Best way to clean belts that turned into petrol on 1981 Pioneer cassette deck

[Jimmyhaflinger]

i used CIF kitchen cream cleanser to remove the rubber mess from Philips machines, works great with removable and washable parts.

I used alcohol and a bit more patience on the chassis and parts that cannot be washed like the motor etc.

[Ekcoman]

Think one missing note here. You will also need a lot of patience, ommm in approach and set aside time where you wont get disturbed, as once in full flow, you dont want to be interupted as the mess might have a better chance of travel. It's definitely not a quick job. As said earlier make sure work surface is covered and all items you might need are to hand before starting.

[zooterman]

Have you tried " Duroglyt " I think I may have misspelt it, it's now made by Brasso I believe.

[Panita63]

First, do not touch or add any solvents to jammy belts. Take good quality pliers ready to Your hand. Freeze the jam By Cold Spray or Freeze Spray what ever You may have. Also freeze the tip of Your pliers. After that You can pull out quite rigid formed jam as a one long piece. Do this several times to remove most of the jam.
After this, there is much easier work (if any) with solvents.
Luxor & Philips tape recorders may need same cleaning to the clutch rubbers which are inside the reel plates.

[sp10mk11]

The list Ben has put up I totally agree with, it is a messy rotten job what ever cleaner you use, meths are good as is acetone with the warnings about keeping it away from plastics.

This as I understand it is down to how long the belt manufacturers allow the belt material to cure, the longer the better but this costs money. I have some machines from the 1970s where the belts are still good.

Gary

[Anthony Thomas]

Whatever solvent is in use please remember personal safety, wear eye protection and gloves that do not disolve in the goo produced when the rubber remnants disolve.

Please also remember that anything that disolves grease or rubber can enter into the blood stream and over time cause brain, liver and kidney damage.

Do please take care, this is the voice of experience speaking.

Tony

[Jimmyhaflinger]

Originally Posted by qualityten

Thanks for this advice from me too. I have an Aiwa double cassette deck that has gone the same way. I wonder how many cassette and tape recorders would still be in use today if these belts had not dissolved, or even not dissolved so messily?

most belts used in Philips decks dissolved during the 80s-90s when those machines were already 20+ years old and obsolete and were usually already stashed away in closets or garages

the few units that were still in use by the time the belts failed were either thrown away or had the belts replaced.

[ricard]

In one case where a belt had taken to rest against a capacitor and then melted, I resorted to cleaning away the worst mess with a bit of tissue paper, then just putting a piece of sticky tape over the rest just to cover it up...

[Alan Stepney]

I am sure that many here will warn against the dangers of using it, but I still use CTC (carbon tet) and find that it removes belt goo, quite well.
I doubt you can still buy it, (but may be wrong) but fortunately I still have some.