I don't know anything about the vhs camera - other than they produce superior quality, when they work ok.
It would be reasonable to assume the tape transport mechanism would be the same as in a vhs video recorder. I remember an engineer telling me there is a post or protrusion containing a light source and sensor that sometimes fails.
The purpose of this is to detect a cassette has been properly loaded into the machine and if it isn't working the machine won't work or only partly work.
I think the camera is worth saving but I strongly suggest such specialist equipment should be entrusted to a suitably experienced professional specialist.
I am sorry to say that it appears you may have answered your own question, the "hundreds of hours" is the clue.
Consider the possibility that your camera is worn out.
Sorry.
I understand you have a problem. What is not clear from your description, however, is the actual nature of the problem. Please can you state it more clearly. Thank you.
This was manufactured in 1999 - this makes it at least 17 years old. If I were you, I would wish it a happy retirement, and replace it with a more up-to-date camcorder with better optics, a digital image capture system, and which is far lighter in weight and more portable.
