NintendoAge http://nintendoage.com/forum/ -Sqooner *Possible Solution* for new 72 pins that don't work! http://nintendoage.com/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=8&threadid=88135 2012-11-05T16:08:21 -05.00 bennybtl 9 Originally posted by: CaptainPiracy
 Take a normal control deck and place your cartridge in and push it down.  It will pop up slightly.  If you tighten those screws down too much, it has trouble staying down, or won't pop up as much as it used to.
If this happens, it means that you installed the cartridge loader incorrectly. There is a little tab at the front that has to hook around the front of the circuit board. If you don't hook it on, an instead allow it to rest on top of the board, the pressure from the screws and the interference of this tab will warp the cartridge mechanism and cause exactly this problem. If you hook the tab onto the board, you can tighten the screws all the way with no issues.

-Ian
]]> *Possible Solution* for new 72 pins that don't work! http://nintendoage.com/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=8&threadid=88135 2012-11-05T15:41:01 -05.00 bennybtl 9
Actually, I had this issue if you tighten the screws too "TIGHT" on the cart holder. I pretty much tighten then down then back off of them about 1 1/2 turns and they work fine. If you tighten them down all the way, sometimes the cartridges don't want to even stay down and you'll have to jam something in there to keep it down (usually SM\DH cart)

To elaborate a little.  Take a normal control deck and place your cartridge in and push it down.  It will pop up slightly.  If you tighten those screws down too much, it has trouble staying down, or won't pop up as much as it used to.

Hard to explain.. Especialy since I haven't taken one apart in probrably 3 years. :-P ]]> *Possible Solution* for new 72 pins that don't work! http://nintendoage.com/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=8&threadid=88135 2012-11-05T14:06:11 -05.00 bennybtl 9 Originally posted by: RetroHacker

I /have/ run in to one or two defective ones, however - you can see where the molding of the plastic was poor right at the edges, and the center sags a bit.

-Ian

Ian, thanks for the info. This is the first one I've replaced, and I did notice that the plastic appears warped. The tightness of the connector doesn't make it hard to insert or remove games, they just don't make contact. Since doing this last week, I've tried over 2 dozen carts, every single one worked on the first try and never froze while playing, so I'm happy. Next time I order one, I'll be sure to return it if it's warped.

Sticking an "object" in the NES to wedge the game down is something I've seen before. I had a friend that used to stick a screwdriver in the slot to wedge the game down, lol. ]]> *Possible Solution* for new 72 pins that don't work! http://nintendoage.com/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=8&threadid=88135 2012-11-02T11:11:14 -05.00 bennybtl 9
After a while, the tight connector breaks in/loosens up a bit, and becomes a lot easier to insert/remove games from.

The biggest key is to simply keep your games clean, and keep dirt out of the nice clean connector. Clean new games before you play them. Don't destroy the contacts on the cartridges with abrasives.

You will run into the occasional cartridge that just has trashed contacts and will never work reliably, and there's no fixing it, save for replacing the board. Either it was corroded by moisture, or someone tried to "clean" it by grinding off the plating with something abrasive. But by and large, most games can be cleaned up and made to work. Every one the carts in my collection work first time, every time.

-Ian ]]> *Possible Solution* for new 72 pins that don't work! http://nintendoage.com/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=8&threadid=88135 2012-11-02T07:01:51 -05.00 bennybtl 9
But really, a strait type cart slot tilted 10 degrees above the horizon, where you don't press the cartridge down at all, would work wonders. Only problem with making one like that is you would end up breaking the cart and/or connector by trying to force the cartridge down. A pivoting connector design instead of a rigid one like the original, would allow you to bounce the cart up and down all day while maintaining a stable connection without wearing the connector out. ]]> *Possible Solution* for new 72 pins that don't work! http://nintendoage.com/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=8&threadid=88135 2012-10-31T20:44:30 -05.00 bennybtl 9 *Possible Solution* for new 72 pins that don't work! http://nintendoage.com/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=8&threadid=88135 2012-10-31T20:40:26 -05.00 bennybtl 9 Originally posted by: Duke.Togo

Interesting solution. I wish someone would really take care of this problem by just producing a replacement connector that had a normal card edge slot on both ends...


Yeah suprised no one hasn't ditch the pins go for a snug fit. ]]> *Possible Solution* for new 72 pins that don't work! http://nintendoage.com/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=8&threadid=88135 2012-10-31T20:38:07 -05.00 bennybtl 9 *Possible Solution* for new 72 pins that don't work! http://nintendoage.com/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=8&threadid=88135 2012-10-31T20:27:02 -05.00 bennybtl 9  
I read that some of these aftermarket slots are too tight, and another user posted how one of his NES unit only works with the game in the up position! That got me thinking....
 
 
So I took apart my NES and plugged it into a TV. With a handful of carts I've been having trouble with lately, I experiment with holding the cartridge slot in various up positions. Lo and behold, about a 1/4 of the way pressed down, all the games fired up on the first try.
 
I removed the springs from the cart slot mechanism, and cut two short sections of a bic pen shaft, to replace the springs and force the cartridge tray to remain in the up position that I found worked best. I reassembled the NES, and now games work perfect every time. It's quite a simple solution and may work for you!
 
Down Position
Cartridge tray resting on the pen shaft

Up Position
Lifting up the cartidge tray

Assembled
Looking into the assembled NES, you can see the metal cross bar sitting lower, but carts slide right in.
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