Ghost in the Machine JVC PC-W300

A little fun? question for those real experts on here. I have a PC-W300 that I have been using since about '08. Got it from EBay and after a num of years, both decks died. Deck A first - one of the wheels cracked and split. Deck B thundered on for some time. Then, about 3 years ago, it ate a tape and died. I fooled around with it, and managed to get the play button up, and the tape out. Then, I pressed the play button, and it stayed in the pushed down position. And that's how I left it. Then, just the other day, I'm having a few, listening to it, and the play button just popped up, totally, on it's own. I'm like "What?". So of course, I then press play, and the deck plays! I tried it in the reverse play mode, and I just get a scrapping noise.(It was playing fine in both directions before it died). So, the deck now plays...at least without a tape in. No, I have not tried a tape, cause I would just expect it to get eaten.

There is a thing that is known for going on Deck B of this model. I don't know what the fix is for it off hand, but it is online somewhere, as I have seen it. Could even be on this site. Just, that's not what I'm looking, but is probably connected to what's going on here.

Do either one of you pro's on here like to give an explanation as to what's going on here? How has this player come back to life?

Those JVC decks easy to get jammed up sometimes they just work themselves out I would look at putting new belts on both decks. I mean if it works don't fix it but if it don't work it most likely need some belts.

ok....but your not seeing the picture. Maybe I wasn't clear. Deck B had died. No power. That's not belts, from my experience.

Well then I would check the motor.

A deck with no power could mean anything. The best way to determine the cause is to open up the boombox. The motor could be burned up or even something as simple as a loose wire.

Oh my...you guys are not seeing it. The deck was DEAD for three years. Now it plays.

The flywheel in this unit controls the raising and lowering of the decks. They can lock in the up position (mine did), and be unlocked by spinning the flywheel... forward or reverse I don't remember. When they are locked...they don't play as the controls don't work. It sounds like yours was jostled just enough to turn the flywheel and voila!....the sucker unlocked. Don't laugh, we've all seen funnier **** than that. Past that, I'm not sure. If your motor is good, then re-belt and take it from there. https://boomboxery.com/forum/index.php/files/file/57-jvc-pc-w300-sm/

These have some of JVC's better speaker cabinets, imho. Heavy as fark, as I recall. I loved the sound on mine.

Thanks for your nice post Ken. But it was not jostled what-so-ever. It's been sitting in the same spot for 4 years. lol

And I am "laughing"....I've played 5 tapes through it now..best kind.