I gave been given my grandmothers 8080e.didnt work and belts had melted. Replaced all belts but cassette reel just ticks now and one of the guages on fascia is permanently over one way when powered I know little about these.can anyone throw help as I do not really want to skip it
8080e not working
- Thread starter Neily
- Start date
Neily, please don't bin it......they are a nice box once you get it fixed. I spent 2 years on and off fixing mine. I nearly got rid of it twice, but it got there in the end.
I am assuming you have had a good look through this forum as there are a number of threads (mine included) on this box. Most Hitachi boxes have similar systems and are fairly easy to work on.
The key points I found were:
- Be very careful when extracting the central chassis. There are alot of connectors to remove and remember where they go. I cleaned the connectors on each as I went and made sure they went back correctly and snugly.
- The drive belt melts frustratingly around the brass drive spindle. You need to make sure its totally clean. This took me hours. I also spent some time figuring out the belt path, but its fairly straightforwards. The box is a little sensitive to belt sizes and tensions.
- Make sure you have cleaned both record bars, mine took alot of deoxit and released alot of dirt. Use deoxit on the pots as well (there is alot of guidance on this on this forum).
- To be safe when testing (don't use AC), use D cells, connect the chassis back to the main box but don't re-assemble. Then test it systematically. Start with the radio, then tape, and finally the aux in.
- I had got everything working except having feedback and drop out of the left channel. I tried everything, watched every youtube / searched loads of forums but could never figure it out. In the end, I took it to Raj my local wonder electronics engineer who listened to it for 10 seconds, said I know and fixed it for a tenner. He explained that alot of 70s boxes using similar circuitry to the ones in the 8080 develop a short in the pre-amp circuit. The circuit diagram is on the forums for free.
Don't give up. I fixed the tape mechanism in an 8200 last weekend. Now that box had been a builders hack for 20 years (it looked) and was full of concrete and plaster dust. I turned that into a custom bluetooth speaker for my daughter but felt its tape deck would never be resurrected, but 10 years later, it did.
I am assuming you have had a good look through this forum as there are a number of threads (mine included) on this box. Most Hitachi boxes have similar systems and are fairly easy to work on.
The key points I found were:
- Be very careful when extracting the central chassis. There are alot of connectors to remove and remember where they go. I cleaned the connectors on each as I went and made sure they went back correctly and snugly.
- The drive belt melts frustratingly around the brass drive spindle. You need to make sure its totally clean. This took me hours. I also spent some time figuring out the belt path, but its fairly straightforwards. The box is a little sensitive to belt sizes and tensions.
- Make sure you have cleaned both record bars, mine took alot of deoxit and released alot of dirt. Use deoxit on the pots as well (there is alot of guidance on this on this forum).
- To be safe when testing (don't use AC), use D cells, connect the chassis back to the main box but don't re-assemble. Then test it systematically. Start with the radio, then tape, and finally the aux in.
- I had got everything working except having feedback and drop out of the left channel. I tried everything, watched every youtube / searched loads of forums but could never figure it out. In the end, I took it to Raj my local wonder electronics engineer who listened to it for 10 seconds, said I know and fixed it for a tenner. He explained that alot of 70s boxes using similar circuitry to the ones in the 8080 develop a short in the pre-amp circuit. The circuit diagram is on the forums for free.
Don't give up. I fixed the tape mechanism in an 8200 last weekend. Now that box had been a builders hack for 20 years (it looked) and was full of concrete and plaster dust. I turned that into a custom bluetooth speaker for my daughter but felt its tape deck would never be resurrected, but 10 years later, it did.
My latest restoration job is a 8080 saved from the skip, it was in very poor cosmetic and non working condition it's come up very well considering.
The left hand gauge is supposed to be on full if it's powered by mains, if battery powered it shows battery level. The right hand gauge shows signal strength.
The clicking may be a plastic gear not meshing, do you have a photo of the gears?
The yellowed perspex came up see through, switches/buttons gleam like new, just missing the front badge and it will be very presentable - don't give up!
The left hand gauge is supposed to be on full if it's powered by mains, if battery powered it shows battery level. The right hand gauge shows signal strength.
The clicking may be a plastic gear not meshing, do you have a photo of the gears?
The yellowed perspex came up see through, switches/buttons gleam like new, just missing the front badge and it will be very presentable - don't give up!
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After several attempts to fix mine I am now taking a break......
The play won't work and all other functions work.
I got a loaner deck from another box and replaced the belts on it and still play won't engage.
I heard this has to do with the tension of one of the belts.
Now I am clueless...
The play won't work and all other functions work.
I got a loaner deck from another box and replaced the belts on it and still play won't engage.
I heard this has to do with the tension of one of the belts.
Now I am clueless...