Rock-ola 453 selector buttons not working

Hello there everyone, this is such a cool site, I'm glad there is something like this. Well, I recently got a Rock-ola 453 Jukebox and it was working up until just a little while ago. All of a sudden the selector buttons dont do anything anymore. They all do regeister and work because I pressed each one of them and either the digit lights come on or the "press reset" buttons lights up. But there is no more audible click and it does not hold down the buttons anymore. This step just seemed to quit working. I think it has something to do with the solonoid in that whole arangement of buttons. I did try a few things that I could think of, and it still works correctly if I manually hold in the last button by pressing on the solonoid plunger with my finger, pushing it in. Doing this moves the arm around the left side of the metal wheel (not sure what it is called but has alot of little pins and such on it) and then engages the magazine wheel, locates the record and plays it. Do the electric solonoid things usually go bad? Any help would be greatly appreciated because I'm not to sure what just happened here.
Thank you.
Nick.

Nick,
I have never seen that happen--and am not real familiar with the circuit-- Hopefully someone else knows it well.
Do You have the Service Manual /schematic?
Do you have the skills needed to read it ? If so, follow the power to the solenoid to it's source, and see what's happening (or not!).
If you have a meter, you might test the solenoid, but I doubt it's bad--
If you do not have the needed skills, post your location, and I'll see if there is anyone listed in the Always Jukin magazine in your area--- Ron Rich

Hey Ron thanx for your reply, and your offer to search for someone in the area where I am at to help me out.
I agree with you and thought it was weird, however, I ended up opening up the smallest silver box and there were three small fuses in there, one was blown. I replaced it and it worked again. I have the service manual on my computer and the amp's schematic on there as well. I dont however know how to read them unfortunatley but, kinda can figure it out. The manual is quite helpful for this Jukebox; I am glad its working again. I do have another question though, when the magazine wheel spins its loud like screeching sounds. It spins just fine and plays and operates just fine but that sound is not a good sound. I put oil on the ares where I could see it rotates in but it did not help. Could the motor be making that sound by chance? If so I do see a circle thing on its side that can be opened; could that be for oil? I dont remember reading about oiling the motors in the manual but I believe I read somewhere that you could but, I cant find that website again.
Thank you again.
Nick.

Nick,
Glad you found it--I hope that you replaced it with the exact same type and value ! If it blows again, I would suspect the latch solenoid is "shorting out", and if that's the case, you really should not use it till it's been replaced !
As for the "loud screeching sounds"--where is it coming from ?-- carefully, get some kid to put his head in there and figure it out--you are right--SOMETHING needs oil -- (get a kid, as they have much better hearing and are more able to detect the source of sounds--but watch that he/she does not get caught on something) The basket motors on most R/O's are not oil-able, unless fully removed and dismantled. Ron Rich

Hey Ron thanx for your reply. I too am glad that I fixed it and yes, I did use the same type of fuse and it is working fine. I think I might have shorted it out as I was installing blue leds under the play list to illuminate is when you insert a coin. I had to block the light from the built-in lamp so I used tin foil at first and I think it might have caused a short. I did not use tin foil this time, but cardboard instead and it works now.

I still have the noisy magazine wheel. I really think its coming from the motor. I pulled the jukebox out last night from the wall and removed the back panel. I was spining the magazine wheel and was listening to the different spots and I really think its coming from the motor. Is there a way to lubercate these motors by chance? I do see two round areas where it can be opened but I believe this is for the brushes. I have been reading on here and on the web and have found others with screeching noises from their jukes and they all went to the motor as the problem. I do have that 3 in 1 oil that you recomend using and have used that in various places where I thought the noise was coming from but, it still was there. Not to sure what else could be making the noise but the motor.

Nick,
I hope that's "3inOne" Motor oil", not "multipurpose" or "household" types---Unfortunately, the motor must be removed and dis-assembled to oil it. No other way that I know of--remove the brushes first-- Ron Rich

Hey Ron,

Thanx for your reply. Yeah, I kinda figured so about the motor. This motor is on its side and has a star looking piece that sticks out of the back end which is totaly rusted, where as the other motor's shaft piece is silver in color. That one it not rusted either. It does not look that hard to get out just three bolts holding it in it looks like. I might just replace the motor instead since I will have to take it totally out. Yes, the oil I am using is the 3 in one, it has pictures of fans and drills and such on it. Do you by chance know what the tabs in the rear panel are used for? Not the speaker terminals, there are others and I think they might be some sort of power source. Not sure though. Thank you again Ron.

