Hello everyone!  I recently picked up a BeoCenter 7002 for $65.  I'm super excited to get this system up and going but I'm having some trouble with the phonograph portion.

Here is what happens:

I place a record on the turntable (the transport screws are in "play" mode)

I touch play and the arm moves over to the records surface

music begins to play but after 8 secords or so it begins to skip and it looks like the needle continues to move in, but the arm won't move.  If I move the counter-weight in (towards the cartridge) the same scenario unfolds but as the needle gets pulled in the toward the center it doesn't skip right away but the sound begins to distort heavily.  Just to clairfy when I say "the needle gets pulled toward the center" it appears as if the tone arm is staying still but just the needle on the cartridge begins to flex laterally toward the center of the record.  I stop it before it bends to much so as not to cause damage.

Is there a mechanism that could be causing the tone-arm not to move with the record properly?  Could improper counter-weight adjust cause this?  Just looking for some help.  I have no reason to think the MMC-20EN cartridge is bad.  What are some easy ways to diagnose a bad cartridge?  Any and all help is appreciated.

Put a record onto play and just as the needle drops onto the record, cut the power to the unit at the wall socket. (Use an old record!) The tome arm should be completely free to move at this point - there should be no resistance to moving it either up or down or laterally. If there is, then something is not disengaging in the arm lift mechanism.

Thanks for the tip. I tried what you suggested and the arm seems to move freely at that point.  I have no clue... maybe the cartridge is busted.  I'll most likely look to sell this piece to someone who knows what they are doing, I don't have extra money to pour into getting it repaired..  To say the least it is frustrating.  Thank for the help!

I would suggest than it will be the cartridge - if the rest of the Beocenter is good, it is certainly worth a cartridge.

Just a quick thought. Check that the lift "lever" is clearing the arm-tube when in the lowered position. if it doesn't, the arm won't lower enough to track the record correctly. The lift height is easily adjusted with care.

The most obvious thing on a twenty-five year old Beogram is seized up auto parts, due to lubricants drying out and possible disuse (many of these units spent most of their time as radios we found and the internal 'grams weren't used overmuch). It may be worth giving the deck a service, using a switch-cleaner with lubricant on the arm-lift parts underneath (don't go near the main cam gear at this point) and see if this helps. I can't explain it better without showing pictures.

I got it!  The bearing in the arm froze.  it is all repaired and like brand new!  Now I just need a pair of circa 1985 B&O Speakers to go with it.