Pioneer CT-F2121 - needs new motor?

62vauxhall

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#1
I posted this on AK but thought I'd do so here as well in case Sam or another cassette deck aficionado catches it and cares to comment.

Last winter, while walking my dog, I saw a Yamaha receiver, speakers and this Pioneer CT-F2121 at a curbside. When I got back home, I took the car and picked it up. I wasn't going to bother with the deck but thought I'd do the resident(s) a favour and take it as well. The receiver and speakers were sold. The deck's transport functions were pathetic so I shelved it.

Recently a friend asked if I would change belts and idler tire in his Pioneer CT-F1250 so I ordered a belt kit, including idler tires for this CT-F2121 at the same time. After completing installation of the 1250's belts, I installed the 2121's belts last night.

No question that it needed new rubber, but the new parts did not make the deck function as it should. It strained to REW & FF and would only do so if I did not fully depress those keys.

And then I discovered playback was fast and it warbled..

The motor speed change did not coincide with how the pot was adjusted. It would slow then speed up no matter which direction I moved it - counter clockwise or clockwise. I have yet to remove the motor and possibly take it apart. In the meantime I have been checking online for replacements.

I was aware of the Universal Capstan motor advertised on TH but it is over a $100 US and being in Canada, the landed cost would be grotesque.

The motor inside the CT-F2121 is labeled Mitsubishi MHI-5R9C, operating at 9 volts dated 1975. There is a motor on the auction site about 1/10th of the above price, similarly labeled.(but 1982) and claimed to be NOS.

Pics are below. First is the motor in the deck I have and 2nd is that from the auction site.

Just wondering what the consensus is - would the NOS motor be genuine or a fake? It's price is tempting enough for me to not even bother dicking around with the original motor.

IMG_4979.JPG Mitsubishi MHI 5R9C motor.jpg
 

62vauxhall

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#3
Thanks Nando. I did not think to search by Pioneer's part number just the Mitsubishi number. But the one you linked to is sold. Tomorrow I'm going to pull & open the existing motor, see what it looks like inside. Got nothing to loose.
 

62vauxhall

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#6
I ordered the ebay motor, ETA end May. The seller had 7 left and something like 88 sold so I figured get one while I coud. Feedack on over 2,000 transaction close to 100%.

Landed cost will be about $40CAD. So with the belts this thing will stand me about $70. An oddball deck with a 30hz to 16khz frequency response when at factory spec. I can't hear above 8khz so no biggie I suppose.

Pioneer CT-F2121.png
 

J!m

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#7
Seems like a good deal.

That style label is common on newer (like 80's) decks than the "fancy" label you have from the 70's. Pretty sure my Panasonic has the same type label on it's motor.

And I bet someone like ANT or Sam could get that deck responding better, if you were interested in bringing it up in spec. (I think Nando may have one of these decks- maybe it's a Marantz I'm thinking of- with the angled cassette deep in the deck like that...)
 

WOPL Sniffer

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#8
Seems like a good deal.

That style label is common on newer (like 80's) decks than the "fancy" label you have from the 70's. Pretty sure my Panasonic has the same type label on it's motor.

And I bet someone like ANT or Sam could get that deck responding better, if you were interested in bringing it up in spec. (I think Nando may have one of these decks- maybe it's a Marantz I'm thinking of- with the angled cassette deep in the deck like that...)

I gave Orange a similar deck.
 
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#9
Seems like a good deal.

That style label is common on newer (like 80's) decks than the "fancy" label you have from the 70's. Pretty sure my Panasonic has the same type label on it's motor.

And I bet someone like ANT or Sam could get that deck responding better, if you were interested in bringing it up in spec. (I think Nando may have one of these decks- maybe it's a Marantz I'm thinking of- with the angled cassette deep in the deck like that...)
I have a TEAC A-150 that is very similar that I need to put belts on.
 

62vauxhall

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#10
Yesterday I learned from a fellow who ordered the same Matsushita MHI-5R9C motor for the same CT-F2121 deck from the same vendor as I did. He is in the US so got his first. He claims it runs in the wrong direction.

That does not seem right at all - some MHI-5R9C motors spin clockwise and some MHI-5R9C motors spin counter clockwise?

EDIT: Just now I learned that the other fellow reversed the polarity on his replacement motor which makes it run in the right direction. Makes me wonder.

Pics I saw of that motor opened up showed capacitors and at least one transistor. I would have thought reversing polarity would cook those things.

Matsushita  MHI-5R9C internal circuit board.jpg
 
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62vauxhall

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#13
Just swapping motor leads.

My motor might get here this week. If nothing bad happens in the second or two it takes to determine rotation, I can see for myself which way round the wires go.

The seller still has his ad up, with a factory description. Says direction is clockwise which is what I need.

Matsushita MHI 5R9C description.PNG
 
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