Problem? - "Pink Stuff" on Atari 7800 Motherboard near Diodes CR9 and CR10

[ballyalley]

I opened up my Atari 7800 yesterday to adjust/fix the cartridge guide so that it will accept some third-party cartridges without any problems.  This was a success and I'm happy with the result (even Imagic carts fit the slot without a problem now).  When I was putting the system back together I noticed some sort of pink residue around diodes CR9 and CR10.  Diodes don't leak, and as far as I'm aware, there is nothing in this area that can leak.  The "pink stuff" is only on the component side of the board; there is nothing at all on the solder side of the motherboard.  Does anyone have any idea what this pink stuff might be on the board?

 

Here is a medium-res picture of my 7800's motherboard:

 

 

Here is a close-up of the area with the pink stuff (you should be able to zoom into this picture pretty well):

 

 

This system has worked for a couple of decades without any problems for me.  There has always been an issue with a hissing sound in the background of my games... but I've always thought that it was standard RF interference.

 

I can't tell what the pink substance is (it honestly looks like Pepto Bismol, but it's in a very thin layer).  I'd rather not put the system back together without figuring this out.  I just tested the system and it works fine.

 

Can anyone tell me if this "pink stuff" is a real problem or not?  Also, has anyone ever seen anything like this before on there.

 

Adam

[eightbit]

Looks like some kind of pink silicon seal. Maybe it was always there...passed along into the mainboard by a factory working who was not worried about the quality control I don't think that would cause any issues though. You can always use some isoprop and a q-tip and gently try to clean it off if it bugs you.

[+DrVenkman]

Something spilled on the system in the previous decades that dripped/seeped, maybe. I've never seen a residue like that inside any of my vintage systems.

 

[ballyalley]

10 minutes ago, DrVenkman said:

Something spilled on the system in the previous decades that dripped/seeped, maybe.

 

 

I've managed to clear the pink stuff off the 7800's motherboard using alcohol.  There's still a bit left between a diode and a resistor that I can't reach with a Q-tip, but that's not a problem.  After cleaning away the substance, the board underneath it looks fine.

 

I agree that the pink residue may either have been something spilled onto the board at the factory or a liquid that dripped onto the board in the intervening years. Or, possibly the Little 'ol Atari 7800 had a tummy ache after playing the red-labeled Karateka ("What is this horrid port," says the much-saddened 7800's internal voice, "and who cares what the right way to say the title is of this miserable piece of rubbish.  I need me a bit of Pepto-- and quick!").

 

Thanks to those who answered this question so quickly!

 

Adam