Loud & Noisy Sega Dreamcast Easy Fix - Step-by-Step GD ROM lubrication guide HD - Sega DC - Katana

[@MarkFixesStuff]

My step by step HD video on how to quieten a noisy Dreamcast! kzbin.info/www/bejne/gKW2cmmvltKWg6s

[@nashismox3]

Man I just got a Dreamcast from a great seller in Amazon. It has all the labels like new and is in pretty good condition. But yes it reads the games with no problem, BUT, it made such loud noises that I followed your guide. I did exactly, I mean EXACTLY what you did, like perfectly emulating every move of your hand, same amount of grease, just perfectly the same. BUT, the noise is the same! When it boots up, it makes less noise than before, but while in game it sounds just as terrible as before! What can be my issue? Do you have any other tips?? Thanks mate.

[@MarkFixesStuff]

The dreamcast is very noisy anyway to be honest, so it's always going to make a Playstation seem quiet, but did you look at the small fan at all? That can be a source of a lot of background noise if clogged with dust.

[@nashismox3]

Mark Fixes Stuff - Retro Console and Computer Repairs, Reviews and MORE! Thanks mate. But no the fan is incredibly clean, I am actually amazed to see such a well kept console. I've heard of people greasing the "engine". (Sorry I am from Chile, don't know how to call the little engine that moves the sled). Is that safe or even possible? If you know anything, please let me know. Also, am using both original and backup games and both are very noisy.

[@jvdm5412]

Could you use synthetic oil instead

[@Allious131]

I watched your video a year later the dreamcast I got was a goner it skipped on a specific part of ready to rumble and now it strange since I put silicone grease on the motor and everything it quiet but it seems like it's not skipping is it a dying laser or was it the grease causing the issue it's so strange it's playing a lot longer then it has been since I did it it's skipped but after that today when I got home and played it didn't do it at all what do u think it is

[@Astfgl]

I opened up my Dreamcast for the first time to perform this operation and it really did help. I used a silicone oil spray because that's what I had available, and it seems to have done the job just fine. It takes a few minutes of disc activity for the lubricant to fully spread and you can tell the drive is gradually getting quieter. Just a few remarks: - You don't *have* to remove the power supply to get to the GD-ROM drive. I get that it's smart to do so especially if there's still a charge on the capacitors, but I instead left my Dreamcast unplugged for a few days and made sure not to touch any of the power supply components while taking out the drive. That saved me some time and it turned out perfectly fine. - On my GD-ROM drive the laser was resting in its home state, which made it impossible for me to push it to the outside position. Instead I had to lift up the pickup assembly slightly and move the laser from the underside. Now I just need to do something about that noisy fan. Man, the Dreamcast is such a loud console. Next up on my todo list is the Noctua fan mod.

[@charlieg6913]

You can also just cycle the power button a few times with the console unplugged to discharge the capacitors. Quick and easy. No need to wait days. Plus capacitors can hold a charge longer than that.

[@Guitarsoulmadness]

I made this "maintenance tip" a few minutes ago, following your video and after a searching of opinions in a couple of webs. I was expecting a little improvement, but the difference of noise is HUGE :D . Thank you very much for the video.

[@spragzpc1]

Lubrication journey lmfao..my wife walked in right when u said said an gave me a look like wtf lol

[@MarkFixesStuff]

😂😂😂

[@AlfaTrion]

I usually hate long videos for relatively easy procedures but this was 100% no bull and just the best kind of tutorial. Thank you so much, I will try this out as soonas I find some lithium grease.

[@feiwong3634]

This is a godsend, I've been lately playing some DC love and the 20 year old friend makes a noise that nowadays I can't make because I have little kids, and playing late at night it's not good. I'm making this for sure.

[@MarkFixesStuff]

Ah! Sorry I missed this comment! I know that late night problem. I have some old computers with built in beepers and speakers.

[@SEGAGuys]

I have just done this using silicone grease and wow, my Dreamcast (Yamaha drive) doesn’t sound like its trying to tear itself in two. So much smoother and more efficient sounding when reading discs. Thanks again, Mark!

[@iKaGe01]

I actually like that sound :p I actually love the sound when it boots a game. The disc spins up and then it makes a "beep"

[@Sebastian-xy3xk]

Same and the thought of the the Dreamcast ginding your discs xD

[@mikevga_cr]

Hi Mark, I just wanted to thank you for this tutorial. I followed this video (and your other video for reboot issues even if I wasn't having the same exact issue) and I was able to bring my Dreamcast back to life. I replaced the CMOS battery and afterwards my console stooped showing the boot up animation and wasn't loading my backups. I followed your video and now it's working like a charm!!! Less noise, boot up animation works again and my backups are running perfectly now. I really appreciate you taking the time to do this and share it as it was incredibly helpful for me. Greetings from Costa Rica!!!

