360 Disc Tray Issues and Questions

[Mad_Hatter]

How would I fix my DVD drive issue?

My tray won't open if there is no disc inside. I have to do it multiple times to open it or lightly tap the top of the console to open the tray. My mom messed it up one day. My brother told me she didn't know how to use it so she just kept pressing crap and pushing the DVD try eject button. From there, it never worked probably.

But, If there is a disc inside, it works no problem.

Why is that? Makes no sense.

And, what do you think the issue is and how should I fix it?

Also, I'm planning on opening this console up and give it a cleaning as it smells like it is beginning to overheat. Is there anything I should do to the DVD drive/tray while the console is opened up?

[TEKTORO]

Have you tried popping off the faceplate and resetting it yet?

That would be the easiest thing to check first and then trying some other steps till the problem is fixed. But doing a little cleaning and inspecting is where to start.

[Cronozilla]

Don't hit it.

It's the DVD drive belt, clean it off by soaking it in rubbing alcohol. There's plenty of tutorials online about how to remove and replace it without taking the system apart.

[SpoonyBard]

Mine did the same thing. Cronozilla is 100% right. I replaced the belt (which was simple and only took a few minutes) and it completely fixed the problem.

[KDub]

Been answered, the drive belt aka that little black rubber band has given out.

Essentially it is no longer providing enough pull and pressure to get the drive to detach from the drive cap and eject. Soak it in the some rubbing alcohol to clean it and make it shrink a bit and you'll be good. You'll have to repeat this eventually unless you just buy a new band.

[Mad_Hatter]

Have you tried popping off the faceplate and resetting it yet?

That would be the easiest thing to check first and then trying some other steps till the problem is fixed. But doing a little cleaning and inspecting is where to start.

what do you mean by resetting it?

[Mad_Hatter]

I'll probably buy a new drive belt off eBay or something and give it a shot.

Can I ask why the rubber band would eject the tray if there is a disc inside though?

[KDub]

The disc acts as a buffer between the drive and the cap. As you've seen with it sometimes working by giving it a tap on the top, it doesn't take much to get it unstuck. You'll take the band out and be confused as to why it doesn't provide the right pull. It is still tight in there....just barely not tight enough.

[Hobie-wan]

The disc acts as a buffer between the drive and the cap. As you've seen with it sometimes working by giving it a tap on the top, it doesn't take much to get it unstuck. You'll take the band out and be confused as to why it doesn't provide the right pull. It is still tight in there....just barely not tight enough.

To explain further, when a disc goes into a drive and the spindle cranks up to grab the disc there's a cap with a magnet that clamps down once it gets close. Then the rubber on the bottom spindle can turn the disc. So when you go to eject, the bottom spindle has to pull away from that magnet. With a disc in there, the extra half millimeter makes the force holding the cap and the spindle together a bit less, so it pops free easier. As stated, the belt is slipping just enough that it is having difficulty with no disc.

[Mad_Hatter]

Thanks for the help everyone! And a special thanks for the information!

I saw a video on how to clean it out without taking the thing apart. It works now. The rubber band was clean and looked in decent shape. But I think what helped was cleaning the pulley.

I used this video:

http://m.youtube.com/?q=xbox+360+belt+c ... wSmOwGqijM

Last question, I am about to open this 360 up to clean all the dust off the heat sinks and fans.

I noticed that my DVD drive was really dusty inside. Should I clean that up too? If I should, how should I clean it?

I read that you shouldn't because you might mess with those magnets. But I got a lot of dust inside to the point where it can't be good.