JVC PC-5JW Combo Restoration

[duckrock]

So I started cleaning my JVC last night. not sure if this is the correct forum, but I will post my progress unless someone tells me to move it to tech. It is not all tech, part fun, part history, etc.

The tuner is on top so I decided to take it apart first. First thing I noticed (it was not tuning properly) is that there is this horrid black goo all over the tuning pulley attached to the horizontal knob tuning control. As it turns out (I looked at my old one for reference) the belt connecting the tuning control to the flywheel (to make it nice and flywheelie/smooth) MELTED thru the years and wrapped its rubber, stringy gooey self all around the pulley and string. I have photos. I used hairspray to break it down, as googone did not work. I should have gone and gotten my denatured alchohol but i was too lazy. Anyway, I have most of it cleaned up and the tuner string all unwrapped. I hope I can get it back together again. I need to go to the belts section to (eventually) see if I can get the right belt to reactivate the flywheel. But for now, I just want it functional.
My fingers are still black. I bet this stuff is banned now....

 

[Lasonic TRC-920]

It really is mind blowing to see the original prices for these blasters.

You got a great score DR

 

[duckrock]

OK, got the tuner working fine now. I am pleased that even after all that futzing with the string wrapped around everything and back and retwisting it around spindles, etc, it is still accurate to the radio station dial. I suppose the string is fixed at some point!

spent the next night tuner-cleaning the amplifier volume control. I do not like sliders (my 5 year old accidently slides it too much when turning it up). I got as much tuner cleaner/lube spray in it as I could and swizzled it back and forth and got the scratching mostly out. I really am not qualified to change it out.

Anyway, on to the non-working Cassette deck. took it apart and blew out the dust (suprisingly not that much dust) and just tried spinning things until I confirmed that it did work and play tapes. My test tape was a TDKSA90 recording of Captain Swing by Michelle Shocked. Great opening song. I digress, the cassette deck was only working 50% of the time. I realized the main drive belt (the big one, there are two) was slipping on the small spindle and wrapping around the axle, as it were. I have no idea what makes a belt not gravitate towards the middle of the spindle (I am amazed that they seek the high part of the hump to begin with, so I dont know what makes them NOT do that either. I can only assume too loose, too old and too slippery. I have not researched belts yet, but with a tip from a belt changing video on youtube, I went for it. I took both belts off (the little guy is in the way of the big one) and turned the big one inside out, hoping to get it a bit tighter. I saw something on this site about getting belts, which I will do next. I am happy to report that I got the belts off and back on inside out with the help of a spring hook made from a paperclip. Unit is testing downstairs playing the tape in it's entirety....

 

[Fatdog]

Have any progression pics?

 

[JustCruisin]

 

[Strānj-Bōōmbŏks]

:unknown:

 

[duckrock]

Aww, thanks for asking. I do not have pics, but I did successfully order and receive belts from Studio Sound studiosoundelectronics.com and install the following:

1. Tuner flywheel belt to make the flywheel soooo smooth. First I had to get rid of the old belt that had turned to goo with denatured alchohol.
Suggestion: make a diagram of the tuner string configuration before you take off the tuner string and use a bent paperclip as your little helper to loop string around pulleys. I love the fact that this belt does not affect any function, it just makes flywheel tuning so cool and whizzy. I did this twice, once on my new box and once on my old one.

2. Cassette belt - changed the main cassette belt on my new box, but ordered two so when my old box goes, I will have one. Now, so far, it works fine with the new belt.

Clean, clean cleaned contacts and such, also sanded down the cigarette burn (hey, it was US $25) on the top of the tuner. Looks OK, but would look better with a thin coat of silver paint.

if you have any questions, hit me up.

 

[bklyn sound]

glad you got the tuner sorted out...would love to see pics.. this is what i find the fun part of collecting ..restoring them..

 

[jwalk1]