[@MarkFixesStuff]

Great news! Glad it worked for you and thank you for the feedback!

[@Dagasm]

It definitely made a difference. No more clunk sound at startup and just an overall smoother sound when reading. I don't feel like I'm killing it by using it anymore, lol. Thanks!

[@xMarisca]

You were so helpfull! I bought a dreamcast this Christmas for my boyfriend and we just watched the video and did everything you said and now it works like a charm!!!! :D Thank you!

[@MarkFixesStuff]

You are most welcome Marisa Francisco. The Dreamcast is an EPIC machine! You're right that it's always going to be a loud console but the lubrication in all of them has drive up now so grease not only helps this but prevents excessive wear on the precious GD-ROM mechanism. Happy New Year and thanks for watching!

[@tejp5101]

Cheers Mark. Adding this to the power pins clean and battery / resistor change when I get round to opening my new old DC!

[@claimhsolais3466]

Hey Mark, I've been watching your channel for a while and you're doing a terrific job, I applaud you for all of your efforts. I also wanted to mention that it is possible to further cooling down the CPU and the GPU by adding a custom heat sink, there's a bunch of them which can be utilized for the Dreamcast!

[@charliebeatnik]

Great guide, worked really well for me. If it helps, I had Soul Calibur idling on attract mode before I turned the Dreamcast off. This left the laser head all the way back, so I didn’t have to manually move it into that position. Might work for other people!

[@TinoushGTR]

I had reset issues and is fixed thanks to you. What I didn't know was to reassemble it with the lid open. I did it closed. Didn't break anything luckily.

[@zadock6370]

a video made by someone who actually knows how to make videos and teach people things? what do ya know. you did a great job and I will try this on mine to see if it helps.

[@ddog2995drm]

I tried this today seamed to make most of the hard hitting noise go away definitely can hear the difference and I got to clean the whole system out as well thanks

[@NorwichRetro]

Thanks for a great video. As my Dreamcast is so noisy that it drowns out the audio from the game, I think its time to give this a go.

[@jvmagisano]

Thanks, this and the other posts for Dreamcast repair have brought three game systems back to life.

[@AndehX]

Thank you for this informative video. My Dreamcast has been so noisy for the longest time now, and it never occured to me that you could fix it, until a friend of mine was like "oh gimme 10 mins im just greasing up my Dreamcast" I was like.. "you're what!?" lol Yeah, so needless to say, I've ordered some lithium grease from ebay, and some 2025 batteries and i'll be doing some maintenance next week.

[@kuklama0706]

I remember that comment.

[@dezraj]

Excellent video! The steps are very well documented and both picture and audio are of high quality. Congratulations and thank you for sharing.

[@ClassicReplay]

I never knew this, plus learned something new about replacing the case as well. Great vid and thx!

[@MarkFixesStuff]

I've since been told that the lid up doesn't make a differnce, but it definitely goes on more easily I think. Thank you for watching :)

[@nikhileshsingh3899]

This really helped! the DC is much quieter than before :) Thank you!

[@EugeneLychany]

Thank you a lot, it's one of the most in-depth tutorials I've ever seen. I like your attention to every tiniest detail here. Subscribed.

[@phantom-thief]

This is great, thank you! Just received the dreamcast I ordered off eBay today and it is very noisy. Have ordered some lithium grease as well and will give this a try when that arrives :) Many thanks!

[@MetalHorrorGamer]

i need to do this, and i probably will, but man i always get scared messing with console like this. But Thanks for the great video. very informative. I know this wont make the Dreamcast silent but from your video it sounds a lot better than that nasty grinding noise.

[@tharkthax3960]

I'm away to restore a Dreamcast I got hold of, very very helpful video, thankyou. Love this console. I will do what you have shown and also put some Panasonic FR caps in the power supply. The caps that are there are the FC, excellent quality , but 20years old and been cooking on those heat sinks. Preventative maintenance I would say. Also I'm going to do the battery/fuse mod while I'm at it. You've inspired me thanks again 🙂

[@ilcool90]

Thanks for this video. The drive of my Dreamcast is extremely noisy. I will do the this procedure soon

[@segagirladventurespico]

Just subscribed i am looking for a dreamcast i have seen many times works but makes loud sound when playing disc... and price of dreamcast was around 40 something usd complete with box!

