BSR UA8 intermittent fault

[leslie5555]

Having fully cleaned all the old gummy grease and re greased in all the correct places etc and with the deck working as it should. There is one irritating fault that only happens every now and then,
In that you place a record on the stacker then start the auto sequence, the playing arm lifts the record drops then the playing arm just goes straight back down on its rest and the deck switches off
If I repeat the process it then works as it should. As I say it only does it every now and then, I've had a good look at it and can't figure out why it should do this. Any ideas anyone?
Les.

[Nickthedentist]

Hi Les,

Sounds like it's not detecting the presence of records on the spindle. Their presence is detected by the overarm being raised from its normal position. Check that the linkages that run from the bottom of the overarm spindle aren't binding etc.

Nick.

[leslie5555]

Thanks Nick I have checked all the links and all is working as it should, I even put a drop of oil on them to help things along but still no good. In fact I've been tinkering with this now for hours, its driving me nuts, with the deck out and powered up I can see what its doing to stop the arm from going over but I have to do it about 25 times before it does it also although I can see it I can't figure out why. It never does it on 45s only on 12 inch records I am convinced its something to do with the speed selector arm but what I don't know. I find it difficult to put into words what's happening but basicly the actuator arm that pushes a plunger in to arrest the playing arm moves over to release the plunger then quickly moves back and pushes the plunger back in thus stopping the playing arm from moving across onto the record. I hope that makes sense. But as I have said before most of the time it works OK.
And it very frustrating so much so I am exhausted and need to go to bed.

[leslie5555]

Also the size selector arm stays down once the record has dropped, should this happen or should it spring back up after the record has dropped?

However it does spring back up when the record has finished and tone arm back at rest

[leslie5555]

Now refreshed I have decided its not the size selector that is doing its job. Up until now I have been watching it going round under power but it all goes too quick to see what's going on, so next I'm going to turn it manually slowly and watch every single step of the cycle to see what's happening. It's especially frustrating for me as I am a mechanical engineer by trade and don't normally have a problem sorting this type of thing

[Nickthedentist]

Give it a break and come back to it. You'll get there in the end, Les.

[peter_sol]

Check that the over arm is straight.
Otherwise the stiff wire which joins the overarm mechanism with the rest it has a kink in it for adjustment.

[leslie5555]

Right I think I now know what's happening, it appears the over arm sometimes drops before the actuator has moved fully vertically thus making the actuator swing back horizontally before its had time to line up with the pin that acts as a stop. I've looked at the stiff wire you speak of which moves the actuator horizontally but can't see any adjustments apart for three kinks in the wire, it seems to me this wire needs to be longer to delay its action slightly. I may be talking a load of rubbish but that's what I think is happening. I hope this makes sense to someone.
Frazzled.

Oh and the overarm is straight.

[stumted2]

If you could manage to adjust one (or more) of the kinks, i.e. straighten it/them a little, wouldn't that lengthen the stiff wire you refer to?
Just a thought.
Cheers, Ted.

[leslie5555]

Well that was my thinking but usually things like that don't need adjusting, so I was hoping someone would come along with a more practical adjustment technic, if you know what I mean.

[Nickthedentist]

From the service sheet's fault list:

[leslie5555]

Thanks for that Nick big help.

[peter_sol]

There is more to that Nick where it mentions adjusting (lengthening) the link.

[Nickthedentist]

OK thanks, Peter. I thought I'd posted everything for the "...and changer switches off" fault, but maybe not. Also trying not to breach forum rules by posting too much.

Presume you have the service sheet, Les? Do buy it (£1.99 and helps fund this forum) if you can: http://www.service-data.com/product.php/466/829/m10466

N.

[leslie5555]

Thanks Nick I will download the service data as I have checked and done everything correctly but the damn thing still hangs up sometimes. Its a very thin line as to whether these things work properly or not. I have a large mallet in the shed I think a good whack with that will help. Lol.

[kevin m]

Hi there. under the deck there should be a small lever that gets actuated by the control lever when this drops below a certain level. youll see in the attached thumbnail that has been posted before, this is attached to the stop pawl spring and in turn the stop lever. ensure this is all cleaned and that the lever is returning fully up when the control arm is lifted. I have always had trouble with these on the UA8. usually its down to dried grease on the stop lever or the pivot on the stop bracket assembly.

Kevin

[leslie5555]

Thanks for your help Kevin I have the service manual and honestly I have spent hours with this making sure everything is clean, lubed, greased etc and everything moves freely and is not sticking or binding, all the springs are present and not broken or stretched. I even lenthged and shortened the adjusting link. The most annoying thing is it will work perfect say for 25 operations then suddenly it won't but then try it again and it works as it should. Also it never goes wrong with 7 inch records and only goes wrong with 12 inch. I really don't know what to do next perplexed.
Les.

[kevin m]

Hi Les.

Sounds to me like the records are getting dropped a moment too soon before the control arm gets locked into the up position so its not sensing a record there. I find the UA8's always did this if the record was not fully sat on the ledge in the centre post. There's nothing causing the centre post push pin to be pushing the records off too soon is there? Or possibly not enough tension in the spring which pulls the push off pin back to resting point?

Kev

[leslie5555]

That's an interesting theory, I will have a fiddle with that tomorrow.

[kevin m]

Hope you get it sorted. Fingers crossed.