Ferguson 3V36 Lacing Limit Switch?

[trellis]

I have a Ferguson 3V36 (actually it's our original family machine we've owned from new!) which has developed a fault.

When I push Play, the deck laces the tape as normal, but when it reaches the fully-laced position I can hear a motor labouring (presumably the lacing motor) and the capstan doesn't start turning. After a few seconds the machine gives up and unlaces again.

I'm suspecting there is a limit switch that tells the deck when lacing is complete, and this is not functioning so the motor is just struggling against the end-stop on the tape guides - but I can't see such a switch!

Can anyone point me in the right direction, or to a service manual for the deck?

All belts are good, and capstan spins freely by hand. The machine worked perfectly when I put it into storage several years ago, and it's been stored indoors at room temperature (it's sentimentally important so I would never subject it to a 'harsh' environment).

I'm very familiar with this machine, having used it extensively throughout my childhood, and all the sounds it makes up to the point I hear the labouring motor are completely normal.

Thanks in advance!

[its ur aerial]

It may be the loading motor belt slipping very slightly as it gets under most tension, at its final lacing position, check if the motor is still running and the belt is slipping.
If you need to change the belt try not to remove the motor, from memory this can knock all the timing out for the loading arms.
If I remember correctly you can take of the tiny circlip on the shaft with the worm gear slide it back a fraction and squeeze the belt though the gap.
Not done one for 23 years so the memory has faded.
Ken, G6HZG.

[Nickthedentist]

If it's anything like the 3V29, see the bottom left of p.181 of this excellent article here, where Ken's suggestion is reinforced:
https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...2&d=1401009755

If the belts really are blameless, other possibilities are grease one the belts or pulleys, or the "actuation bar" which operates the switch sticking, maybe because it's been bent.

[Welsh Anorak]

It is similar.
Back in the day we used to use an old belt to hold the loading arms back, remove the motor block, carefully remove the circlip, replace the belt and put it back hence retaining the timing. Saves the joy of the circlip flkying across the workshop!

[trellis]

Thanks all - I will investigate the belts. Actually I'm considering replacing all the belts anyway as a preventative measure (even though they seem ok).

Can the machine be operated upside-down with the bottom PCB raised? I seem to recall I had to disconnect a cable from the front panel to raise the PCB, so I assume I'd lose operation of the transport buttons?

[dj_fivos_sak]

This machine is a JVC HR-D225 in disguise. I've worked on 3 JVCs with this mechanism and the same fault, and the culprit was the loading belt. If you get a horrible squeaking noise when the deck finishes its lacing cycle, see here.

Fivos

[trellis]

Thanks for that! With the current fault, there is no screeching noise. The only sound is that of the motor struggling just at the point of completing lace-up.

Even from new, our 3V36 used to make that "creak" noise when completing lace-up. I would never have thought that constituted a fault

[Welsh Anorak]

We used to operate them on their sides so we could see wnat was going on, and also the operation PCB can be reconnected.
I could say 'I wish I had a pound for every loading belt I've replaced', but of course I've had considerably more...

[trellis]

Originally Posted by Welsh Anorak

We used to operate them on their sides so we could see wnat was going on, and also the operation PCB can be reconnected.
I could say 'I wish I had a pound for every loading belt I've replaced', but of course I've had considerably more...

Thanks. I've got a belt kit on order from eBay, but I'll try operating the machine on its side and see if I can observe the belt slipping first.

I would like to replace all the belts as a preventative measure, but they look like quite a faff to change so I may just do the one that's causing the problem.

I changed the reel idler twice on this machine while I was still our "main" video recorder Last one I fitted was a cheap 'clone' part which I'm pretty sure I got from CPC.