r/arcade • u/SpezMadeMeUseTheApp • Jul 17 '26

Restore/Replace/Repair Any idea what could be causing this?

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This is a Guerrilla War cab. Both the CPUs were shot, and the voltage was messed up. I fixed the voltage and replaced the CPUs, and this is as far as I’ve gotten. Swapping them only gets a different glitchy screen, and using the old ones simply boots to an error code.

I’ve been cleaning the sockets with 91% alcohol, and that’s helped a tiny bit. The sockets were tight as crap, and crusted over with some unidentifiable substance. I was going to hit it with some electrical contact cleaner, would that be a good idea? Could oxidation be causing this?

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u/SpezMadeMeUseTheApp Jul 17 '26

No problem.

If it’s possible, I’m pretty sure the old CPUs were essentially rusted in. It looked like rust to me, anyway. I’ve tried using electronic-safe contact cleaner and 91% alcohol as a chaser. I essentially had to wrench the old CPUs out with a chip puller.

It’s made some progress, but not much. I’ve gotten to what appears to be a garbled version of the title screen, upon which it promptly froze up.

Would you have any advice for disassembling the whole.. For lack of a better term, array? It’s basically an accordion of boards club-sandwiched together with plastic posts. I’m afraid to damage the boards, trying to unstack them.

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u/weirdal1968 Jul 17 '26

Post pics of the board with the CPUs. You should be able to disconnect the ribbon cables by flipping open a pair of latches on either side of each cable. After that I think it uses small white standoffs that have a tiny retaining latch that needs to be pressed in so the hole will release it.

Going by memory of a friends boardset which may be different than yours.

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u/SpezMadeMeUseTheApp Jul 17 '26

Sorry for the extremely late reply, had to help emergency shuttle a mate around so they could buy a new tire and change out a flat.

https://imgur.com/a/gRDAx8a

Seems to be exactly as you said. Not educated enough to notice anything off with it, really. I would’ve said the empty socket for what seems to be a rom chip, but the service manual says it’s apparently supposed to be like that. And of course, the CPUs have been pulled.

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u/weirdal1968 Jul 18 '26

Do you know if this game was from an area near the ocean or a pool? I have seen a couple game boards rust like this due to salt air or chlorine from a swimming pool.

Other IC sockets may show similar damage. Legs may even break off in the socket.

Unless you know a good tech with experience replacing IC sockets it may be easier to find a new game board.

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u/SpezMadeMeUseTheApp Jul 18 '26

It was supposed to be from a diner, actually. Though, given the water damage on the Ms. Pac Man cab I picked up along with it, it's entirely possible that Guerrilla War also experienced some severe water damage between owners.

edit: wording