Garrard 'Unimech' deck mechanical fault

[Old Sparky]

The speed change control in a 6-300 deck on which I'm working is jammed in the 33.333rpm !2" position.  I presume, as with all old record decks, that the trouble is caused by dried grease, but it appears to me that the complete mechanism would have to be removed from the deck plate to clean & re-lubricate it.  The only part I've been able to clean is the trip pawl.  I can't even see which part(s) arre stuck without disassembly.  Maybe someone familiar with the Unimech decks can advise me as to how to proceed.

[Old Sparky]

Having downloaded service info (from Vinyl Engine) and sought advice from members of UKVRRR, I now realize that the Unimech has to be dismantled to clean & re-lubricate it. Oh, well!!

[Murphyv310]

Hardened grease can on occasions be softened with a little heat and WD40 If you don't relish a full stripdown.
Some of these mechs use cast zinc which is really fragile after a number of years.

[Crackle]

A 30 to 70 watt soldering iron is good for this job, so long as the item you are heating is not plastic. You can put the heat exactly where you want it without fear of burning or scorching.
It softens the hard grease and enables you to take apart to clean thoroughly before re-lubricating with the correct lubricant.
Yes WD40 or white spirit will help dissolve and clean off the grease, once you have got the parts apart.
Mike

[Old Sparky]

I may try gentle heat, Trevor. Most of the mechanism is the usual yellowy metal, but the sliding part of the speed/size change assembly is plastic, as is the lever/knob control.

[Murphyv310]

I'd actually forgotten about the unimech versions, from memory these didn't have monkey metal.
Localised heat will often do the trick, a soldering iron like Mike says is the preferred way. Often as not WD will help too and give a little lubrication, after all it is just white sprit and a light oil so when the white spirit evaporates the oil will often return the hard grease to a more workable substance.

[Old Sparky]

I had, a few days ago, tried I.P.A. (not the beer!), but this only made a very slight improvemnet

[Murphyv310]

I've never found IPA to be any use on hard grease. Its the same with spillage of Cola or sweet drinks, they contain water so water is the best solvent again IPA is pretty useless. White spirit or WD on hardened grease, by far the best.

[Old Sparky]

Plusgas seems to do the trick. About 1.5 hours ago I sprayed some into the trip pawl assembly, which freed up the two levers virtually instantly. I've since been able to play a stereo LP without any mis-tracking. The speed/size selector is still stuck on 33/12", but the deck c/w Motor board needs to come out again to access those parts. Why didn't I think of trying PlusGas when I had the deck out of the stereo??

[Murphyv310]

Hi.
Plus gas is a very good release agent, one of the best around. A couple of drops of SAE140 Gear oil is good for lubrication and better in some ways than grease, just don't over do it though.