Hi, my tape player was working fine. It emitted a strong odor, and now the reel turns very slow,if at all, in the play mode. It rewinds, and fast forwards, fine. The 8 track also works fine. I suspect the motor run capacitor. The capacitor is 2.0 and 0.5 300volts AC . The capstan turns ,if I start it on low speed. If I start it on high, it barely turns. This is without a tape on it. If I put a tape on it,
It's turns slowly or not at all.

You're not going to like hearing this, but here's the scoop. Irrespective of the likely failure of the phasing (motor start) capacitor, there is a defect on the X-1800SD and a dozen or so companion models that is often unrepairable. That defect is the pot-metal cam located behind the PLAY button. Unfortunately, the pot metal develops cracks, and crumbles. On every one of the machines from this series that we've seen over the last decade, the cam has either fallen to pieces or is about to fall to pieces. No replacement or substitute part exists.

So, take off the frontpanel and inspect the cam. If it is still hanging together somewhat, REMOVE IT, clean it thoroughly and paint it with JB Weld. Work the glue into every crack, and use as much JB Weld as you can without deforming the shape of the cam. This is the cam's only hope!!!

There is a fellow who posted on Audio Karma who made his own cam. You may wish to look up his post. His homemade cam was difficult to create and took him a number of hours, however, he reported that it worked normally. No word on how long-lived his custom cam has lasted.

As far as the capacitors you're seeking (assuming that's the cause of the problem) I usually buy them from Mouser.

Fred
owner
Classic Audio Repair

Cams don't stink when they fail. Motor caps do.

The 'play' cam in Akais is passive. That is, in 'stop' it counters the spring that engages the PR. In 'play' it does nothing but get out of the way. They ARE potmetal and subject to disintegration.

You don't know what you're talking about. I don't know how to put it more plainly.

I've been repairing X-1800SD's for forty years. I've seen maybe four or five hundred of them, and, if you include the companion models that use the same tape drive, literally thousands.

I am perfectly aware that cams don't stink. Duh! I'm trying to help you by explaining a horrible failure mode that afflicts every X-1800SD. You obviously don't want my help. You want to pretend that your ignorance trumps my four decades as a professional audio service technician, and the fact that I own the #1 vintage audio repair company in Southern California.

You will hear nothing more from me. Go your own way.

Fred Longworth, MBA, CHHM
Owner
Classic Audio Repair - est. 1994

Fred, I think the cams are OK. I don't know much about them, to be honest.
Thanks, Rickey

If the motor run capacitor went bad the smell could be from the motor itself. Replace the motor run capacitors and see if you have normal motor operation.

Yes those cams can and do fail. Surprised someone with a CNC machine hasn't taken good cams and made new ones, but then a lot of the vacuum tube operated AKAIs with those cams are usually gutted just for the amplifiers (to be turned into a preamp) with the tape transport thrown in the trash so there may not be enough demand for someone to make the cams.

If not already done all electrolytic capacitors will need to be replaced.

Once you get the reel to reel out of its case turn it on and put into play mode and see if the motor slows down any.

You guys might be barking up the wrong tree. In the first post, the OP states that rewind and FF are normal. IIRC this is a single-motor transport. If so, normal rewind and FF means that the motor-run capacitor is fine.

On most Akais the motor shaft drives the rewind and FF pulleys directly but the capstan is driven by a belt. Are you sure this isn't merely the case of a stretched belt? A slipping belt can make a stink, too.

-David

Could be, but from the description it's hard to tell if there was a tape on the machine when trying to fast forward or rewind and also he said the reel turns very slow in play. Not sure if he meant the takeup reel or the capstan.

When the unit is on low speed, the rewind and fast forward is find, with a tape on it. When the unit is on high speed, it will turn only if I help it with my hand, and then only very slowly. When I switch it on play, with a tape on it, it will barely move on low speed and not at all on high! The capstan turns all the time, but when I switch it on play , I get the previous results.

Sounds like the motor run capacitors are bad. Replace them first and if any belts in the machine have not been replaced do so if needed.

Did I miss something on this thread? Why was Fred getting angry at the original poster (Rickey) after a third party (arilab) put his two cents in?

Baffled me too. The reported symptoms don't correlate well. Wind mostly works and play mostly doesn't, and low works better than high, and it stunk? There may be more than one thing going on here, but the first and cheapest/simplest thing to eliminate is the motor cap.

Entirely inappropriate response from Fred, especially to the OP who hadn't even said anything. But come to think of it, if I'd worked on Akais for 40 years I'd be grumpy too. I worked an Akai/Sony/TEAC/Onkyo warranty depot until 1977 when I went to broadcast video. And owned an Akai in the late 60s. Not an X1800 but the same 2-knob transport (very) roughly based on Ampex 600. Akais without lifters muted by switching a DC voltage with the play knob and they could short and smoke something. Although it wasn't a common failure in warranty. I never had to replace a cam.

That also causes premature head wear.

Ok, I found the problem. The rubber drive wheel was not fulling engaging on play and FF. As a result of that, it was bogging down the motor , hence the smell. After a little adjusting , it's fine now. Thanks, for all the ideas.

Glad it's sorted. One on all of us. 'Course we couldn't smell it over the internet. Somebody otta fix that.

That would be nice. The high and low problem, mixed in with it ,was weird. It seemed like that would have been opposite. I got another one of these units, that will not power on. Oh well, another problem! Lol

If you don't need them both save the one that will not power on for spare parts.

NObody "needs" 2 X1800s.

Ain't it the truth!