Nick

Once again, IMHO, it appears that you are using the "wrong" 3 in One oil ! The one you want has an electric motor pictured--not "fans", on it. It also states "20wt. motor oil" on it ---
As you said--just three bolts hold the motor in place--Could that "star" be a gear ?---
I would just remove, and dis-assemble/re-lube it- Ron Rich

Hey Ron. No I have the correct oil. It does have a motor pictured on it as well as it saying sae 20 on it. Its the little metal bottle with the red tip on it. Anyways Yes I think that is a gear because the other motor has one too but it is not rusted. I have not yet taken it off because I was working. I will prob get at it this weekend. Will have more time to do so then. And you are right. I do believe I will just first try and take it apart and then go form there. Thanx again Ron.

Nick

I was wondering, before I take off the Magazine motor, is there anything special I need to know about doing so? Like will it need to go back on a certain way? It looks as if the gear that is directly attached to the motor just slips into place with the other gears as the teeth line up when it is in position. Just wondering I'm sure I can figure it out just by tinkering with it, but help is always appreciated. Thank you again.

Nick

Nick,
You are correct--just pull it--nothing to worry about when re-installing it, other then "binding the gears"( must have slight "play"). Ron Rich

Thanx Ron I will give that a try this weekend. I'm playing it right now and am looking up for some cool records to fil it up with. I have quite a bit in there now, but not ones I'm totally content with, some will stay and some will go. I guess I'm going to have to resort to ebay for some new records. Thanx again Ron.

Nick

Hey Nick. I'm still plugging away at the problem on my Rock-Ola 453 where I can't make a selection with the number "4" as the middle number of a selection. It works fine when the number "4" is the third number in a selection. Like 234 will work and 243 won't work. I can select 243 when I manually move the pins on the big wheel as you suggested, and the play selection lights up as it should, so maybe it's not the solenoid. Most of the numbers on the big wheel are gone, so I'll have to figure out the numbering scheme before I can do much more. Still working on it. Also, on a completely different trouble, I'm getting a noise coming through both speakers whether there is a record playing or not, starts when the machine is powered on. Hard to describe it but it's kinda like an erratic humming noise that changes sound levels. The volume adjustment doesn't seem to affect it much if at all. I'm thinking that it could be some kind of amplifer problem. I like to think that some noise on a machine this old gives it a certain amount of "character" which I don't mind, only this thing already has loads of "character". LOL. Thanks, Mike

Hey Mike well since you checked the selection manually and it worked then the solemoid is still working which is good. Did you happento notice if it moved freely or if there were any rust on the pins at all? That could be preventing the solenoid from moving the pin. THe problem has to be with in the wheel area and the solenoids because the selector buttons all work and 4 will work when being used for a different number sequence where 4 is not in the middle. I was looking at mine more closley and I think that there is only two solenoids on each side that phiscally move the pins when they are located, and on the other side there are two more solenoids that re-move the pin back to its correct spot. I'm not sure if this is correct but this is what I am guessing just by looking at it. You might have a few bent pins which would cause it not to move freely. And it will be more difficult to figure out since your numbers are missing. Hopefully the manual has them listed.

On the hum issue, mine makes a sound when I first flip the power switch, its on the order of a hum but its kinda loud and only for a split second then its gone. I think its the caps charging up and everything getting power from being off. I just assumed its normal. My grandpa had a console record player that did that same noise when first turned on, nothing wrong with it. There is a very faint hum on mine but I pretty much have to have my ear at the speakers level to hear it and it stays pretty much the same. Did you happen to notice when the hum is there, is there a record playing by chance? If so, you might just need to replace the motor mounts, That hum noise might be transmitted from the turntables motor into the pickup arm and then amplified and sent to the speakers. That will give an eratic hum noise at the turntable is spining. Hope this helps you out. Take care.

Nick

Guy's
Failure to operate the 2nd digit #4 ONLY, would indicate a problem on the selection interface PCB to me. Ron Rich