VERY dirty n64 carts...need help..

[blastermaster]

I have maybe 17 carts here that have a bad greenish (sometimes black) on the contacts. I need a way to clean this off. I have used WD-40 and alcohol quite a few times, but it seems to be doing nothing, any ideas?

 

 

thanks!

 

 

~Jon

[Famicoman]

Have you checked the insides?

[moycon]

Whoa! For a minute there I thought maybe someone found some Mystique carts for the N64.

 

Beat Em and Eat Em 64?

[MegaManFan]

ne146 is dreaming about it right now. After all N64 is only 5 away from being an N69.

 

Anyway, 70/30 and q-tips. It works on every cart based system I've ever had.

[Atariboy]

Sounds like these will need more than just alcohol and q tips.

 

Maybe a very fine sandpaper?

[MegaManFan]

I've had carts that turned the q-tips green when cleaned, but they still worked when I was done. Unless there is thick viscous sludge pouring out of them when they're held straight up, I can't imagine it's THAT bad.

[shadow460]

Tilt the Q tip a little bit so that the bottom of the cotton part is rubbing the end of the contacts. I find that if this part's dirty, the games work less often.

 

Your other option is to lightly scrape the contacts with a blade. Using a straight blade of some kind, gently scrape the contacts lengthwise (push the blade in towards the black dust guard). That will remove most anything from the cart contacts. Opening the cart and removing the circuit board makes this process easier. A small pair of wire or toenail cutters works to remove the "screws" if you don't have a gamebit driver handy.

 

I'm assuming you stuck these into your N64 to test them, so once you get the carts clean, load one of 'em up with alcohol, then insert and remove it from the N64 a few times to clean the contacts in the system.