VCR ejecting tapes

[Joseluispurata]

i am having an issue with my brand new Funai DVD recorder/VHS. It was playing my vhs tapes normally, then seemed like the head was getting dirty since i could not get any video signal from the previously played tapes. So i "cleaned" the head with a sheet of paper gently with isopropyhilic alcohol. After that none of the tapes play!!! I insert the tape, it takes it, but then the head starts spinning in fast rewind mode, and the magnetic tape inside he casette is never pulled from the tape. Then it gets spit out. It happens with 7-8 tapes that i have tried to play. What might be causing that the magnetic tape is not getting pulled out of the tape? Only the first time i tried to play the tape after i cleaned the head the vcr pulled the magnetic tape, but after that it is no more doing it.

[orsetto]

If it is brand new, see if you can return it and exchange it for a replacement. Otherwise, you may need to have it repaired under warranty.

Its sounds like you disturbed something while attempting to clean the heads: probably bumped a sensor out of alignment or bent something, maybe dislodged a capacitor. These are not things you can self-repair.

The VCR section of the Funai-Magnavox-Sanyo units is very cheaply made and prone to premature failure. It is not a good idea to open these units up and attempt to clean them: if your tapes are dirty enough to clog VCR heads, you need to buy a dedicated head cleaning tape. These are still available from web sources like Amazon and eBay for under $10 US. The "wet" cleaning tapes are preferable for really bad clogs, the "dry" ones work but not as well. Using a sheet of paper or cotton swab can easily damage the video heads if you aren't extremely careful, esp if you use common 70% rubbing alcohol which leaves a residue. The isopropyl content needs to be 90% for it to evaporate without leaving a residue on the heads. My understanding is the 90% version is not widely available in South America, so you may want to use the "wet" cleaning tape which comes with the proper fluid.

[JVRaines]

Is the cover attached when this happens? Most VCRs have light sensors that don't work properly with the cover off.

My understanding is the 90% version is not widely available in South America, so you may want to use the "wet" cleaning tape which comes with the proper fluid.

Mexico is not in South America.

[Joseluispurata]

Thanks for the reply guys! Well...i bought it about 15 months ago in amazon, but i had not really used until this month.

I bought the isopropyl alcohol in walmart in san diego, CA. I specially bought it there since i read in blogs that was the one used to clean heads.
Agree...mexico is not in south america

I had the cover off, i'll try to put it back on and see if it works, i dont have too much hope though.
Ill keep trying, cross my fingers!

[hech54]

VCR's shut down when bright light gets inside of them.

[JVRaines]

I bought the isopropyl alcohol in walmart in san diego, CA. I specially bought it there since i read in blogs that was the one used to clean heads.

Better stock up before that wall gets built.

91% or higher isopropanol is the stuff to use. Safeway used to carry 99% but they stopped recently. Now I have to buy it on Amazon. You want the purest alcohol available because the other % is water, which can rust metal parts. "Rubbing alcohol" is about 70% isopropanol with lots of water and other stuff — not good for tape decks!

Let us know if replacing the VCR cover fixes your problem. There are LEDs and light sensors inside to indicate the condition of the tape. When you have the cover off in more than very dim light, the sensors get fooled and think the tape is broken. That's why it doesn't load.

[orsetto]

Agree...mexico is not in south america

Apologies for the geography faux pas!

The same day I responded to you, I responded to almost exactly the same question in another forum from someone in Brazil, who told us alcohol above 70% was very hard to find in that region of the world. I copied my reply from that other forum here, but forgot to correct from Brazil to Mexico. Its good you can get to San Diego for anything you might need.

I had the cover off, i'll try to put it back on and see if it works

It should work: as others have told you, there is a cutoff sensor that prevents loading when it detects the cover is removed (again, my bad for copying and pasting my reply from another thread: that person did not succeed with the cover on, but you had not reported trying yet). Replacing the cover might allow normal loading but may not solve your other issue of the heads still being clogged and not reading the video: for that I'd still suggest a cleaning tape kit (or having the unit serviced professionally).

Good luck!