Garbled TMCC RS4 sounds - cause?

Try something like Deoxit D5 on the contacts of the two PLCC chips, that should resolve the quick return of the garbled sounds.  Your issue appears to be the classic case of oxidation of the contacts on the chip causing poor connections in the sockets.

gunrunnerjohn posted:

Try something like Deoxit D5 on the contacts of the two PLCC chips, that should resolve the quick return of the garbled sounds.  Your issue appears to be the classic case of oxidation of the contacts on the chip causing poor connections in the sockets.

Thanks for the quick response. I am going to have to lay my hands on a chip extractor (don't know where mine has got to) as I can't risk damaging the contacts with no replacement Daylight chips or indeed audio boards appearing any more on Lionel's replacement parts site.  

You should NEVER try taking these chips out without the proper tool, it's very likely you will break the socket trying to pry them out without using the correct extraction tool.

The boards are readily available, the chips not so much.

I have tracked down the RS4 audio boards now; chips are a different story.

But it’s just as well I found spare boards; on putting a magnifying lens to the socket on the other side of the one I pictured, it already has a hairline crack. That might have been there before or happened when I took it off/put it on the radio board. I assume however that might be the source of the problem.

Try pressing the on the chips with your fingers.

Sometimes that is all it takes.

Put a small drop of ca glue in the crack to stabilize it.

Carl beat me to it.  Put the CA on it, then firmly clamp it and leave it for a few hours.  That should fix it.

Don't glue the chips in the socket !        Transfer the chips to a new RS4 board.          j

Thanks all. I won't do anything until I get my hands on an extractor, take the chips out and then deal with the split in the socket. 

John, we're not suggesting gluing the chips to the socket!  We're just suggesting gluing the socket together, and yes, you take the chip out, apply the CA into the crack, and then clamp the socket and let it thoroughly dry.

gunrunnerjohn posted:

John, we're not suggesting gluing the chips to the socket!  We're just suggesting gluing the socket together, and yes, you take the chip out, apply the CA into the crack, and then clamp the socket and let it thoroughly dry.

John,  Did not think you were but the possibility of misinterpretation existed.                j