I purchased a broken CLD-95 unit, which wouldn't properly eject or move the tray down for the spindle to engage. I cleaned up the gears and belts, and it started working fine, except for being a tad bit noisy when it spins (almost like the disk was just barely hitting something.). It played through a few entire movies, and both A and B sides worked great, and also played an audio CD just fine.

But then the next couple days, after it had been powered off the whole time, I turned it on, and after loading a disk, it did not detect it at all. I also tried it with audio CD's, and it does the same thing. The display just shows all zeros, as if there is no disk in. The laser unit seems to be moving fine along the track, and slides underneath the disk, and then back out, and nothing plays, and the display shows no change (The TV says "Play" but then it goes away after a couple seconds.). I don't hear any noises from motors at all, once the spindle is in place. But I do hear the spindle magnet making contact with the bottom spindle, so it seems like the spindles are engaging properly? I can also spin the disk easily, with my fingers, after it is engaged, so nothing seems locked up.

One thing I noticed, is the unit takes about 30 seconds+ to power off (But this may be normal?).

I'm really hoping it's not a problem with the laser unit! Any ideas as to what the problem might be? This is my first laserdisc player I have ever worked on, so my knowledge is not advanced.

this sounds like a job for Kurtis or Duane aka grasshopper.
both are very knowledgeable with the CLD-95.

If you got zeros on the display it did recognize the disc. My guess is you still have an issue with the loading mechanism. If not that then it is the spindle motor or power supply. I believe the laser is ok

Well, it shows zeros like that, even if there is no disk inside.

When you put in a CD does the front display light CD and LD when a LD in inserted?