Cassette Player Won't Play Tapes (Page 1/2)
Kitopher JUL 22, 12:41 AM
I have what is to my knowledge the original radio/cassette player from my 1986 Fiero.
Often (60-70% of the time) when I insert a cassette, the player will accept the tape, but then click for a few seconds and eject.

I have a video of this below. Note that the player is taken apart, but it behaves just like this when installed in the car as well.
https://youtube.com/shorts/JPzIjLCErqU

I have searched through the forum and have not found a post that seems to describe the same symptoms as mine.
Every so often the player does just work perfectly without issues, and I have also removed and inspected it and know the belts are not broken.
Also, as seen in the video, the player does not spin any pulleys when this happens.

I know some have posted about theirs switching directions before ejecting the tape, but based off videos I have found, it seem the pulleys spin during that process.
As you can see, my pulleys do not spin at all after the tape has been inserted, there is just that loud ticking noise and then it ejects.
The ejection does seem to spin the pulleys for a second, but that seems different than videos I have seen of the player spinning a tape in both directions, and then ejecting.

Any and all help/advice is greatly appreciated.

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Kit G

Vintage-Nut JUL 22, 08:49 AM
Merely A Thought:
I have a large 80's tape collection and very soon, I'm planning to send my original Delco UX1 Radio/Cassette unit to be fully serviced and refurbished to replacing the aged capacitors, the drive belt(s), etc.

I need to check to see if Joe Sciarrino {delcomaster84@gmail.com} is still offering his service; however, he is in New York and I'm in California.

Another source I saw was Wags Klassic Electronics {WagsKlassics@gmail.com} in Nebraska

Or search for vintage Delco repair / restoration in your area...

If you want to DIY, good luck!

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Original Owner of a Silver '88 GT
Under 'Production Refurbishment' @ 136k Miles

Dennis LaGrua JUL 25, 03:04 AM
The rubber drive belts in those old cassette players dry out and eventually break from wear. Its an easy fix as the belts are available in the aftermarket. There are You Tube video on how to replace those belts.

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"THE COLUSSUS"
87GT - ALL OUT 3.4L Turbocharged engine, Garrett Hybrid Turbo, MSD ign., modified TH125H
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Kitskaboodle JUL 26, 05:02 AM
The belts must have proper tension or they can cause the pulleys to slip. Slipping belts often cause drive issues. Most famous one is where you will press play, you’ll get pulley rotation, then a little sound and then the cassette play button / key will auto eject and stop. A belt can look “ok” but again, it’s all about tension. Also, it’s a good idea to ensure your belts aren’t the type with natural rubber as they often turn into “goo” and can leave rubbery, sticky streaks on the pulleys. If so, you can get that stuff off with Q tips and rubbing alcohol.

If you haven’t already done so, while you’re in there you should make sure your capstan rubber wheel is clean, dry and in good shape.
Kit

P.S. If you buy new belts, (especially if it’s a variety pack generic belt kit) make sure you get SQUARE belts, not round ones.

[This message has been edited by Kitskaboodle (edited 07-26-2025).]

jonrev JUL 30, 05:27 PM
Those cassette mechs for the high-end Delco radios were made by Blaupunkt. I'm seeing no drive motor movement in your video clip, see if it's getting voltage. You may need to source and splice a replacement motor from a donor. Or ship out to Wags and let him overhaul the whole unit.

If you go the latter route, I highly recommend having a Bluetooth receiver installed while he has it. The Blaupunkt decks sound glorious when they work but are a massive headache needing constant maintenance, I was a major tapehead and it finally broke me last year.

[This message has been edited by jonrev (edited 07-30-2025).]

Patrick JUL 30, 05:49 PM

quote
Originally posted by jonrev:

I was a major tapehead and it finally broke me last year.



IMO, wanting a functional cassette deck in a car is analogous to insisting on still using bias ply tires. When there's something newer available that's vastly superior, it seems ill-advised to be wanting to retain an "old school" feature.
Kitopher JUL 30, 06:52 PM

quote
Originally posted by Dennis LaGrua:

The rubber drive belts in those old cassette players dry out and eventually break from wear. Its an easy fix as the belts are available in the aftermarket. There are You Tube video on how to replace those belts.




As I mentioned in the original post, I inspected the belts and they are in excellent condition.
The issue seems more related to some other mechanical mechanism

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Kit G

Kitopher JUL 30, 07:00 PM

quote
Originally posted by jonrev:

Those cassette mechs for the high-end Delco radios were made by Blaupunkt. I'm seeing no drive motor movement in your video clip, see if it's getting voltage. You may need to source and splice a replacement motor from a donor. Or ship out to Wags and let him overhaul the whole unit.

If you go the latter route, I highly recommend having a Bluetooth receiver installed while he has it. The Blaupunkt decks sound glorious when they work but are a massive headache needing constant maintenance, I was a major tapehead and it finally broke me last year.




I know that it is getting voltage, because if a tape is inserted slowly everything spins as it should.
The issue seems to be with some sort of plastic arm that seems to sort of flick a gear on one of the belts pulleys.
This arm flicking off the plastic gear is what causes the clicking noise heard in the video.
I think it may be some sort of starting mechanism to help the assembly start rotating.
I have found that if I just slowly insert the tape into the player, the capstans rise as they should and the tape spins before it fully seats.
Then once the whole assembly is clicked into place, the gear on the pulley is already at speed, so the flicker arm thing doesn't fail to get it moving, and all works as designed.
It's certainly not a perfect solution but I don't really want to rip it apart any further, so hopefully my new theory will allow me to get some more consistant use out of the player until something else breaks.

I am quite interested in the bluetooth receiver installation you mentioned. Does Wags put these in the original players? or is it a different unit?
I am a bit of a tapehead as well and more than anything I love the look of the orignal radio inside the car, so I would never want to replace it with a modern looking aftermarket unit.

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Kit G

1985 Fiero GT JUL 30, 08:41 PM

quote
Originally posted by Patrick:

IMO, wanting a functional cassette deck in a car is analogous to insisting on still using bias ply tires. When there's something newer available that's vastly superior, it seems ill-advised to be wanting to retain an "old school" feature.



That analogy could go a whole lot further than just that, modern cars are "vastly superior" to the Fiero in many ways, why drive a Fiero then? The reasons are different for everyone of course, some like the "old school" charm, some like the total manual control, some like the story, some like what the Fiero can become with work, money and time, etc. but just because Bluetooth, CDs, and aux cable are vastly superior, doesn't mean that people can't still want to retain an original or old school feature.
Patrick JUL 30, 10:22 PM

quote
Originally posted by 1985 Fiero GT:

That analogy could go a whole lot further than just that, modern cars are "vastly superior" to the Fiero in many ways, why drive a Fiero then?



LOL... Comparing replacing a radio/head unit to replacing a whole car is kind of a stretch... but okay, you got me.