[@Seth4All]

Thanks for this. Still a bit loud, but this definitely helped!

[@ThorStoneGaming]

I used some white lithium grease from a spray can, more of a liquid consistency than gel. Sprayed it into a plastic cup, and applied with a toothpick. Seemed to fix the noise just fine, but i assume it won't last as long as the gel style grease.

[@MarkFixesStuff]

Correct. That's more of a temporary coating.

[@Ghostie.]

How cool, this was exactly what I was looking for. Thanks Mark!

[@tomh.648]

Intro alone = instant sub.

[@ruediix]

Silicon grease is probably better than lithium grease for this. If you want to double things up, and make it last longer, you can put dry silicon lubercant under the silicon grease. This will Additionally you should use (optionally disposable) brushes and/or (disposable) foam swabs instead of cotton swabs and tootpicks, which can leave fibers in your equipment. Cotton swabs can leave fibers all over your equipment. Finally, if your fan is dusty, which if your system gets a lot of use, you might want to take this time to clean it as well. That will improve airflow and reduce noise further. If the fan is starting to wear out you can replace. Just look at it's labels, and order a compatable replacement of equal or higher air volume, the same voltage and the same amp draw or lower (unless you KNOW the board can handle higher amperage.) Preferably you want the same connector, but you can change them out if need be. This information is all generic for any electronic device. As a note, if you break the presense detection switch, you can use a soldering iron to replace it with a jumper.

[@MarkFixesStuff]

Thanks for the input ruediix. Some nice tips there :) Interested in why you prefer Silicone grease over Lithium? I find Lithium is much greasier at room temperature, so would like to know if I'm missing a trick!

[@elamriti]

Mark Fixes Stuff - Retro Console and Computer Repairs, Reviews and MORE! lithium grease has patrolium witch eats plastic !! best to use silicon

[@ruediix]

I have found that silicon grease, while thinner requires less to maintain lubrication and tends to last longer, particularly when exposed to dust that absorbs lithium grease.

[@GT6SuzukaTimeTrials]

ruediix Just use this www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000XBH9HI/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

[@SpeakingJake]

Is there specific reason you pull out the power board? From the video it doesn't look like anything on it is blocking access to removing the drive, but perhaps I missed something.

[@MarkFixesStuff]

Just so you don't stick your hand on it by mistake, because some of the components hold a charge for a while after the console has been powered on. It makes me nervous, but you could do it without removing the PSU. Thanks so much for watching! This is a really old video now!

[@warrenjenkins9246]

I just pick up a new to me dreamcast and wow is it noisy will not be after this weekend cheers for the tip was not 100% on how to do this but I am now

[@MarkFixesStuff]

Awesome! I'm glad to help and thank you so much for watching and taking the time to comment!

[@cheerubebayonettaholopaine2638]

well done! i still love dreamcast since it was born 😋 very easy to understand and very professional told. i watched it because it was fun to me, because my dreamcast still works. 😀 thanks!

[@MarkFixesStuff]

Thank you for your kind comments and thank you for watching.

[@Mr357]

Great video! This was easy as hell and worked wonderfully!

[@joridehoog]

Ok, thank you, got something to do this afternoon, great video

[@MarkFixesStuff]

Any time Jori. Hope it went well?

[@Vitoamiibo]

what did you use the alcohol for tho?

[@SwainyAtRetroAsylum]

I might have this give this a try soon, cheers Mark!

[@MarkFixesStuff]

Thanks for having a look Dean Swain. It definitely makes a difference. Had a good session of Soul Calibur after this video.

[@TheRetroBros81]

I just did this to my Dreamcast and I could not believe the difference

[@Peyre]

Thanks for the video. Helped me out perfectly.

[@AlexGamer67]

Used this to grease up my gd rom drive and it sounds way nicer.

[@AxelStone]

When I get all the stuff I need, I might try this! thanks.

[@MarkFixesStuff]

You should! It's a good preventative measure. :)

[@AxelStone]

@@MarkFixesStuff will a WD-40 spray also work?

[@MarkFixesStuff]

Axel Stone no sir! WD40 is a degreaser. You need plastic safe silicone lubricant (no mineral oil) and you’ll be good to go.

[@AxelStone]

@@MarkFixesStuff allright, I ordered it, for the help man :-)

[@MarkFixesStuff]

Axel Stone good stuff. Thanks for watching my video too!

