Hi thanks for all the help so far. The machine is now working and the motor rumble is cured. However. there is a persistant regular pulsed interference that come through both speakers . It only comes through when it is in play mode so that the motor is turning  , but does it even if there is no tape in the machine. It gets louder and more persistant if I put a load on the turning spindle and is contorllable in volume by the volume control. Is this interference from the motor ? Any suggestions how to fix it. Pat

Could be as simple as dirt accumulated on the capstan. Try cleaning it using cotton buds and tapehead cleaner.

Martin

I am sorry to be a bit thick but which part is the capstan , is that on the motor drive spindle. Pat