Panasonic RX-5080 play

I am trying to get this Panasonic back in action. The ff and rew work good but no play. I changed the flat 10.7" belt cause I thought that was responsible for the play function. The 2 smaller square belts appear to be working and I assumed those were for ff and rew. Do you think I need to change the small belts as well or there is another issue?

I would change all the belts then see if the problem persist.

Clean pinch roller and capstan shaft and if Pinch roller is to dry and dirty and cracked it needs replacement

Ok thanks. I’ll try that.

The pinch roller doesn’t seem to be turning. The capstan is moving. I cleaned pinch roller. It doesn’t look too cracked but I’m not sure. You think I should replace pinch roller? Thanks for your help!

Maybe it’s stuck in pause mode. Pinch roller is important for proper tape speed but actual tape movement is initiated by the take up reel which usually will spin too fast if tape slips past the pinch roller. If the take up reel isn’t spinning, Suggest taking a look at belts or idler pulleys or pause mech.

Here is a link to a video of what is happening.
https://youtu.be/bRdsEOo8mVM

Try to hit play without tape. That tape looks old and may be sticking causing auto stop to kick in right away. When you hit play hold it down and watch reel and pinch roller for movement

Yeah no movement without tape. I tried putting a blank tape in and hitting play/record and it will record from the radio no problem if just won’t play by itself without hitting record? Just to recap: ff, rew, and rec/play together work just not play by itself? What the hell😥

Hi. I have a Panny RX-5080 and a 5085, basically same unit but trim and optioned out 5085 is loaded with more goodies. Try exercising the play key slowly and watch action of levers and springs that engage pinch roller up to capstan. There is a metal tang on a rocker lever somewhere near the roller mechanical area. That metal tang may need an adjustment. Sometimes it gets bent out of wack over the years from keys being hit hard, people pressing on keys too hard and fast. That metal tang is like a bump stop limiting mechanism. Also sparingly use a little deoxit or zoom spout oil on the pivot point at that rocker metal tang rod. It can get sticky over years of dried lube and dust accumulated stuff. Give it a shot. Make sure belts are correct tension, clean tape heads and roller and capstone with q tip and isopropyl alcohol, and hopefully it will work. These Pannys are truly great workhorse models.

Hi thanks matrixambience. I tried recording from the radio to tape one more time and this time after recording I pushed play and viola it worked. I’ve had this apart for a while messing with it and changing belts multiple times and kept giving up and coming back. I have another identical 5080 so I thought perhaps I had my other working 5080 but no I had the broken one (not anymore 🤞). It appears something was stuck I think which must have become unstuck after using record. Come to think of it the record was a little hard to depress at first. Anyway glad I got it going and thanks again for the help. Yeah I like this box. It has a decent sound. Don’t really need doubles though. Think I’m going to sell this one, which of course I’ll use to buy another box. I’m trying to get a Conion c100 from my dad (so far no luck but I ask every time I go there). He found it at a second had store for $50 (Canadian), and then talked the guy down a bit because the cassette player didn’t work. The rest is mint though.

It keeps sticking again periodically. I’ll give what you said a try

Gotcha! Yes the 5080 is THE BEST tone control only boombox made. Panasonic balanced it just right so it cranks,has ample bass, clean trebles, but not overpowering either, especially if you want to crank it past 5 halfway, turn off Ambience, turn tone all the way to right and hit the gas! It pumps! I'm impressed with Pannys cassette player which use ample amount of actual steel, brass, aluminum on the decks, even the cheap ones in RX 4000 series work rock solid! Good luck on the Conion. I'm actually looking for another operational clean not abused Sanyo M9994. Yes....a Sanyo! I'm hooked on the build quality of that 1979 heavy hitter!

Also want to add that sounds like the record bar on the circuit board that gets actuated by record key on deck, gets stuck, could use some electronic cleaner or deoxit. That's why it suddenly worked from usage. After 30 plus years of not using record on these radios, things get stuck.