S130/cassettedeck php
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Cassette deck refurbishing in your 280ZX[edit]

Has the cassette deck in your 280ZX gone kaput? Have no fear — you may be able to fix it yourself! In my experience, about 75% of the time, a “bad deck” is only suffering from rotted, broken, or melted belts. This is an easy fix!
Note: These instructions are based on a 1982 280ZX Turbo coupe.
Safety Tip: Before performing any electrical work on your car, disconnect the negative battery cable.
STEREO CONSOLE REMOVAL[edit]
- Remove the knee guards under the dash on both the driver and passenger sides. Each is held in place by two screws.
- Unscrew the two small panels at the base of the stereo console — one on each side (driver and passenger).
- With those panels removed, you’ll see four bolts on each side (top and bottom) of the stereo console. Remove all eight bolts.
- Engage the parking brake (or block the wheels). For automatics, move the shifter all the way down to 1st gear. For manuals, place the shifter in Reverse.
- Carefully slide the entire stereo console out. Disconnect the antenna cable to gain more room. Leave the stereo attached to the large main cable — there’s no need to remove it.
- Locate how the cassette deck is mounted to both the console and the AM/FM receiver. You can easily remove the larger beige cable from the receiver. However, there’s a single blue cable that may be difficult to disconnect — if it won’t release, it’s safe to cut it and later reconnect using a standard wire nut.
- Remove the screws securing the cassette deck to the stereo console, then lift the deck out.
CASSETTE BELT REPLACEMENT[edit]
Now that the cassette deck is out of the stereo console, it’s time to open it up and replace those worn-out belts.
- Remove the screws securing the top cover of the cassette deck. These can be tight — use care to avoid stripping them.
- Remove the faceplate (three screws).
- Flip the deck over and remove the bottom plate to access the belt area.
- Locate the two large wheels and the small metal plate above them. Remove the two screws holding the plate to gain full access to the belts.
- Inspect the belts. Common issues include broken belts, stretched belts, or belts that have turned to mush. Order replacements — there are five belts in total.
Recommended source: Studio Sound ElectronicsUse square belts in the following sizes:- RED — 4.0" × 1.2mm (SBS4.0)
- GREEN — 12.4" × 1.2mm (SBS12.4)
- BLUE — 6.0" × 1mm (SBO6.0)
- PURPLE — 4.6" × 1.2mm (SBS4.6)
- YELLOW — 3.2" × 1mm (SBO3.2)
Here’s the belt diagram (faded belt sections indicate hidden routing points):

The green belt may feel slightly loose, but it still works fine. These belts cost around $1 each and typically arrive quickly.
Once all belts are replaced, simply reassemble the cassette deck by reversing the disassembly steps.
Sources Used[edit]
- Written by: maalsa of