I'm unable to remove a tape that's stuck in my VCR. Any suggestions as to what I can do so as not to destroy my VCR? I tried to remove it by turning the machine on, pressing reject. The VCR turned off. I tried prying the tape out, but it's stuck & won't budge. Help!
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When a tape won't eject, the problem can be caused by several things. The most common problem is that the belt that operates the eject mechanism is slipping and not allowing it to eject the tape. This can be fixed by either using a re-grip solution on the belt or have the belt replaced. Another possibility is that the tape is caught aroung the spindle guides that pull the tape around the video head. If the tape is caught in the spindles, this will affect playback performance. The heads could be dirty too. Another possibility for poor playback is a slipping idler wheel. The idler wheel is a rubber tire that pivits between the tape sending and pickup reels. It's a key part during playback, fast forward & rewind. The idler tire can also be treated with a re-grip solution or be replaced. Belts are inexpensive but sometimes difficult to get to. Most of the repair expense will be in the labor.
Posted on Jan 15, 2008
Unplug the unit and take the cover off. Hopefully there will be enough clearance so you can get to the tape. Try to find the motor and belt that is responsible for operating the eject mechanism. You can rotate the pully and belt with your fingers and manually eject the tape. If the tape is around the spindles and video head, you will need to manually move the mechansim that retracts the spindles and returns the tape to the cartridge. While you may be successful in getting the tape out, you need to find out what caused the problem in the first place. Putting in another tape will most like become stuck again unless the problem is identified and resolved.
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Take the top cover off, and see if there is an obvious reason for the no-eject, as in tape spooled out and wrapped around something. Next, is the tape drawn back into the tape housing? Under normal operation this is done before eject. A defect in the tape itself, or in the VCR mechanicals can cause a no "pull in" condition. Otherwise, you could carefully try to assist an eject- push eject, lift lightly on the tape. Sometimes the entire carriage mechanism can be removed with tape in place, but often, screws holding this in place are obscured by the tape, and, if carriage is gear driven, proper gear alignment must be reestablished. This can be a tricky problem, getting tape out without damaging anything, especially since late VCRs are made rather fragile to start with.
Posted on Aug 15, 2007
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