First real post here. Recently I got my hands on two Sony Walkman wm-f10s. I am a big fan of the f10 as a cool looking player so I decided I would fix these up. They needed cleaning and after putting in a new belt they were both playing well but had a few minor issues. The better condition of the two was pretty flawless despite the fact that the Dolby NR wasn't working right. When I flicked the switch it would create a humming noise that you could distinguish from the standard background noise. After pondering over the wm-10 (I couldn't find a detailed f10 schematic ) schematics I noticed there were some Dolby adjustment screws which I don't know what they do. I was wondering if anyone else had similar dolby nr problems or if you knew of what the adjustment screws do. The other player was working fine dolby nr and all but the battery indicator wasn't turning on when the cassette started up but worked fine when the radio was set. I assume that there must some bad connection between the the switch and the led ribbon cable. Also that player's motor was very loud and I know most f10 mechs were pretty loud but the actual motor on this seemed to be a bit excessively loud. Not sure if that was the type of motor they used on that specific revision or if there is gunk jammed or it has just been worn. The motor on the Dolby issue unit was very quite and it played very well and smooth for a f10. Don't think it is too much of a problem but if anyone knows about the motors they used or the location of the switch then that would be great. Any help is appreciated!
Hey man how’s it going. I also have a red F10 and it’s working (not great, but working)!! It makes a ton of noise, and the sound quality is mid at best, but there is some sort of problem with the lid Closing correctly or not tightly enough that it causes the circuit to be incomplete. i have sent you a video (link below), take a look and see what you think. It obviously needs a tuneup and the heads cleaned and the belts changed and all that standard tuneup type stuff. Would you ever consider doing this type of work, and if not do you know someone who can? Let me know what you think pls. link to video: https://www.icloud.com/attachment/?...XP_rhLMpAXOc3pmlzg&f=IMG_9056.mov&sz=41981717 Thanks, colin
@theLGA80s About the Dolby NR problem on first unit, I would check the capacitor on Vref pin of Dolby IC. Don't mess around with the trimpots, those adjust the Dolby levels, you need a calibration cassette to adjust that. But that is NOT your problem. In reagrd to second unit, I would clean the 2 leaf switches as they are typically corroded on these units. Might even require some sanding (use 1000 grit sandpaper). As for the motor being loud, on some units the grease on the ball bearing had hardened. You can hope it will get better by using it or fully disassemble the unit, get the motor out and put some fresh oil into the ball bearing. However do pay attention that you must put oil only inside the ball bearing itself, not on the shaft (this is specifically written in the WM-10 service manual).
@CoGoNYC That is a very loud F10! It wasn't completely clear but it sounded like there was some scraping in the mechanism as well a loud motor. I am not a professional with walkmans by any standards however if you are looking to get it repaired, there is a thread on this forum under tech talk (Best repair services in the world) that lists off some options. There are also a few individuals on ebay that will evaluate your problems and fix your player but I would be careful with that. As for the power issues, I think it could be sketchy battery terminals. All f10s that I've dealt with have had similar issues. Thanks for the tips Valentin. I did actually fully disassemble that unit and take apart the motor but wasn't able to improve it (I don't have the right oil).
I recommend using watch oil for the motor bearing. However note you won't get immediate results, it will take some time of use before the motor noise will go back to a more normal level. Have restored these motors sucessfully in the past using watch oil. In regard to @CoGoNYC I already commented on another thread where he presented the problem. His noise may be coming from the idler pulley touching the back case, but that needs to be checked.
For reference, I will attach a picture of how the WM-(F)10/20/30 motor should be lubricated as I found one took some time ago. Oil should be added so it gets past the rubber seal into the actual bearing (where the 2 arrows point). Add oil, rotate the bearing manually and add again if necessary. Middle hole and shaft must be cleaned of any residual oil as the shaft must NOT slip into the inner race of the bearing.
Thank you for this info Valentin. I'm actually looking to purchase some oil for current repairs. Would something like this work?https://www.amazon.com/Liberty-Synt...4yD__1N5KhIwQerG48WHHlv-EnoLW0oBoCLk8QAvD_BwE Or should I look for something like Moebius watch oil? I assume it depends on what you are oiling but is there an multi purpose oil you recommend for capstans and motors?
The one in the link looks fine to me. Any watch oil will work, you don't need anything fancy for cassette walkmans as long as it is watch oil. What I use is something like this: https://www.ebay.com/itm/164185783921 which is available locally at watch repair shops. Prefer it because it's easy to use in this type of container. As for Moebius, think it's not worth it for this kind of repairs, at least in my opinion. Besides, such small bottles (2ml) won't really last much.
I took your advice Valentin and bought watch oil to lubricate the area you pointed out. Despite cleaning and what I judged to be correct placement the motor is still very loud. The magnet underneath the coils has a small crack in it but otherwise I'm not sure what could be making such a racket. https://photos.app.goo.gl/3k782YwqEZJ9ky5r9 The motor shield is off but it makes no difference in noise
Assuming you are sure the oil did get past the seal and inside the bearing, give it some time and see what happens. Play a couple of cassettes and notice if there is any improvement. Typically it does take some time for the motor to become quieter, won't expect an immediate result since the old grease is still there and will take time to dissolve. If oil did indeed got into the bearing and motor is still racketing after a period of use, would suspect that crack in the magnet. In such case, there's nothing to do but replace the motor.
Well I took another shot at cleaning and lubricating it. I'm leaving it to run through a cassette right now though it sounds even worse than before. The noise comes from the motor chassis and sleeve assembly and the bottom of the rotor magnet. (the side without the crack) I'm guessing it must be ever so slightly out of alignment to cause rubbing of some sort meaning the motor will live the rest of its days very loudly.
That is unfortunate. More than likely this is not a lubrication issue, but something else wrong with the motor. But at the end of day, things like this can happen. These type of motors (both the bearing and bushing type), despite being brushless, are not the most reliable (especially the SONY ones).
