BARRY'S 8 TRACK REPAIR
BARRY'S 8 TRACK REPAIR
A division of BARRY FONE MUSIC
4783 Glenrosa Prescott Valley, AZ 86314
| An 8 track player works by pulling the tape out from INSIDE the full reel, passing it across the playback head, then replacing the tape as the outer layer on the reel. This allows the tape to be played continuously, never ending or stopping. But, the 8 track tape is prone to many problems because of its self-destructive design. Since the tape is pulled from the INSIDE of the reel, obviously there is some friction. The manufacturer treats the actual tape material with a graphite-type lubricant, which ends up on the rubber roller that NEEDS friction to operate properly! Also, there is a foam pad in the tape cartridge which is designed to keep the tape in firm contact with the playback head. These foam pads lose their springiness, causing track bleedover. The tape is joined by a foil sensing pad which runs over the internal track change switch. When this sensing foil becomes worn, it will no longer trigger the internal switch and you have to change tracks manually. Assuming your 8 track machine is operational at all, most problems are actually the fault of the TAPE. The most common problems and their causes are listed below: |
| NO SOUND AT ALL First, listen closely for the tape moving inside the cartridge. If the tape is not moving, there is nothing for the playback head to pick up. This is a common problem and can be caused by a loose belt, oily capstan, capstan coming apart. If your player plays other tapes acceptably, then cleaning the roller on the suspect tape might fix the problem. Possibly, the tape could even be so stubborn from storage that it won't move without a little help. If you CAN hear the tape moving, then check your connections. If your player has a headphone jack, this can narrow down the problem more quickly and confirm that your machine is producing sound. TRACK BLEEDOVER This is almost always caused by worn foam pads on the tape itself. If the playback head is not kept in firm contact with the tape, it can move around a bit and straddle tracks. If ALL tapes exhibit bleedover, than your head may be out of adjustment and your machine needs repair. WON'T CHANGE TRACKS Again, it's probably the tape. Worn sensing foils cause this. If you can change tracks manually, then your tape probably needs new sensing foil. If you cannot change tracks manually, your machine needs repair. SPEED VARIATIONS Technically called "wow and flutter". This can be caused by tapes that haven't been played in many years. They tend to become unevenly packed in storage, and slow down the machine when it tries to pull the tape from the tightly-packed portion. Usually, letting the tape play completely through several times will repack it evenly and restore smooth operation. If ALL tapes play poorly in this respect, then your machine needs repair. MUDDY SOUND, LACK OF TREBLE This is usually the result of a dirty playback head, but could also be misalignment of the head. RUNS WAY TOO FAST Sounds like your machine ate a tape in the past, and has several layers of tape caught around the capstan. This increases its effective diameter and, thus, its speed. Removing the offending layers of tape can be a delicate operation, as it is often necessary to turn the tape drive the wrong way to remove it and restore proper speed. Thankfully, there's not much danger in trying this at home before sending it in your machine for repair. SOME TRACK INDICATOR LIGHTS DON'T WORK This is a machine repair job. You either have burned out lamps or a dirty switch inside the unit. This condition has no bearing on listening to tapes, and won't hurt anything if left "as is". THIS WILL ALWAYS BE A PROBLEM WITH YOUR MACHINE AND IS NOT CAUSED BY THE TAPE. WARBLING SOUND Usually caused by worn foam pads on the tape itself. Sound fades in and out, etc. If your pads are still nice and springy and your machine plays other tapes, then the suspect tape may have become accidently demagnetized. |
| Always keep tapes at least 2 feet from speakers and TV screens! These are sources of magnetic fields and can ERASE your tape, or at the very least, make it unlistenable. This cannot be repaired! |
A division of BARRY FONE MUSIC
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| General information about vintage audio equipment, my repair experience, work and business ethics, and the way I prefer to do business to give you the best service possible |
| "What kind of experience do you have?" |
