Tascam 388 Weird Whirring Noise

Yup you got it! Black washer was rubber, popped right off with a little encouragement. Perfectly said.
When I pulled the capstan shaft / flywheel out from the machine upside down I actually saw it on the table under the tascam when I flipped it over.
 
Hi, I own a 388 and, even though my capstan is not squealing, I appreciate learning the proper way to remove, clean and lubricate this part of the machine.
Everyone's patience (nod to Sweetbeats) is greatly appreciated while helping babecityrecords work through this. I'm about to order the oil Sweetbeats recommended next! Quick hijack question, can I use this oil on other parts of the machine? Thanks, Brian

 
Hi, Brian. Yes you can, but there are very few places it is used: tension arm rollers, impedance roller, pinch roller and counter roller. And in each case I would make sure to clean the roller shafts and bearing bores before oiling, and to be conservative with how much oil you apply. Also be aware there are little Teflon or polyethylene thrust washers above and below each of those rollers…if they aren’t there they are supposed to be there…if they’re there make sure you don’t loose them when you remove the roller for servicing.
 
Sweetbeats is a tascam god!
Thanks again for all the help sweetbeats, still very grateful for you as a resource.

And BMG123 here's the oil I used too: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008QNQ2VE/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I actually ran into another tascam issue recently ha. The fun continues.
Sweetbeats, hoping this is an easier fix.
When I turn on the tascam, it gives this weird static noise out the speakers -- it goes away mostly after some use -- when I unplugged the tascam from the speakers the noise stopped, so definitely a tascam issue and not my little speakers. I don't think it's recording on the tape too thank god.

Here's a video of it in action, 30 seconds long: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1mv8-GM9mgRslELlKgjZKQFkRJr6YpY8i?usp=share_link

Let me know any ideas, and thanks as always!!
 
What other outputs have the noise?

Check all of them.

How do you have the 388 and your Mackie monitors connected? Which outputs are you using and which inputs? What type and brand of cable?
 
Quick follow up, I had a noisy eq pot that needed a few more shots of contact cleaner. While i had the bottom off, I did remove the capstan, clean the shaft and used the turbine oil Sweetbeats recommended just as described in this thread. Not only did I clean the shaft and the bore (they didn't seem dirty thankfully) but with the capstan removed, it was much easier to really clean the area in the tape path. It looks almost new and is quiet as a mouse :)

Sweetbeats, thanks again for walking us through this!

Brian
 
Quick follow up, I had a noisy eq pot that needed a few more shots of contact cleaner. While i had the bottom off, I did remove the capstan, clean the shaft and used the turbine oil Sweetbeats recommended just as described in this thread. Not only did I clean the shaft and the bore (they didn't seem dirty thankfully) but with the capstan removed, it was much easier to really clean the area in the tape path. It looks almost new and is quiet as a mouse :)

Sweetbeats, thanks again for walking us through this!

Brian
Awesome! Glad it helped!
 
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