Trying to revive a cheap Magnavox VCR
 

A friend gave me a cheap Magnavox DVD/VCR combo that her friend bought at a yard sale for $5, that turned out not to work. Well, when I plugged it in, after a few seconds, it made a loud clicking sound, loud enough to make me jump. On closer inspection, I found a loose piece of plastic, which I removed. Now, when I plug it in, it tries to load a non existent tape (the tape basket stays unloaded, but the loading arms go into place and the head starts spinning), and about 50% of the time it stays like that and goes into "stop" mode. The other time it ejects, makes a weird metallic click sometimes, and turns off.

I know this thing really isn't worth my time, but I love tinkering with these things. It helps relieve stress when i'm having a bad day (and I am having a bad 4 months), and actually the DVD player works fine.

Those Funai tape transports are horrid. If it were mine, I'd disconnect the power to the tape and just use it for playing DVD's.

IIRC, the Funai VCR's were sensitive to room lighting. Unplug and temporarily replace the cover and plug it back in. see if it will go back to starting position.
I hate those things, with a passion. :sigh:

I agree, it is cheap. Almost all plastic. But I would like to try to fix it. How can I disconnect the VCR?

If those things were anything like they were, the entire unit would shut down, if the mechanism hasn't returned to the start position. Try the cover trick, like I suggested! Just a WAG. :scratch2:

Tried that. The cassette basket itself moves freely, and the VCR doesn't respond if I push a tape in. It just drops down. Even with it unplugged I can put a tape in and manually lift it out. But the rest of the VCR seems to work, the loading arms move all the way into place when I turn the VCR on, the heads start spinning, and the pinch roller engages. If I press FF, it works for a second then shuts off. Same with play.

A small update: With the unit unplugged, I pushed a tape in. When I turned it on, it loaded the tape. I pressed FF, it worked for about 2 seconds, then turned off. I turned it back on, it reloaded the tape. I pressed play, and it played, and I got a picture! FF and REW worked on play mode. It can't eject on its own, so I have to turn off the power, and lift the tape out by hand.

I'd have to look at what drives the tape carriage. I have one I picked up at a garage sale. Another Funai built junker.
I must be a glutton for punishment. :sigh:

One motor drives the entire transport.

Mode encoder switch bad or out of timing, bad sensor LED... several things can be wrong with those Funai VCR mechanisms depending on which one you have.

Im glad you seem to be making progress buddy :)

Well, I accidently put a heavy VCR on top of it and now the plastic is bent.