Smell coming from old reel tape recorder Teac A-4300

[Ed.Kloonk]

Hi.

Hydrochloric acid. That's the smell I have noticed coming from the vent above the right hand reel. (Left side in rear photo)

Popped the rear cover, there is a solenoid brake on each reel motor, a big tranny a few big silver caps(?) and what looks to be a big resistor. All could be suspicious, but as far as I can tell, the machine is working fine save for a bit of percussive maintenance with the pinch roller/tape lifter mechanism to get it going.

A pic from a ebay ad shows the rear view without the cover. Any ideas?

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/TEAC-4300-REEL-PARTS-knob-assembly-function-/310509413924



Bonus question. Going to Jaycar in the next few days. What is the best approach and goo to put on that sticky pinch roller/tape lifter mech? Common fault and plenty of Y/T vids of owners mentioning the problem but it's working but could be a bit better..

[Joule Thief]

You may be smelling the remains of a chlorinated cleaner used to free up solenoid mechanisms.

The previous owner or repair facility may have used a chlorinated spray cleaner to remove tobacco / tar residue from inside the system.

My last adventure with a reel to reel was mostly removing years worth of tar and nicotine buildup from the inside of the recorder. I remember the recorder having a faint smell of cleaner after I was finished with it.

[Stonent]

Never really noticed a smell with hydrochloric acid other than catch a whiff of it and it takes your breath away.

[kolbep]

My guess is that, if it is acidic, then most likely the one of the silver caps is failing,.
and needs to be changed

[SL4P]

Lubricant - anything non-migrating - e.g. not silicon based.
If you use the wrong stuff - it wanders around the place with vibration over time and can foul heads, media and other very small orifices.

[Ed.Kloonk]

My guess is that, if it is acidic, then most likely the one of the silver caps is failing,.
and needs to be changed

Yeah. That's what I am wondering. Don't know if I may have a time bomb ticking since the machine, in spite of this very light smell, is working fine excellent now. So far.

[Ed.Kloonk]

Never really noticed a smell with hydrochloric acid other than catch a whiff of it and it takes your breath away.

In the construction industry, it is used to dissolve cement that get splashed on brickwork. Diluted, it has a distinctive smell and does indeed take your breath away if you get a good wiff of it. I don't know how else to describe the smell but it's what I thought of as soon as I got a wiff.

[Ed.Kloonk]

You may be smelling the remains of a chlorinated cleaner used to free up solenoid mechanisms.

The previous owner or repair facility may have used a chlorinated spray cleaner to remove tobacco / tar residue from inside the system.

My last adventure with a reel to reel was mostly removing years worth of tar and nicotine buildup from the inside of the recorder. I remember the recorder having a faint smell of cleaner after I was finished with it.

Came from a clean, well-to-do residential user. Prolly got used a half dozen times in the late '70's and sat for 30 years in the same cupboard where I took ownership. It unfortunately sat here at my place in the shed for a further few years in less homely conditions while I got my finger out and got around to playing with it. 

[SL4P]

All rubber and grease dried out.

[amyk]

You may be smelling the remains of a chlorinated cleaner used to free up solenoid mechanisms.

Chlorinated solvents smell nothing like HCl, they have a sweet and mostly pleasant odour.

I'm also going to say it's a leaking cap.