REPAIR GUIDE - TG16 CD/PCE CD laser swap guide (pictorial)

[Nec.Game.head]

Just did an overhaul on my Tg16 cd player .. Everything went perfectly .. Gears cleaned and re greased !!! This baby is playing way smooth now, no more skipping what so ever !!! Gonna try to get my hands on an extra KS220A laser to save for a future laser swap, once this laser finally dies ..Thank you so much BlackandBlue for posting up this pictorial laser swap guide !!! It was super easy to follow and the pics just made it that much easier to accomplish !!!

[BlueBMW]

Ive got spare replacement lasers if you need one.

[King_Vidiot]

sorry wrong thread

[retrobits]

First off, thanks to all who have contributed to this site and this thread.  Without this info I would be nowhere.

I'm trying to get my TG 16 CD spinning again.  Swapped the old gear with a Keith Courage replacement and also the original laser with a new KSS-225A.

Now it plays CDs (YES!), but only if the drive is tilted or upside down.  I can hear the disc rubbing against the floor of the drive when its right side up.  When I raise the spindle the drive skips more.  I've tried carefully adjusting the pots but the factory settings seem yield the best results (the least amount of skipping). 

How do you guys know the height the spindle should be?

I've tried replacing the original spindle with newer clip type but the motor shaft seems too short and I can't raise the spindle high enough to not drag the disc.  Maybe I need a different motor?

thanks for your help...

[retrobits]

OK, I fiddled around a little more tonight and discovered that it will play my audio discs almost perfectly now if I jam a little piece of paper here as shown:


I'm thinking now that its not the spindle at all, rather something is bent or not assembled correctly.  I'd like to figure out the root cause.  Maybe tomorrow I'll take everything apart again and rebuild.  I am so close... just this mechanical problem. 

There is a disturbance in the force!


EDIT: just to finish my story, I took everything apart and carefully re-assembled.  Nothing is bent that I can detect.  I put the paper back in.  Then I adjusted the pots for a while.  The last 2 pots on the far right (when looking straight into the headphone jack) made the most difference.  Approx 1/8th turn counter-clockwise on both.   Now the unit reads CDs and CDRs without skipping, even while tapping on the side.  I'm thinking now the paper shim is not that bad of a solution.  I just colored it black!  +1 for the dark side.

[thesteve]

when you put the screws holding the springs in there are plastic washers used to adjust the position (height) of the mech
you just need to move/install washer

[retrobits]

Thanks for pointing out the real solution.  My unit did have a single washer installed on one of the spring posts, which I was a little confused about.  I'll pick up some replacements and do some experimenting.

[Keith Courage]

There is only one washer installed by default on the post closest to the center of the drive. The other posts do not have washers from the factory.

[retrobits]

Yes, the center post is where the washer is currently installed.

I did find some replacement fiber washers at Home Depot and am getting ready to get into it again. 

Also, I took apart a dead Gamecube and found what appears to be the perfect spindle.  The hole for the motor shaft extends out from the bottom of the spindle a little so it will press-fit fully onto the shaft.  The other spindles I've tried were just barely mounted on the end of the motor shaft and seemed quite fragile.  If the fiber washers don't work out I will try this.

While its open I thought I should apply some lube. I really don't want to use automotive grease (in any case, I don't have any).  So I also picked up some "Super Lube" silicon grease (Quote from product description: Super Lube Silicone Lubricating Grease with Syncolon® (PTFE) has a wider operating range than petroleum based lubricants; Excellent water protection and moisture barrier. Use on Plastic gears, plastic threads, as a damping medium for Dash Pots, lubricate O-Rings, electrical motor bearings and rubber components. Silicone Lubricating Grease withstands temperatures from -40°F to 500°F.)  It looks pretty good for this application.  Anyone here ever use a similar grease on TGCD?

[raylyd]

Will kss-320 fit looks the same.

[max 330 mega]

i put the replacement gear KC sent me in my turbo cd, but also could not get the tiny screw on the metal plate to remove like some others ive seen have had issue with, so used straight snips to cut it off as flat as i could. reassembled unit, get plenty of RRRRRRRRRR noise, smacked it one time which made the laser meet its end point which actually got it to spin the cd, but no music still. have also opened the unit while it was chirping away to itself and didnt see the laser moving. any ideas? should i just send this to someone and have them fix it? honestly the process was very annoying to me, this was my first time messing with a cd drive. im used to working on arcade machines and replacing caps and what not, but this was a bit too small for my giant shaky hands.

[thesteve]

if you reversed the motor wires (as instructed) the sled is binding or gears not meshing.
roll the motor gear by hand to move the laser sled and the issue should become quite apparent

[Keith Courage]

Max 330 Mega

Sounds to me like you might need to turn your motor upside down. Don't know how or why but in very few instances that new gear doesn't match up perfectly and I think it's either because the lens motor itself is not perfectly straight or the plastic it mounts to isn't. Anyways, I find that turning the motor upside down usually fixes this issue. If not then a shim can be used but I hardly doubt you would need that. I mentioned this briefly in my gear change tutorial.

[gamedoctorhk]

I can get a new version cd lens for work on PC-Engine CD Rom2 consoles , but need to change the connect cable .. I have changed one on my CD Rom2 already .. very very fast load game

[ctophil]

Hi everyone,

Does anybody still have an extra KSS-220A or KSS-225A laser you can sell me or know a U.S. web site I can get one at?  Those lasers are pretty hard to find.  Seems like they are only available in Europe or Canada these days.  I wouldn't mind having one, since my Turbo CD Unit has been loading kinda slow on some games.  Thanks!