[@Masterf360]

Thank you so much for this informative tutorial! :) my Dreamcast works like a charm now ^^ Greetings from Germany :))

[@MarkFixesStuff]

Danke fürs Zuschauen MasterF360!

[@od0Ibb]

the laser head wouldn't budge for me so i had to load up a game and cut the power hoping it had moved far enough over that i could flip it over and wind the gear manually

[@KoSLoW27]

You recommand lithium grease but you link Silverhook SGPGT90 wich is silicon grease... same thing ?

[@MarkFixesStuff]

Since I made the video I found the silicon grease which is better and even safer for rubber and plastics. Thanks for watching!

[@KoSLoW27]

@@MarkFixesStuff thank you !

[@PowerUpJay]

Great video! I'll definitely do this to my DC in the near future.

[@danstokoe4285]

Done this today with my Dreamcast and also my Sega Saturn. Great guide. Ordered my lithium grease last week for £2 you get enough to do this job at least 10 times. Haven't used the consoles properly but they seem alot quieter when i turned them on with a disc in. The Sega Saturn is a doddle to do the same thing with even easier than the Dreamcast might be worth doing the same vid for the Saturn mark?

[@MarkFixesStuff]

Dan Stokoe Yeah, might do one for the Saturn....

[@ashbelero]

I'm doing this because my Dreamcast is so loud that the white noise messes with my partner's tinnitus, so he makes me put a folded towel on top of the console... which obviously makes it quite warm (it's sitting on a milk crate to vent from below). I'll update when I've finished. Thanks!

[@ashbelero]

Update: I think I tanked it. We’re trying to figure out what went wrong… I might have to say goodbye.

[@ashbelero]

Update again: Someone told me to remove the fan as it’s not necessary but it powers off if it doesn’t read the fan there, so the fan stays. Everything works! Thanks man!

[@johnbess7320]

Great vid man well done!

[@Elmille]

Thanks man. Video was tits! Just made my Dreamcast sound not like garbage.

[@MarkFixesStuff]

Great stuff! Glad to hear it :)

[@RedSupernovaX]

Thanks this is just what I needed! Just wondering though, how bad is the shock from the power supply? I'm kinda scared to do it because of that lol

[@psyvientx7407]

Wait a day with out plugging it in, it is a hard shock!! If it has charge, So do that so the charge on the caps dies out

[@davidec.8149]

My best friend bought a used Dreamcast that make really loud noise (just like the one you reproduce at the end of the video) so I'm really interest in this video. I wonder, it is really necessary to remove the motherboard in order to grease the optical unit? I see I should open the optical and grease the interior then the wheels on the cd opener, am I right? Thanks for your help with this video!!!

[@MarkFixesStuff]

No, you can just grease the unit as is. I went a bit overboard taking out the PSU etc. Just don't touch it and make sure it's unplugged!

[@deelease5470]

Hi Mark - this solution worked perfectly! do you know a similar fix for the Wii disc drive? thanks!

[@MarkFixesStuff]

Not that I know of at the moment! I'll look into it soon :)

[@RallyDon82]

I got mine back in October 99 launch day and the drive sounded like it was about to break right from that first day i played it and yet it's still going strong with the same noisy drive. I've a sneaky feeling most of the noise is from that motor that drives the worm gear.

[@MarkFixesStuff]

Yes, it's definitely seek noise from the worm gear.

[@RallyDon82]

having just had a look at the thought occured of applying a small drop of electric shaver oil in the actual motor might help the noise further.

[@MarkFixesStuff]

Modern motors shouldn't really need oiling, but it shouldn't cause any problem unless you drown it.

[@RallyDon82]

yeah chances are it wont do a thing to improve it as its been this noisy since day one, oh well.

[@MarkFixesStuff]

On my (four!!) Dreamcasts, the main noise has been form the head carriage moving along the worm gear, rather than the motor, so lubing that up has had a positive effect on the noise level. Still a noisy little bugger, but doesn't sound like it's going to take off!

[@roberttreadwell7608]

love your vids mark mate...

[@MarkFixesStuff]

Thank you Robert :)

[@harveyjones4002]

Amazing video. Love this thanks. The code for the grease you've put (SGPGT90) is for 'silicone' grease not lithium grease as you said in the video. Which one should I go for? Thanks

[@MarkFixesStuff]

Hi Harvey and thanks for watching. The link in the description is the updated version of what I use now. The sillicone grease is even better and still safe for plastic and rubber.

[@harveyjones4002]

@@MarkFixesStuff superb to know. Thanks!