| I repaired my first TV (the family TV) at age 10, and was making money at 13 fixing TV's and stereos for friends, neighbors and my first customers. This was my first little business, and I had these cute little mimeographed ads and service invoices copied on the mimeograph machine at school (remember those?). Since then, I have maintained a side business in addition to various technical jobs and musical pursuits, including: 1. Troubleshooting and repair of TV's, radios, VCR's, turntables, cassette decks, Nintendo games, CD players, 8 track and reel to reel decks, guitar amplifiers, PA equipment and instruments in my business. 2. Degree in Electronics from the US Navy in 1981, with my specialty in Avionics, flights systems and controls. 3. Worked at SLM Electronics in St. Louis, Mo. in the mid-80's. Manufacturer of Crate, Ampeg and Audio Centron guitar amps, PA and professional stage and recording equipment. Worked primarily as a circuit board tester and technician, troubleshooting and repairing circuit boards to component level. 4. Worked at Pacesetter Electronics in St. Louis in the late 80's. Manufacturer of 2-channel FM receivers for 3M, Muzak and the Illinois Farm Bureau. Worked as wavesolder machine operator and bench technician. 5. Began writing music in the mid 90's and have since earned 5 awards from BILLBOARD for my original songs (see "My Music" page). Recorded, produced and released my first CD on a home computer, available on Rhapsody, Napster, iTunes and all other major music sites. Joined ASCAP as writer and music publisher. 6. Amid all this excitement, I've also managed to squeeze in 25 years as a Service Technician in Heating and Cooling, repairing and installing furnaces, air conditioners, humidifiers, water heaters and electronic air cleaners. Though hopefully out of the trade for good, I remain a certified universal HVAC Technician. 7. MY CURRENT JOB - Avionics Technician at a licensed FAA repair station, Repair and Overhaul department. At the time of this writing, I lead the department of 12 bench techs in quality and quantity of repair work produced. I currently float between 4 benches, keeping up on at least 5 different products including Direction Finding systems, Data Interface equipment and a CRT based, cockpit mounted master display for all NAV-COM equipment. I also repair an LCD based "synthesized vision" unit which uses a known worldwide terrain database and GPS to enable the pilot to "see" what he is flying into, when vision is completely blocked by clouds, fog and weather. As you can imagine, my work at this facility is under the jurisdiction of FAA regulations, ISO 9001 standards and Aerospace safety guidelines, as well as the Department of Transportation. My department overlooks Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and their private runway, where small planes take off and land all day long. In fact, we system-test our DME's (Distance Measuring Equipment) by making sure it reads exactly 0.6 miles from their flight control tower at all times. I work with and have access to the latest and finest test equipment, fellow techs and engineers. Our equipment is precisely calibrated by Syprus every few months, and our benches are audited monthly for ESD safety, expired chemicals and adhesives, and full compliance with FAA standards and flight safety. This is great news for you, my valued customer, as I carry this meticulous attention to detail and diligent work ethic into my own business. My benches are also kept in compliance with FAA standards, and are ESD safe. Not that you'll ever install your 8 track player in an airplane, even if it were legal (it's not). But you can be assured that your 8 track machine will be treated, repaired and tested with the same great care and concern that I give to the $22,500 flight displays I repair at my day job. Now, try to find that kind of service at any other Vintage Audio shop in the world! |
| "Why do you have such a long turnaround time?" |
| The actual repairs normally only take a few hours - then the next few weeks is testing, testing and more testing. In almost all cases, something will fail in the first few days of testing since this equipment is now reaching into its fourth and fifth decade of life. Electrolytic capacitors generally have a life span of 20 years, and will start going out one by one. If you're riding along digging Uriah Heep and suddenly lose a lot of treble on one side (or lose the sound altogether), that's a sure sign you've lost a cap on the circuit board. Try cleaning the head first, and if that doesn't bring the fidelity back, you likely have a circuit problem and have to rip it out of the dash again. When your unit leaves my shop, all these potential problems have been put to the test and, if necessary, repaired. Other than replacing every single part in the unit, there is simply no way of telling when something is going to fail in a 30 to 40 year old piece of electronic equipment. I frequently receive e-mails containing such cute comments as "It's been 5 weeks - WHERE is my unit????", or "What kind of business are you running", or even threats to report me to the Better Business Bureau - once, I even had the police show up at my door! BOTTOM LINE: If you want it back SOON, send it to someone else and hassle them. Here in my shop, your unit will be on the bench as long as it takes to restore it to fantastic and reliable performance. Generally, the older and dirtier it is, the longer it will take. I may need to order a part and wait 3 weeks for it to arrive, or I may have the unit already packaged and ready to send, then decide to test it "just one more time" - and sure enough, there will be something in the machine that can be made to work better, or something that stopped working altogether. Usually, home component decks can be returned within one month - but an old car unit (especially a Delco) is a whole 'nother creature! ANY CAR UNIT CAN TAKE BETWEEN ONE AND THREE MONTHS TO FULLY RESTORE TO FACTORY PERFORMANCE. Please be patient, and you will be a repeat customer IF you don't upset me with nasty letters and stupid asshole comments. PLEASE WAIT ONE FULL MONTH BEFORE ASKING THE STATUS OF YOUR UNIT. I will not be absolutely certain of anything before then - this stuff just takes time. Please do not plan any car shows, or the restoration of a classic vehicle in a shop that charges weekly storage fees, around my repair work on your 8 track player. I cannot promise any particular time frame, and won't compromise my quality by trying to! |
