Recently, I'd noticed more than a few CD's that were either skipping or where the TOC wasn't able to be read and the 901 would eject it, switching to another disc. I also noticed that even over mild bumps, the player would often skip. So last night, I decided to pull it apart for a thorough clean & lube.
Figuring the order of disassembly was the first hurdle as the 901's laser isn't as easy to access as the single disc units. It lies underneath the 3-disc cartridge mechanism and you can't see into it from the top. Thus I decided to remove it from the chassis for easiest access.
I also took time to remove dried up grease from racks & sliders and relube with lithium grease. Loading up a glue syringe with a very fine point would be best.
I was able to extend the cartridge carriage by locating its gear train and moving the gears by hand. Once begun, the front tray can be gently pulled out to full extension. I cleaned the tray internals using a Q-tip + isopropyl alcohol.
From the rear, you can access the laser slide rod, disc clamp and laser lens. I cleaned & regreased the rod, cleaned quite a bit of dust & dirt off of the clamp and used 99% isopropanol to clean the lens. If the clamp isn't clean, the disc won't be held tightly and will slip, causing the tracking mechanism to lose its place. Many pick up discs by the center hole, thus transferring what's on their fingers to the clamp, which over time gets dirty with it. It's best to only use the edges. This is the first cleaning mine has had since new (17 years). To hold the clamp in place, I inserted a fine regular screwdriver into a side slot to gently wedge it into place. I was able to clean about 180° at a time, then rotate it, and clean the other half. I used about a dozen Q-tips to remove the dirt.
I also swabbed out the drive bay by clamping a Q-tip end with hemostats, wetting the end with alcohol and reaching deep inside, repeating until the Q-tip came out clean. A quick shot of a can of air will remove any cotton fibers.
I cleaned and relubed as many sliding surfaces as I could reach. Might as well with it disassembled. I also cleaned the cassette pinch rollers, capstans, head and swabbed out the cassette compartment.
With the faceplate removed, I took the opportunity to thoroughly clean all the buttons, apply 303 and buff.
I tried it out on several discs before installing the top and all discs were immediately played! Also, the minor 'clunking' sound I would sometimes hear while the player swapped discs was gone. I moved the laser head to play the outer tracks to evenly distribute the new grease I'd applied across the rod and noticed no problems.
I don't own a lens-cleaner disc. It may have worked. Some have reported they wouldn't restore their players. In that case, it's time for a good internal cleaning & relube.
Figuring the order of disassembly was the first hurdle as the 901's laser isn't as easy to access as the single disc units. It lies underneath the 3-disc cartridge mechanism and you can't see into it from the top. Thus I decided to remove it from the chassis for easiest access.
I also took time to remove dried up grease from racks & sliders and relube with lithium grease. Loading up a glue syringe with a very fine point would be best.
I was able to extend the cartridge carriage by locating its gear train and moving the gears by hand. Once begun, the front tray can be gently pulled out to full extension. I cleaned the tray internals using a Q-tip + isopropyl alcohol.
From the rear, you can access the laser slide rod, disc clamp and laser lens. I cleaned & regreased the rod, cleaned quite a bit of dust & dirt off of the clamp and used 99% isopropanol to clean the lens. If the clamp isn't clean, the disc won't be held tightly and will slip, causing the tracking mechanism to lose its place. Many pick up discs by the center hole, thus transferring what's on their fingers to the clamp, which over time gets dirty with it. It's best to only use the edges. This is the first cleaning mine has had since new (17 years). To hold the clamp in place, I inserted a fine regular screwdriver into a side slot to gently wedge it into place. I was able to clean about 180° at a time, then rotate it, and clean the other half. I used about a dozen Q-tips to remove the dirt.
I also swabbed out the drive bay by clamping a Q-tip end with hemostats, wetting the end with alcohol and reaching deep inside, repeating until the Q-tip came out clean. A quick shot of a can of air will remove any cotton fibers.
I cleaned and relubed as many sliding surfaces as I could reach. Might as well with it disassembled. I also cleaned the cassette pinch rollers, capstans, head and swabbed out the cassette compartment.
With the faceplate removed, I took the opportunity to thoroughly clean all the buttons, apply 303 and buff.
I tried it out on several discs before installing the top and all discs were immediately played! Also, the minor 'clunking' sound I would sometimes hear while the player swapped discs was gone. I moved the laser head to play the outer tracks to evenly distribute the new grease I'd applied across the rod and noticed no problems.
I don't own a lens-cleaner disc. It may have worked. Some have reported they wouldn't restore their players. In that case, it's time for a good internal cleaning & relube.
