On 11/10/2015 18:34, Madness wrote:
On 10/11/2015 11:28 AM, N_Cook wrote:
Piece of cotton tied to it and then a dart point or dental sickle probe

The dental probe sounds like a good idea. Might get better access if I
remove the front panel. Incidentally, if I turn the deck on its side &
play a tape, there's no flutter.


Attitude effect suggests a bearing problem. Assuming sintred metal
bearing , you can sometimes get a bit more life from the following.
Squash the bearing between 2 tiny ball bearings , set in a pair of nuts
or something, squashed in a vice. Matter of suck-it-and-see. Try low
force initially and try out with the capstan and repeat with gradually
increasing vice force