# need help with a pioneer fh-m75



## CK1991 (Jul 13, 2013)

I bought a pioneer fh-m75 from a member here a couple months ago. The CD and radio sections worked fine, but the seller was unable to test the tape deck due to lack of a tape. Today I hooked it up on my bench and tried using the tape player. It takes the tape, the door closes, it tries to play it (I can hear it) N. play comes up on the screen (normal play), then it stops trying to play it and the screen goes black. If I hit eject, it tries to eject it (tape moves up a bit), but it does not, then the door closes and the screen goes black again. I took it apart, but 3 of the screws on the tape mech stripped. The belts appear to be ok. Is this a common issue on these decks? Also, can anyone fix it or recommend someone who can?


----------



## ATOMICTECH62 (Jan 24, 2009)

On an older deck like that the belts will need changed.They oxidize and get a coating on them.I used a rubber cleaner made for belts but alcohol will work if there not to far gone.
If you can,remove the mech and watch if the belts are slipping.MCM electronics use to sell ever size,shape,color of belts there was.But its been 10 years since I ordered anything from them.They are cheap,only a couple of $ if they still have them.


----------



## CK1991 (Jul 13, 2013)

ATOMICTECH62 said:


> On an older deck like that the belts will need changed.They oxidize and get a coating on them.I used a rubber cleaner made for belts but alcohol will work if there not to far gone.
> If you can,remove the mech and watch if the belts are slipping.MCM electronics use to sell ever size,shape,color of belts there was.But its been 10 years since I ordered anything from them.They are cheap,only a couple of $ if they still have them.


Due to the way the unit is made, I cannot see the belts while it is working. 
When it tries to play the tape, the tape does not move (still at the very beginning of the tape), so I'm pretty sure the belts are shot. 
There is some belt goo on the bottom of the mech in the middle. I dont think shot belts would keep it from ejecting though (which is why I'm wondering if it might be a different problem).
Do you have any ideas for removing the screws? I was planning on bending the case of the radio out far enough and getting them with a small cutoff wheel on a dremel so I can remove them with a small flathead screwdriver. I know thats not the best way, but that and drilling off the screw heads are the only 2 ways I'd know to remove the tape mech, and if I drilled through the screw heads, I'd have to figure a way to remove the threads from the brass posts.
Pioneers were notorious for crappy screws (I've owned 4 of their early 90s shaft radios....on a couple of them the belts disintegrated and would stick to the pulleys).


----------



## ATOMICTECH62 (Jan 24, 2009)

The dremel thing might work.Or try clamping small visegrips on them.In motorized eject systems the belts drive the ejection mech so if they are loose dirty it wont eject.


----------