| "Can you get me a belt for my unit"? |
| I regret that, along with my other interests and responsibilities, I am not able to function as a parts supply house. There IS one exception, however: If you have been a customer in the past and have hired me to perform repairs on a unit at my regular rates, I will try my best to help you locate a belt for the next year or so. If you're just a zealous do-it-yourselfer looking to save money, you'll need to do some research and locate a company who is in the business of selling parts. I have spent countless hours and dollars to locate my parts sources, schematics and service information just to be able to do this type of work. It may be selfish of me, but I'm not one to give my research away for free. My business is repair work - period. I usually don't respond to parts inquiries, sorry. Only in rare cases will simply replacing a belt will bring your machine back up to snuff. Most manufacturers used a specific belt tension to set the correct speed, and you would likely need at least 5 different belt sizes to get your machine playing properly again. It's really a job for a fully-stocked repair shop in most cases, as most 8 track motors have changed speed slightly over the years, and even the maker's recommended size will no longer work. |
| "I got my unit back and it still has a problem" |
| In almost every case, it is your TAPES that now need repair. Unless recently repaired, almost ALL 8 track tapes you find at garage sales, flea markets and Uncle Harry's estate need to have the foam pads and foil splices replaced. The foam pads lose their "spring" over the years, even in "new", sealed tapes - and the foil splice will break very soon, sometimes spilling several feet of tape into your machine which might require a professional to safely remove. My failure rate is so low as to be nonexistent for all practical purposes. You should NEVER play a tape in your machine without first replacing the pads and foil splices, even a sealed tape! If you are convinced that my repair work is faulty, I will send you a known good tape at YOUR expense for testing purposes. If that tape will not play properly, then I will gladly repair your machine again. But first, try cleaning the head and capstan, since it only takes a few seconds for a bad tape to gum up your machine all over again. For a technician with my experience, 8 track machine repair is a very simple thing, and the fault will almost always be your tapes that need repair. A great place to have your tapes repaired is The 8 Track Shack They also sell new foam pads. |
| Here is a very general guide to common 8 track problems: |
| "I need to get my machine repaired - what is the procedure?" |
| Note the general type of unit you have. The Home Page of this website lists the general types and my flat rates to repair them. My rates for AKAI units are on the "U-Fix-It" page, and the rates for most car units can be determined by your description of the problems you're having, along with the brand - with Delcos usually being the most expensive. Please give make and description of problem on CAR UNITS before sending. You can either send payment with your unit, or wait until repairs are completed. In VERY RARE cases, I might request an additional $50 on a Delco after you've sent the initial payment, but it hasn't happened yet so far. I tend to not charge any more for additional work once I've quoted a price and have received payment, but it could happen someday in an extreme case. If sending payment with your unit, please make check or money order payable to BARRY FONE. I do not accept any other forms of payment. Send it to: Barry's 8 Track Repair 4783 Glenrosa Prescott Valley, AZ 86314 Please use the box-in-a-box packing method, with padding between inner and outer boxes Please pack CAR UNITS this way: Please wait ONE FULL MONTH before asking the status of your unit, as I can't be sure of anything before then. |
| "Do you know a place that sells and repairs tapes?" |
| Oh yes! I work very closely with my friends at the 8 TRACK SHACK. They provide fast, friendly and professional service and are extremely trustworthy. They also have page after page of sale items including guaranteed 8 track tapes, 8 track players, beautiful antique radios, collectible transistor radios and various other interesting audio odds and ends. They have the largest inventory of 8 track tapes in the country, and perform professional quality, guaranteed repairs on 8 track tapes. Check them out! |