Zenith VRF510HF issues

[Blast]

I worked on a couple dozen of those in the mid to late 90's.

The predominate failure in this model was P2 and P3 tape guides (the guides that draw the tape around the video head). Often the little brass pin underneath at least one of the guides had fallen out and was either laying in the bottom of the VCR, or missing all together (speaking of "throwing parts"). In the early days I used to replace the both of them (p/n Zenith: 843-635 and 843-636, our cost was around $15 for each of them), in later days I used to 2-part epoxy them back together and they always held.

In only one unit I noted that the take-up was weak before eject, which turned out to be a bad clutch (don't have the part number).

And on half of them either the mode switch (p/n JVC: PU60622-1-2 or Zenith: 885-1059-01) was flaky or I just decided to replace it based on history of them failing.

Good luck with yours!