Pentax Zx 5N Mirror Motor Gear Replacement Repair Guide

Difficulty

Difficult

Steps

Time Required

                          2 hours

Sections

Body Cover Removal
8 steps
Detach LCD Flex
7 steps
Flash Capacitor Unit
2 steps
Bottom Plate Removal
3 steps
Front Housing Block Removal
6 steps
Mirror Motor Gear
10 steps

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Introduction

This guide explains how to disassemble the camera to access the Mirror Motor Gear as well as how to install a new gear. A general understanding of how cameras work is recommended. Some technical soldering is also required.

What you need

Step 1

              Remove back cover

Push down on the screw to depress the spring loaded hinge and release the door.

Push down on the screw to depress the spring loaded hinge and release the door.

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Step 2

              Remove bottom cover

Remove six 5.3 mm #00 screws.
Remove one 3.4 mm #00 screw.
The short screw has a machine thread and screws into the plate underneath. The rest screw into the plastic body.

Remove six 5.3 mm #00 screws.

Remove one 3.4 mm #00 screw.

The short screw has a machine thread and screws into the plate underneath. The rest screw into the plastic body.

Step 3

              Remove left front cover

Remove three 5.3 mm #00 screws (the bottom-most screw is not always present).
Remove one 7.3 mm #00 screw.
Remove the remote trigger cover.

Remove three 5.3 mm #00 screws (the bottom-most screw is not always present).

Remove one 7.3 mm #00 screw.

Remove the remote trigger cover.

Step 4

              Remove front cover

Remove one 3.4 mm #00 screw.
Remove two 5.3 mm #00 screw.
Gently lift up on the flash housing to help remove the cover if necessary.

Remove two 5.3 mm #00 screw.

Gently lift up on the flash housing to help remove the cover if necessary.

Step 5

              Remove right front cover

Remove two 3.9 mm #00 screws.

Remove two 3.9 mm #00 screws.

Step 6

              Remove eye cup

Slide the eye cup up and off to access the screws underneath.

Slide the eye cup up and off to access the screws underneath.

Step 7

              Unscrew top cover

Remove two 5.3 mm #00 screws by the eyepiece.
Remove one 6.8 mm #00 screw in the battery compartment.
Remove one 7.0 mm #00 screw near the take up spool.

Remove two 5.3 mm #00 screws by the eyepiece.

Remove one 6.8 mm #00 screw in the battery compartment.

Remove one 7.0 mm #00 screw near the take up spool.

Step 8

              Lift top cover

Lift the cover so it is just free of the body. It is still attached by several wires.

Lift the cover so it is just free of the body. It is still attached by several wires.

Step 9

              Discharge flash capacitors

Use a 1kΩ-10kΩ resistor to discharge the capacitor. Place the resistor between the blue wire, exposed in the previous step, and ground.
The flash capacitors store energy at a very high voltage. Failing to discharge the capacitors properly could result in personal injury and/or damage to the camera.

Use a 1kΩ-10kΩ resistor to discharge the capacitor. Place the resistor between the blue wire, exposed in the previous step, and ground.

The flash capacitors store energy at a very high voltage. Failing to discharge the capacitors properly could result in personal injury and/or damage to the camera.

Step 10

              Release top cover

De-solder the green, blue, brown and black wires from the flash PCB.

De-solder the green, blue, brown and black wires from the flash PCB.

Step 11

              De-solder battery connections

Move the top cover to the side to access the battery connections. It is still connected by a flex cable.
De-solder the indicated joints. Use a solder sucker on the tabbed connections.
Pull the black wire from the battery flex to get more slack in the connection to the top cover.
Be careful not to overheat the flex circuit. Work in short durations. Allow for cool downs in between if necessary.

Move the top cover to the side to access the battery connections. It is still connected by a flex cable.

De-solder the indicated joints. Use a solder sucker on the tabbed connections.

Pull the black wire from the battery flex to get more slack in the connection to the top cover.

Be careful not to overheat the flex circuit. Work in short durations. Allow for cool downs in between if necessary.

Step 12

              De-solder flex posts

Use a solder sucker to de-solder the four posts from the flex circuit.
This is the most difficult part of the repair. Patience and persistence are required.
Be careful not to overheat the flex circuit. Work in short durations. Allow for cool downs in between if necessary.

