Turntable Oil & Maintainence

[dr8track]

I'm in the process of trying to get my mid 70's quad turntable running again after being in storage for about 20 years. It is a direct drive Technics SL-1200. The motor is running at an inconsistent speed and sometimes you have to give the turntable a push to get it turning. Since it is a direct drive I'm wondering if this could be a lubrication issue? There is a small tube of oil that came with the turntable, but it is 30 years old and almost empty. Is it likely that oiling might help get the motor running smoothly and consistently again? What oil should be used and where could I purchase it?
Also, any other maintainence I might be able to do myself to improve it's performance?
Thanks for any info.

 

[Quadwreck]

Most likely the problem with your SL 1200 is dirty contacts in the pitch controls and the speed selector switch. It's a normal result of copper versus oxygen. You need to get inside to bathe the pots and switch in an alcohol or other residue-free bath and manipulate the controls while still wet. MAKE SURE THAT THE UNIT IS UNPLUGGED. There are different ways of getting inside, is your SL 1200 a MK I, MK II, or MK III?

 

[Obbop]

My 1975 SL-1300 sat covered in a garage in California's central valley for 17 years.

When I retrieved it I dusted it off, put one very small drop of oil where the spindle entered the unit and away I went.

Wheeeeee!!!!!!

At first it did vary in speed a bit and was ultra-sensative to the adjutment control. With time, the situation improved. Maybe I was just lucky. Try running it for awhile to "loosen" things up. Maybe you'll get lucky.

 

[dr8track]

Not certain what M model my SL-1200 is. Another problem I didn't mention is that the strobe light was intermittent the last time I used it and now that the turntable hasn't gotten inconsistent it doesn't come on at all. however, when I remove the actual platter (which is a pretty heavy piece of metal on the Technics) the light comes on, but doesn't stay on consistently. Dirty contacts definitely sound like a culprit. I'll see if I can do a little cleaning and see what happens.