, ff was working so well it was going quite fast (as I was adjusting the speed) that it snapped the tape on the reel as it stopped. I haven't gotten it working again after that. I also occasionally had play going, sometimes if I held the play button down. While playing the right tensioner arm would wobble up and down and the tape would unspool/spool incorrectly (would unspool a lose few inches before the machine would catch up).
I feel like I should be able to get there with the servo adjustments. I have been adjusting the trimmers on the reel servo PCB to the best of my knowledge (I've done this on other 388s so I know more or less what to expect).
It doesn't seem that any range of adjustment helps enough to get it to work reliably.
The behavior that is most odd is that when adjusting R112 and R212 (tension arms), they don't seem to visually move. I'm thinking this may be part of my problem.
What I do know...
1. Capstan belt is fine. Turns as it should, I put a new belt on just to be sure.
2. New manufacture/known good tape loaded.
3. I went to the hardware store and bought all new fuses. Behavior is unchanged.
4. I re-seated the reel servo PCB, no change.
5. When I first opened it, power supply connector "P803" was loose and at least partially disconnected. I reconnected this.
6. I swapped the reel servo PCB with my other machine, no change.
7. Tape path has been cleaned (some pieces were very sticky and I took extra care to clean it thoroughly).
8. I do have the original service book.
Appreciate any ideas. I have another 388 here that I could swap stuff from if I have to.
This video I link is not me, but it shows a similar problem, except their tape does not go limp on the tension rollers like mine does.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=related&v=dfZmoNDUXAM
First time poster, long time lurker...
I've worked on and fixed 3 other 388s in the past 10 years or so, but this one I just grabbed has me stumped. Trying to save it from being scrapped and pass it along to my singer...
I realize transport problems are common, but I believe I have taken a swing at the most common fixes, see below.
So seeking other troubleshooting tips.
Basically you hit play, it engages then immediately stops. FF and RW do the same, often going "limp" after engaging (insert joke) and becoming loose in the path, coming off the guides.
Friday night I had FF working, but I seem to have adjusted it to where it isn't right now. In fact, ff was working so well it was going quite fast (as I was adjusting the speed) that it snapped the tape on the reel as it stopped. I haven't gotten it working again after that. I also occasionally had play going, sometimes if I held the play button down. While playing the right tensioner arm would wobble up and down and the tape would unspool/spool incorrectly (would unspool a lose few inches before the machine would catch up).
I feel like I should be able to get there with the servo adjustments. I have been adjusting the trimmers on the reel servo PCB to the best of my knowledge (I've done this on other 388s so I know more or less what to expect).
It doesn't seem that any range of adjustment helps enough to get it to work reliably.
The behavior that is most odd is that when adjusting R112 and R212 (tension arms), they don't seem to visually move. I'm thinking this may be part of my problem.
What I do know...
1. Capstan belt is fine. Turns as it should, I put a new belt on just to be sure.
2. New manufacture/known good tape loaded.
3. I went to the hardware store and bought all new fuses. Behavior is unchanged.
4. I re-seated the reel servo PCB, no change.
5. When I first opened it, power supply connector "P803" was loose and at least partially disconnected. I reconnected this.
6. I swapped the reel servo PCB with my other machine, no change.
7. Tape path has been cleaned (some pieces were very sticky and I took extra care to clean it thoroughly).
8. I do have the original service book.
Appreciate any ideas. I have another 388 here that I could swap stuff from if I have to.
This video I link is not me, but it shows a similar problem, except their tape does not go limp on the tension rollers like mine does.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=related&v=dfZmoNDUXAM