Rock-ola 464 plays randomly, but doesn't process selections

Black--like graphite- Think pencil "lead"-- Ron Rich

I'm making progress. It's hard to type with oily hands. I took the gripper motor off and found very little binding in the gripper action. I oiled the heck out off it and oiled the shaft and gear on the gripper motor. Reconnected the gripper motor and tested. I knew the little gear on the motor wasn't making very good contact with the big gear. Anyway, how do I adjust it so that the gears make good contact. I can confirm the motor is turning? Am I going to have to loosen the motor and try to raise it up higher?

I can see that's what I have to do. I a have piss poor ratchet that won't turn with one hand.

Success! The gripper is now working great. Unfortunately I still have my selector issue where it isn't canceling. I cleaned it again with Deoxit 5 but it's still a no go. It's also tripping the breaker after the read-out makes it's second revolution (sometimes before). The selector also was off by a digit. I entered 167 and it played 157. It sounds like it's still dirty. When you clean with Deoxit you are just supposed to spray it and let it remove the oxidation on it's own. No wiping or scrubbing correct? I'll spray the slip rings and contacts again just in case.

Follow the 'structions, printed on the can-- Ron Rich

The Deoxit is over at my other house with the jukebox atm, but that's what I did. I believe it said to spray it on and wait for a certain amount of time before operating. I've just waited 10 minutes before attempting to operate just in case. I'd read on Amazon where some wipe off the excess or use q-tips. Anyway, it's selecting the correct number now and no longer tripping the breaker. The only problems I have now is that it isn't canceling selections so that leaves the micro switch 2A behind the tone arm or a bad solenoid. I'll pick up a micro switch when I get a chance. Could I swap out the #2 and 2A micro switches to test? I guess if it's really out then the gripper wouldn't operate correctly or the tone arm.

I forgot that it also said to move the parts sprayed and to blast again.. Rinse and repeat. I just wanted to make sure because it's easy to miss something. I also sprayed the contacts on the micro switches. I pulled off each wire one at a time and plugged and unplugged the connectors a couple of times. I'm looking through my parts catalog now to find the correct switch because I couldn't read the outside of one without a magnifying glass. The parts catalog just has a number so I'll pull the 2A switch tomorrow and grab my magnifying glass.

I guess the button type of micro switch is acceptable. I don't recall seeing a button on any of mine. I know all 4 on the back of the tone arm were red and each had three connectors.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DN7 ... AZDOWP300U

My mom really likes her jukebox and she was so happy tonight when she heard it play again. That wouldn't have possible without everyone's help here. Thanks again.

The switch you found may, or may not work--voltage/current ratings must be considered, also "lug size"-- Also, I would not "spray" anything anywhere near a MicroSwitch--or any other brand, open bladed, or enclosed switch. You might want to read the post above in the stickies, on "how to check switches"--Ron Rich

I'm far from a Rock-Ola expert, but I happen to be working on two of them very similar to yours that haven't been operated in years.

I'm thinking you may also have some lubrication issues in the magazine/read-out shaft. To test, you can take the magazine motor off (looks just like the gripper motor but farther back). That will allow the basket and the read-out arms to spin by hand. Be sure the juke is powered off at this point. As you rotate the basket (only in its normal direction of travel), you can get a rough idea if it's binding or not. It's not going to spin like a roulette wheel, but it should be fairly easy to turn by hand. It's also much easier to see what's moving and get some lube on the rotating points and work the mechanism.

I also had issues with the write-in motor gear box. The grease inside of it had turned to molasses. The write-in arms would barely move when activated. Let's hope yours is ok as it is not that much fun to disassemble.

Keep us posted. It looks like you're almost there. Just about time to start loading it up with holiday music!

-Jim

I'll try all the new suggestions Tuesday as I'm hammered until then. It very well could be that it needs more cleaning and it can't really hurt (except my back). Thanks for pointing out the stickies, Ron. For some reason I hadn't really noticed the one on how to check switches. I'm beat. I'm running on 90 minutes of sleep and I've already had to peel the keyboard from my face a couple of times this evening...

I thought I'd have more time to work on the jukebox tonight, but it didn't pan out. First problem I encountered is that I no longer have an analog meter to test the switch. I've got a digital meter but after reading it might test a good switch as bad I moved on and took pics of my micro switches to bring in and enlarge to try to find voltage info. It must be on the other side of the switch so I'll have to remove 2 and 2A to see it. I know I can order the correct switch from England, but I should be able to find a roller switch here that will match.

I think these will work but I'm not sure:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00H8T ... AZDOWP300U

This one is supposed to be the correct part, but I can't read the voltage #'s:

http://www.thejukeboxman.com/shop/image ... 00x500.jpg

It's tripping the breaker again even when I scanned manually tonight (it's cold again. The gripper functioned wonderfully). Since it's tripping the breaker when I scan manually I'm betting Jimmler is right about poor lubrication in the magazine/readout shaft. The motor is mounted horizontally I believe and it's right behind the gripper motor. I think it's going to be a bigger pain than the gripper motor was. Even if it isn't the reason that it isn't cancelling the selections, I think it's the reason the breaker is getting tripped.

I bet these are the droids I'm looking for:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/181564416734

These look exactly like the switches on the cam but I won't know until I take one off and look at the black side.

I bought this switch from Amazon and it was identical to those I was testing in two Rockola jukes:

http://www.amazon.com/Micro-Limit-Switc ... cro+switch .

It was even on Prime so I got it quick and no added shipping. That's a plus out here in corn country where there's no real electronics shops.
Patrick

Mine are definitely Honeywell switches, but those should work as well. The Honeywell's are 10 amp and 1/3 HP at 125/250 vac the ones from China are designed for 15 amps and 1/2 HP. I haven't gone over to take mine off yet but this is how I know:

http://imageshack.com/a/img661/6922/TGgS3j.jpg
http://imageshack.com/a/img905/3445/vEaPJW.jpg

You'll have to zoom in to read it, but it says they were manufactured in Freeport IlL with COM/NC and NO just like these:

http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/OTE2WDg2NA==/ ... b/$_57.JPG

I'm not sure which one to go with until I take one off.

As far as I know, Honeywell still owns MicroSwitch--they purchased it about 20 years ago--?
Ron Rich