strange happening with my 2600

[crazylegs]

I just bought a black 4 switch 2600 at Goodwill. It works, but strange things will be missing from the games. Say, if you plug in Pacman the whole game will work like normal, but Pacman himself will be missing. Something is missing from every game. I think this means that the machine is dirty, but how do I clean it? No Q-tip will fit in that tiny slot. I hope this question has not been asked before. I searched the sight for a similar problem, but could not find one.

Thanx, crazylegs

[+-^CrossBow^-]

There are a number of ways...to clean those contacts...

 

On my heavy sixer I had to two things. First I had to reform the contacts using a jeweler's small tip flat blade screwdriver. I adjust those to within 2-3 millimeters of each other. Then I took an old Pacman cart..ironically enough there. And taking just the pcb portion...I wrapped some thin felt on it...and coated that with some alcohol.

 

On my 7800 I had to take more extremes. My 7800 had been left out in a seperate building garage where moisture had heavily corroded the contacts. I did the jeweler's screwdriver on it...and then too some very very fine grit sand paper...like you use for lapping down CPUs with. And folding that to about the same thickness as a carts pcb would be...I ran that across the contacts several times...and up and down several times..till I saw the "Gold" shining again. Then it with some compressed air to remove the residue...and finally cleaned with the felt alcohol. That 7800 works better than new. The ultimate way to clean these contacts is really to somehow use a "Pink Lady" brand eraser...and really go at them. But that would be impossible given how the cart slots are made.

 

Works great on Cart contacts though..

 

Hope that helps. Anybody else with some better ideas..feel free to jump in.