Panasonic PV-V4021 identify broken part?
 

Hi all, new here and hoping to get some help/advice with my Panasonic PV-V4021 VCR. I know this is a low end mono VCR but it is all I have currently so hoping to get it up and running again.

I recently took the lid off it to have a look inside after it started chewing tapes. I noticed that a small piece of foam was hanging off, when I pushed it back in to place the tapes stopped being chewed. Unfortunately it had run out of stickiness and soon fell off again.

I am hoping somebody can identify it for me in the photo below....

Attachment 16645

Those are brake pads, when you fast forward they stop the tape spools from keep spinning to avoid tape spillage which leads to tapes being eaten because the take up reel can't keep up with the pinch roller when there is too much spillage. It's more critical on the take up spindle than the supply spindle.

Thank you for your quick reply. From reading around online I had thought that this was some sort of back tension band.

From your comment though it seems that is not what this is for. I am going to try and superglue it back on somehow and see how it goes.

There one for the back tension, and there is pads for the brakes, I can't tell which one is which because VCR's are different, possibly the supply spidle brake shares the pad with back tension, The service manual is the only official source for this.

Yes it's the back tension felt strip. In your photo I've highlighted the tape guide pin which is connected by levers to the white moulding in which the felt is glued. The pin measures the back tension and by mechanical feedback, regulates tape tension. If it's still serviceable, the felt strip needs to be cleaned and carefully reglued into its original place in the white moulding. Otherwise a suitable replacement felt strip needs to be sourced, after which back tension should be rechecked with a proper tension cassette tool.

Which still does not address the "eating tapes" problem unless as I mentioned the same brake pad/lever is used during fast forward to stop the supply reel from keep going and spilling the tape.

Weak or no back tension can cause the tape to deviate at the capstan and get damaged. I'd fix the back tension issue and see what happens. I wouldn't be surprised of it fixes the tape damage problem.

True, since he never mentioned how tapes are being eaten, due to tape spillage or tape going out of alignement.