Cartridges Missing Gold Plating on Contacts

[IntellivisionDude]

I foolishly bought some broken games off Ebay hoping they just needed a good cleaning. But just my luck all the games really didn't work. A couple of the games, the gold on the contacts are completely worn away and missing in spots. Is this fixable? Is it worth the trouble in trying to fix? I might just take my losses and move on. Or just re-sell them broken. lol

 

But any help would be appreciated.

[Seob]

Only thing i can think of is to desolder the game rom and put it on a compatible cartridge from a dirt cheap and common game. But only if the games you got are uncommon ones otherwise younwould need to buy a other one.

[AtariLeaf]

Not expensive or rare games I hope.

[Seob]

Here is a guide that my help you fixing it. Not easy.http://www.circuitrework.com/guides/4-0.shtml

[IntellivisionDude]

Thanks for the replies. Fixing them is beyond my expertise so i will probably sell them to someone else with experience.

 

The games were not too rare except a Pokemon Yellow for the Game Boy, Super Mario All Stars + World for the Snes and Mario Kart on the N64.

 

Pokemon Yellow may be fried since the contacts look great and shiny. But the Mario is one of the ones missing contacts. Mario Kart may be fried as well.

 

I wasted $23.50 on 8 broken games. Not the end of the world.

[Rex Dart]

I wonder if tinning the contacts with a bit of solder would do any good. Probably not the best idea chemically, but it might give you enough time to determine if the game cart works or if it has other flaws. I wouldn't mind taking that Mario Kart 64 off your hands to see.

Edited October 7, 2013 by Rex Dart

[IntellivisionDude]

I wonder if tinning the contacts with a bit of solder would do any good. Probably not the best idea chemically, but it might give you enough time to determine if the game cart works or if it has other flaws. I wouldn't mind taking that Mario Kart 64 off your hands to see.

 

The contacts on Mario Kart look fine, there be something else wrong with it.

[Osgeld]

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3964901

[mkiker2089]

Total noob but shouldn't it be pretty easy to recoat them? I mean they have kits where people can gold coat anything from their teeth to a baby's poo. I realize you'd need to be more careful but still.

 

How does the gold wear off anyway? I've never seen that and I have some ancient and heavily used carts. Was it too aggressive of a cleaning product maybe?

[Osgeld]

its just copper foil laminated to a fiberglass board, they can just peel off, mind you its really hard, look at all your carts going into metal teeth all the time, but once you get it started you can peel it like the skin of a grape

Edited October 8, 2013 by Osgeld

[goldenegg]

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3964901

 

This is exactly what's needed. It's a product all retro gamers should have.

[IntellivisionDude]

Just in case anybody was wondering how bad a games contacts can get, i took a couple pictures of Mario All Stars + World. Wonder what the hell the previous owner did to get it this bad. lol

 

 

 

[IntellivisionDude]

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3964901

 

That would replace the missing contacts?

[Seob]

I would say that the contacts look very dirty, not missing. or are the dark spots the missing contacts?

[carlsson]

I don't know the SNES, but some other systems (e.g. VIC-20) don't always have every pin connected, and thus the fingers were removed from factory. I suppose this isn't the case here though.

[Kiwi]

I can't help thinking maybe that the guy stripped off the gold on purpose to turn that gold into cash.

[Osgeld]

I misunderstood, I thought the contacts were completely gone

 

they dont look missing it just looks like the plating is corroded off, a light rubbing with a nylon scowering pad would clean it up but its a good idea to replate them in something so the exposed copper doesnt turn green with oxidization. I would use liquid tin, but its kind of expensive unless you use it regularly (as you can reuse the liquid many times over) and its quite the harsh stuff to have around (metal diluted in acid)

 

http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/MG-Chemicals/421-125ML/?qs=nnh8%2FA0SuH%252b8QKP09Tme9Q%3D%3D&gclid=CNzEk82wiLoCFapr7AodaiwAtA

Edited October 8, 2013 by Osgeld

[IntellivisionDude]

The gold look worn off to me. I just can't get a good picture of them with my camera. This is the best picture i could get.

 

[Wickeycolumbus]

Have you tried cleaning them with rubbing alcohol? I've also had success using a good pencil eraser on them. The pictures may be deceiving, but it looks like there is still metal there. I think any attempt to repair/replace the contacts would be overkill, but you should definitely try cleaning them if you haven't.

[IntellivisionDude]

Yes they are as clean as they are gonna get. I cleaned them with De-Oxit.

[IntellivisionDude]

Yeah my camera does suck, they do look different in person then they do in pictures.

 

I probably won't mess with the games. I was mainly just curious on what could be done.

[Osgeld]

we are in the same state if you wanna pay for mail I can replate the contacts for you, though they wont be gold