records playing too slow

Hello
My name is Joe and I just joined this site. I have a Rock-ola 440 juke box. I've had it for many years and haven't played it in a while. When I decided to play it, all the 45 rpm records played a little slow. I had purchased the manual but I can't find how to adjust it. Not sure if it can be adjusted or some other part is defective. Everything else works fine in the machine except for the slow speed. Any help or suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks in advance for reading this post and possibly answering. Joe

Hi
Is the turntable unit a 33rpm/45rpm unit, it may be stuck at 33 rpm, might need a little cleaning and lubrication, does the turntable have the red tabs in the contre. However I would say that it is the truntable grommets and they may have perished, these grommets hold the turntable motor in place. Also check the idler wheel and clean and there is an outside chance that it may be the turntable but i would say its the grommets
regards
clones

Hello Joe,

Welcome to the forum, Clones is correct the turntable motor on the Rock Ola is very similar to the one used on the Rowe Ami in many respecs.
I would strip down the motor to clean out any build up old oil & grease, reluricate sparingly and check the idler wheel and remove any oil on its surface or on the inside lip of the turntable. I just wash them with soapy water. Check the motor mounts, if they arm worn they can cause rubbling through the speakers when playing a record.

Regards
Alan

Alan Hood
ami-man

When I purchased my 425 it ran slightly slow as well. Like Ami-Man suggests, I did the same strip and clean thing to the motor and solved the problem. A couple of years ago it started to play a bit slow once again. I'm getting old and my mind shows it, but I believe there are one or two small oil holes (maybe wicks) on top of the motor. I fed it a couple drops of oil and it has been fine.

There are "many small holes", both top and bottom (some have an oil tube for the bottom bearing),
on most turntable AC motors, that should be saturated with SAE# 20wt. ND oil---
Ron Rich

I tried oiling the gears and cleaning the turntable and the 45 rpm records still play slow. I only have one speed on this machine and it only plays 45 rpm and not 33rpm. Any other suggestions. I have the manual for the rockola440 but still no luck. Thanks for all your suggestions and help.

What "gears" did you oil ? Did you oil the Turntable, and the idler wheel shafts ? Did you look at the three "motor mounts" ? If one or more has "collapsed", you need to change all three--others dis-agree, but I have never been able to make other then the (off) white colored ones, work correctly for me, on a RockOla. While you are changing the grommets, remove the whole motor ( It WILL, "wiggle out", once all mounts are removed) and oil the bottom bearing, if you do not have an oil tube, for that purpose, on that motor. If the motor is attached with screws, there "HASTABE" a spacer in each grommet--don't lose it when removing the old ones!! -- Ron Rich

Ron I oiled the gears that the manual described. I also took off the turntable and put 2 drops in the hole. I'm not that familiar with taking the motor out and replacing parts. I may just take the records out and get rid of machine. I took pixs of inside juke box but can't send them through this website because they are too large. Thanks joe

Hi
I wouldn't get rid of it that quick, just check the condition of the grommets where the turntable is attached to the turntable plate, usually three screws or three bolts that hold it in place, along with three washers and three spacers underneath, the condition of the grommets will be fairly evident, they may have hardened or have started to disintegrate
clones

A Grommet check and a motor clean and lube would be my first moves. It's been well over 35 or 40 so years since I did this so excuse my dusty old mind. My first thought when I bought my machine was that the motor was probably gunked up and maybe cigarette smoked up.
Correct me If I am wrong but AC motors in general have one moving part. I pulled the case apart and cleaned both ends of the rotor (the drum that spins in the middle). Bottom should sit in a bearing. Top is the drive for the idler wheel. If I know me, I probably used rubbing alcohol on a rag, and a Q tip to clean the gunk from the bottom bearing, the shaft ends, and probably the hole on top that the shaft goes through. The rotor core magnets might have been gunked up as well. If so I probably gently cleaned them with rubbing alcohol on a rag.
A couple of drops of oil in the bottom bearing, re-assemble, then a couple of drops where the top comes out of the motor housing I believe got her up to speed.
You might check that the idler wheel spins freely. If not ,clean and lube just like the motor.
Best that I can recall. That old juke loves you. Hey Rich any chance something is preventing the motor from getting proper voltage?

If you' asking my opinion, sure, there is always a "possibility" that the motor is getting less then 117 vac--but I would think that to be rare--a bad relay contact, or plug contact ??
It also possible that due to improper lubrication, the motor bearing(s) are worn out--I have seen this happen in RO's, and others, with that type motor, before. Ron Rich

Yep I was. Thanks!

"Yep I was" what ??
Ron Rich

Yep I was asking your opinion!

OK--You got it ! for what little it's worth
Ron Rich