Use a solder sucker to de-solder the four posts from the flex circuit.

This is the most difficult part of the repair. Patience and persistence are required.

Step 13

              De-solder flex connections

De-solder the marked connections.
Be careful not to overheat the flex circuit. Work in short durations. Allow for cool downs in between if necessary.

De-solder the marked connections.

Step 14

              Unscrew flex circuit

Remove one 4.3 mm #00 screw.

Remove one 4.3 mm #00 screw.

Step 15

              Lift the flex circuit

Gently pry up the plastic carrier under the flex circuit. It may catch slightly on the battery contact tab.
Pay close attention to the connections around the four through-hole posts as you lift the flex. Make sure that no solder is left over and that it pulls away freely.
This metal tab is lightly held in place with lacquer and can easily come loose. Keep an eye on it.

Gently pry up the plastic carrier under the flex circuit. It may catch slightly on the battery contact tab.

Pay close attention to the connections around the four through-hole posts as you lift the flex. Make sure that no solder is left over and that it pulls away freely.

This metal tab is lightly held in place with lacquer and can easily come loose. Keep an eye on it.

Step 16

              Unscrew flash PCB

Remove one 3.3mm #00 screw.
Remove one 3.9 #00 screw.
De-solder the red wire.
Peel off the black tape. Leave it attached to the wires.

Remove one 3.3mm #00 screw.

Remove one 3.9 #00 screw.

De-solder the red wire.

Peel off the black tape. Leave it attached to the wires.

Step 17

              Remove flash PCB and capacitors

Gently peel the flex circuit from the surface of the capacitor.
There may be additional adhesive underneath the larger capacitor.
Lift the two capacitors and the flash PCB out as a single unit.
The contact cement used to secure the capacitors can be softened with isopropyl alcohol if necessary.

Gently peel the flex circuit from the surface of the capacitor.

There may be additional adhesive underneath the larger capacitor.

Lift the two capacitors and the flash PCB out as a single unit.

The contact cement used to secure the capacitors can be softened with isopropyl alcohol if necessary.

Step 18

              Prepare bottom plate

Remove two 3.4 mm #00 screws. Remove the plate holding the contacts in place.
Peel tape from the plate. Leave the tape attached to the flex circuit.
Remove the flex circuits from their retaining studs.

Remove two 3.4 mm #00 screws. Remove the plate holding the contacts in place.

Peel tape from the plate. Leave the tape attached to the flex circuit.

Remove the flex circuits from their retaining studs.

Step 19

              Remove bottom plate

Remove one 3.3 mm #0 countersunk screw.
Remove one 3.9 mm #0 shoulder screw.
Remove four 3.3 mm #00 screws.
Pull a little slack through the housing on this flex cable.
Pop the plate off its posts, rotate slightly clockwise and pull gently through the loosened flex cable.
To the camera tech that left me a happy little note…I see you.

Remove one 3.3 mm #0 countersunk screw.

Remove one 3.9 mm #0 shoulder screw.

Remove four 3.3 mm #00 screws.

Pull a little slack through the housing on this flex cable.

Pop the plate off its posts, rotate slightly clockwise and pull gently through the loosened flex cable.

To the camera tech that left me a happy little note…I see you.

Step 20

              Remove loose parts

It’s best to remove these parts now so they don’t fall out later on in the repair.

It’s best to remove these parts now so they don’t fall out later on in the repair.

Step 21

              Detach DOF preview switch

Remove one 3.8 mm #00 screw.

Remove one 3.8 mm #00 screw.

Step 22

              De-solder shutter control flex

De-solder the connections.
Lift the flex off the retaining studs.
Be careful not to overheat the flex circuit. Work in short durations. Allow for cool downs in between if necessary.

De-solder the connections.

Lift the flex off the retaining studs.

Step 23

              Remove eye piece assembly

Remove two 5.3 mm #0 screws.

Remove two 5.3 mm #0 screws.

Step 24

              Unscrew front housing block

Remove two 7.4 mm #0 screws.
Remove one 8.3 mm #0 screw.
Remove one 3.3 mm #00 screw. The metal bracket will be loose and should be removed as well.

