Genesis 2 expansion pins - darkened?

[Chuplayer]

I recently got two Genesis 2 consoles, and both of them have some sort of substance covering their pins. I am able to scrape it off, but it isn't on my older Genesis 2 that I grew up with in the 90s.

 

 

Does anybody know what's going on here? It is on both of these systems that I got, and I've never seen anything like this before. The plastic PCB cover as well as the enclosure cover were in place, too.

 

(If you notice a bit of discoloration on the PCB just to the top of the center of the pins, you'd be right. This board is water damaged and doesn't work, but the other console I got looks pristine inside and works fine yet still has this substance covering the pins.)

Edited September 23, 2011 by Chuplayer

[nathanallan]

Mine are like that, too, so far it seems operational even though it's on it. Not sure if it's from a factory or discoloration or something that happened over time.

[Majestic_Lizard]

I recently got my original Sega Genesis and Sega CD back from an ex-friend who tried to sell them at a garage sale. The Genesis was in very poor condition and I had to disassemble it, replace a few capacitors, and clean the cartridge slot. After I did all that it would not work with the Sega CD. I examined the expansion port and it appeared that some type of organic material was growing on the expansion port teeth and possibly actually eating the metal pins.

 

I did the following:

1. Dabbed Brasso on the metal teeth with a Q-tip.
   
2. Thoroughly rubbed the teeth with a handkerchief until the teeth turned black.
   
3. Got a clean handkerchief and rubbed the black goo off.
   
4. Got coffee filters and dabbed them in alcohol.
   
5. Thoroughly rubbed off any substance remaining on the metal teeth
   
6. Let dry
   

 

Now my repaired Genesis works fine with the Sega CD unit. This is the same technique I've used to repair all of my game cartridges and hucards over the years. It you do it right, it is not a problem. If do it wrong you can damage things. You have to be thorough.

Edited October 15, 2011 by Majestic_Lizard