Help with aPioneer PL-115D for my son

[edphil2]

I have a 19-year old son who (to my supprise) bought a few old 1970's era vinyl albums. He said a few of his friends have begun listening to them.

So, I want to help and pulled my old Pioneer PL-115D turntable and Pioneer SX-650 Receiver out of the attic. The receiver works fine but I found that the turntable belt looks like it has melted.

I pulled the platter and had to scrape off the old belt residue off the grey housing. I plugged it in and the motor turns quitely. I also had to pull the big white gear to scrape the old belt residue from underneath it.

I noticed a few things, (1) the motor never turns off. It continues to run even with the tonearm in its rest, and (2) the cueing device doesn't appear to work. It appears to stay in the raised position all the time.

I took the bottom casing off and looked at the guts. It appears that the absence of the belt may be affecting (1) and (2) above. There are two posts inside that I believe the belt would ride on and actuate certian functions that might fix (1) and (2).

Am I correct? I have ordered a new belt. Or is the TT shot and should I just stop.

If I am in the heading in the right direction, I am not sure exactly how to orient the new belt on all the spindles and posts to make it work right.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I have the users manual but it offers no help but to contact a repiar facility, for which none exist in my area.

[Alec124c41]

You can use isopropyl alcohol to clean up the last of the belt residue, articularly where the belt will ride.
Cueing mechanisms almost always are actuated by the turning of the platter. If there is no belt, and the platter doesn't turn, nothing works. The belt only goes around the underside of the platter and the motor pulley.
That is a good basic deck. Put a bit of oil in the main bearing, and check the stylus. I'm sure your son will enjoy it.

Cheers,
Alec

[sreten]

Hi,

The big white gear thing has to be fully rotated to its
off position to drop the arm and turn off the motor.

See the PL117D service manual, the auto return
mechanisms of the two should be very similar.

/sreten.

[fscl]

sreten & Alec have got it.

The belt drives the platter which turns the spindle which has a plastic gear that engages the automatic return mechanism when the the return button is pressed or if the arm goes to the end of the LP.

The end of the return cycle is where the big gear has a cutout and will not engage the spindle gear. At that point, the motor stops and the arm lift lever lowers the arm into the armrest.

After taking my PL out of storage, I had to adjust the spring suspension "up" so the platter rides higher. The springs settle with age and may cause the belt to "jump" if too much weight is put on the platter causing the belt to interfere with / chafe the bottom of the platter. Adjusting the platter higher will center the belt on the platter drive area. If adjusted too high, the belt may disengage when switched to 45RPM.

Remove the bottom particle board to get to the springs and plastic housings. Adjusting the suspension is easy, just pull / push, I can't remember which direction, while twisting the plastic housing at each spring. You will feel about 4 or 5 steps of adjustment.

Good luck.

Fred and looking at my PL 115D while posting and getting ready to box it up again because it's been replaced by a Technics linear.

[edphil2]

I appreciate all the help. I am really impressed with the assistance everyone has offered. I'll give it a try once the new belt arrives. I will post an update then.