Remove two 7.4 mm #0 screws.

Remove one 8.3 mm #0 screw.

Remove one 3.3 mm #00 screw. The metal bracket will be loose and should be removed as well.

Step 25

              Lift front housing block

Push the front housing block slightly up then lift the left side up and away from the housing.
Proceed slowly and watch for any components that are catching. The right side is still attached by a large flex cable.

Push the front housing block slightly up then lift the left side up and away from the housing.

Proceed slowly and watch for any components that are catching. The right side is still attached by a large flex cable.

Step 26

              Check for shims

There may be shims at the mounting points of the front housing block.
Note the positions and remove the shims.

There may be shims at the mounting points of the front housing block.

Note the positions and remove the shims.

Step 27

              Detach mirror motor assembly

De-solder the black wire.
Remove four 3.7 mm #00 screws.
Detach the buzzer from its mounting posts. Use isopropyl alcohol to soften the lacquer if necessary.

De-solder the black wire.

Remove four 3.7 mm #00 screws.

Detach the buzzer from its mounting posts. Use isopropyl alcohol to soften the lacquer if necessary.

Step 28

              Remove mirror motor assembly

Grab the motor and gently wiggle the plate loose.
If it feels stuck, move the sliding plate down, towards the bottom of the camera

Grab the motor and gently wiggle the plate loose.

If it feels stuck, move the sliding plate down, towards the bottom of the camera

Step 29

              Remove mirror motor

De-solder the red and black wires.
Remove two #00 screws.
Use the lettering on the motor to note its orientation. If installed or wired backwards, the motor will spin in the wrong direction.

De-solder the red and black wires.

Remove two #00 screws.

Use the lettering on the motor to note its orientation. If installed or wired backwards, the motor will spin in the wrong direction.

Step 30

              Install new motor gear

Pull off the old gear.
Press the new gear on until about 1 mm of the shaft extends past the end.

Pull off the old gear.

Press the new gear on until about 1 mm of the shaft extends past the end.

Step 31

              Check green and yellow drive gears

The green and yellow gears can sometimes slip off their posts while working with the motor.
Check that the alignment holes are properly synced before installing the mirror motor assembly.
Aperture set lever spring. Note this part for installation of the mirror motor assembly.

The green and yellow gears can sometimes slip off their posts while working with the motor.

Check that the alignment holes are properly synced before installing the mirror motor assembly.

Aperture set lever spring. Note this part for installation of the mirror motor assembly.

Step 32

              Prepare mirror motor assembly for install

Disengage latch so the slide bar can move freely.
Move the slide bar about half way down its total travel.
Let the latch snap back into place so the slide bar is held in the new position.
This ensures that the aperture set lever spring couples properly with the slide bar during reassembly.

Disengage latch so the slide bar can move freely.

Move the slide bar about half way down its total travel.

Let the latch snap back into place so the slide bar is held in the new position.

This ensures that the aperture set lever spring couples properly with the slide bar during reassembly.

Step 33

              Install mirror motor assembly

Install the mirror motor.
Place the left side first. Then swing the right side in, coming up and under the spring loaded lens release.

Install the mirror motor.

Place the left side first. Then swing the right side in, coming up and under the spring loaded lens release.

Step 34

              Charge mirror

Rotate the grey gear downward until the mirror is in the charged/down position.

Rotate the grey gear downward until the mirror is in the charged/down position.

Step 35

              Charge shutter

Push the shutter charge lever upward. You should see the shutter blades move as you do this.
The second picture shows the shutter in the charged position. It may already be in this position and not need charging.

Push the shutter charge lever upward. You should see the shutter blades move as you do this.

The second picture shows the shutter in the charged position. It may already be in this position and not need charging.

Step 36

              Install front assembly block

Gently place the front assembly block. Work it into place until the back of the block is flush to the back of camera.
Proceed with the rest of the re-assembly, following the guide in reverse.

Gently place the front assembly block. Work it into place until the back of the block is flush to the back of camera.

Proceed with the rest of the re-assembly, following the guide in reverse.

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

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Author

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                    Sam Gustafson

Member since: 09/01/2022

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Member-Contributed Guide#

Introduction#

What you need#

Member-Contributed Guide

Introduction

What you need