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Well let's hold off with the recapping and focus on the mechanicals.
3 to 5 seconds tells me that maybe the takeup reel isn't turning and the tape is spilling over, most VCR's have a monitor to for this. Tape spills out, VCR shuts down and retracts the threading posts which is often linked to the supply reel and does a rewind to pull that tape back in during the unload and this would also pull the spilled tape in leaving no evidence.
So I'd check to see if the take-up reel is actually turning smoothly and not jerking or stopping during playback. Some VCRs do have an optical means of slack-out so maybe there is a sensor and this you would need to investigate. The VCR itself can be removed from the set but you would have to figure this one out on your own.
Most of these are friction drive with a toggle gear in the middle that swings the drive tire between the left & right reels depending on the function in the moment, my money is on a bad drive tire which is normally a square cut rubber ring. In the past I've used round O-rings of similar size and thickness that are used for faucets found at a hardware store and the last one I did was some 20 years ago and is still working today.
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