Tascam 488 MKII problem

[Narcolepsy5]

Hi everyone I just got a Tascam 488 MKII and I am already having an issue with it. I plugged it in for the first time and actually recorded onto track 2 but the second time I powered it up, the play, pause and record buttons all started flashing and the machine started humming. It honestly seems like there is a jam of some sort but I am no expert. Any help would be appreciated thanks!

 

[SkywaveTDR]

Has this not been covered many times before? The Gear C in the unit is brittle and cracks and the mechanism is full of hardening grease which to me seems to be like damping grease that has dried out. In any case and I just worked on two of those in my shop there is a fair amount of work to be done to the transport even before the fun of alignment and calibration of the audio.
I am now working on a 238 that had a mashed in Pitch control. This was a lot of fun to repair but it is working now. You are best advised to have it professionally serviced. I don't say this to get more work as I have 206 unit in shop already but the job that needs to be done has to be correctly or the results do not work all that well. Oiling of the capstan bearing as in this 238 gave me a wow and flutter of .025% when using AMS Signature Synthetic oil. There are things that can be done with the transport that will give you plenty of years of trouble free operation. The local shops you come across do not do this level of work or do the very least that is needed. They just want your money and it is proven by their lengthy warranty.
I have new Gear C parts here as I have had them made custom by a machinist in TN. They are also available in Germany and on E bay- I don't know of their quality but they are there.

 

[Mikevsself]

I’ve had this issue. Replaced the C gear and belt but I’m sure the gear is what fixed it.