Sharp VZ2000 cassette deck no audio fix

When rebelting your cassette deck look out for the brittle area where the motor mounts to the main metal frame. Mine had come unglued and caused the belt on the motor to come off. Posting here to record the fault for future reference.







I now have very quiet audio from the deck, radio is fine, turntable is completely disconnected. Record bar movement has no effect. All of the switches on the deck look intact and functioning. I’ve cleaned the function switches.

IC201 looks good voltage wise but IC202 tied to the tape type selector received zero volts when according to the schematic should receive 10.2v at pin 4 and 8.9v at pin 7, both read 0v (retested and it is 0v on Normal and provides 10v on Chrome or Metal). I am assuming that voltage to the IC should be from pin 4 which is tied to the tape type selector switch and has been thoroughly switch cleaned.
I am detecting audio at input pins 3 and pins 6 but nothing at output pins 1 and 8 of IC202. Jumping pin 3 to 1 springs that channel into life and the VU goes active, I'm not certain it is the IC at fault or something from pins 4 or 7.
Either way, I don't fancy getting in behind this board, especially with the links to the other PCB too.

I think that IC202 is the cassette LED driver, is it ok to jump these pins and leave it or does that IC do something that must mean a replacement is essential?

Looking increasingly like I am going to need to remove the PCB's to replace this IC.
Why did Sharp insist on these silly chassis designs and use direct open hard wires to connect PCB's. Not a thought in their mind that one might need a repair some day.


EDIT:
Hope noone comes across this issue but here is my fix. Unscrewed both pcb’s after removing the tuner plate and control panel cover, and shimmied the pcb's very carefully to provide a small amount of access to jump pins 1-3 and 6-8 on ic202. Instead of going direct on 1-3 I jumped the direct next contacts to achieve the same thing.
LEDs work and audio too, where previously there was nothing on the VU's at all.

I may replace the IC using this same strategy to be able to use chrome or metal tape settings but for now it’ll do as I rarely change that setting anyway.

Here are are the culprits. VR201 and VR202 for playback level adjustment.
I didn't suspect them both going but both are indeed shot. Replaced with spares from another board and hey presto.