MCI pages : still not finished - check later...

Please understand that these pages take a lot of time to do... and that there's no charges here... all the information is free for end users of Ampex and MCI tape machines, and is designed to let you do much of the standard maintenance on your own machines... and to give you some tips I've learned over 25 years of servicing these machines.

One of the "Tricks' I've learned after 25 years repairing tape recorders
 is that all the older machines have problems caused by dirty and worn connectors....
	    and this is doubly true for the MCI tape recorders.




The very FIRST thing you should do when you have ANY problems 
with the MCH JH-16 (later versions) and the MCH JH-24 transports is to  
do the following:

1:    Turn the machine OFF and wait 10 seconds


2:    CAREFULLY remove the Transport Control card


3:    Spray clean the molex connectors on the Motherboard
    AND the Transport card.


4:    CAREFULLY reinstall the transport Card.
     Check that all pins and connectors mate correctly!
	WARNING - it IS possible to insert this card incorrectly
	  you will DAMAGE the card if you do!  
    SO CHECK and RECHECK that it is in correctly BEFORE you turn power on!!


5:    CAREFULLY remove the Capstan card.  Spray clean the connectors.
	CAREFULL reinstall it correctly. Check that it's in correctly.


6:    Go to the rear of the machine.  Find the 2 three pin connectors
	that go from the small tach motors under each reel motor.
	Remove each from the Motherboard and spray clean the connectors
	on both the Motherboard and the cables.  Reinsert the connectors.


7:    Find the larger 2 pin cables that go to the Reel Motors.
	Undo these connectors and spray clean both ends.  Reconnect them.


8:    Find and disconnect the cable to the Power supply (transport) 
	and spray clean both connectors both at the Power Supply itself
	and at the main power transport connection. Reconnect the cables.


9:    Make sure that ALL cables going to the Main Power 
	connection area AND the Autolocator and Remote cables are correctly 
	installed into the strain-relief pins so that there is no possibility
	the cables can move out of their respective sockets.


10:    Recheck that the transport card and the Capstan card are correctly installed


11:    Turn power on.  Do a COMPLETE transport alignment.

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