[@harveyjones4002]

@@MarkFixesStuff Hey got the lube and had a great time lubricating the mechanism thanks again! While I was there I thought that I'd pop some lubricant on the spindle of the fan too. And it worked a treat! Significantly reduced noise. I've done this in the past with sewing machine oil but with not much luck, this stuff really helped. Maybe that could be an idea for a future video! Cleaning and lubricating the fan.

[@marditotama4955]

hi Mark great video, and nice Zoom!... i bought my first Dreamcast in 2000, orange box (Rev 1 made in japan)... in the year 2003 i got the GD ROM card problem (Chip BA5986FM) ... not replacement parts in that moment at the tech-shop, so i just put that dramcast in my room as a trophie or ornament in my room, so this year i said... "Lets save my dreamcast" i will try to fix it ... so i did it my dreamcast is working again after 13 year... BUT!!!... it dont play backup games, and used to!... just playing Retailed games "BUT" the background music sticky (like scratched music CD´s) but that dont affect gameplay, in fact sometimes the background music start again :S and sometimes just dont play any music ... the GDRoms are like new any scratch because are like a treasure for me... has you ever heard something like that??? thanks a lot! :)

[@marditotama4955]

Oh thank you very much for your answer, i forgot to tell you that in retailed games "cinematics" like mpeg cinematics happens the same... the video stick but in this case i have to open the GD tray to stop because it hang, very weird, as you said maybe lens is the problem it was 13 years saved with any use... and yes the backup game is 13 years old as well ( my first backup of JetGrindRadio) maybe it is time to make a new one... i will do the glass cleaner stuff, i´ll let you know the results..thanks again! :)

[@maskedcommand3r547]

Id do it but I was really lucky to get a hold of mine and I dont trust myself doing it to my one and only Dreamcast! If I got another one Id try it!

[@HitmonleeDeluxe]

I just did this with ceramic grease which I use all the time for n64 joysticks, and I didn't really hear a significant difference in sound, maybe a little bit more quiet, but not by much. Oh well, at least its good for the gears!

[@imquiet6562]

I like taking things apart since I'm a kid I fix a lot of my own stuff most of the time the right way my question is is white lithium grease is okay or should I get what you have is there anything corrosive or dangerous that will damage my antique I'm just curious I don't have medium grease I have white lithium thanks for your help and the awesome video

[@lifesprototype]

I opened mine with the lid closed and it was fine, and then I saw this video about 2-3 weeks after-I must of been lucky HA!

[@videogameobsession]

Very nice to see there is a way to quiet down all of the grinding noises of the Dreamcast. Will the grease in the gears attract and stick to dust causing issues down the road?

[@MarkFixesStuff]

+videogameobsession No more than the original lube, and no lube at all will cause the gears to wear.

[@harrisontashjian752]

A Dreamcast psu as well as the saturns, will almost never have a charge unless the console was just on, this is because the power button switches the ac current going into the Dreamcast or Saturn, turning it off is the same as unplugging it, the caps will discharge almost instantly because the console is pulling power from them even when switched off

[@AmigoAzul]

Great video! Thank you very much my friend!

[@MarkFixesStuff]

You’re welcome and thank you for watching!

[@brandicus]

Thanks for this. Helped me in 2020

[@hwanniggles187]

Will any silicone grease work?

[@MarkFixesStuff]

Yes, but make sure it is plastic safe (low mineral oild content). Thank you so much for watching!

[@MetroidFreak12]

So my dreamcast has started to make these noises and refuses to load and GD-roms. It will try to spin them but takes forever to get going. Will this help, because my DC started making these noises when it stopped loading games.

[@chadcc7338]

thanks for your video very helpful, subscribed!

[@MarkFixesStuff]

Thanks for subscribing Chad CC, it's much appreciated. More Dreamcast videos to come soon!

[@kareemfarrag9713]

Is there an alternative for n64 controller joystick butter?

[@kareemfarrag9713]

Is there an alternative for grease ?

[@7LiquidSnake]

I may try this. A question, I also have Soul Calibur, I noticed during certain parts of the game (eg the fight) the console would a continuous whirring noise. It wasn't so loud, but noticeable. Would this process help that, or is this strictly for game launching?

[@MarkFixesStuff]

That sounds like it's probably fan noise rather than optical drive noise. A dirty fan can be really noisy. There are fan mods too, like the "Noctua Fan Mod". Thank you for watching my video, I really do appreciate it :)

[@7LiquidSnake]

@@MarkFixesStuff I am in the process of purchasing the goods for the noctua fan mod. Back to my point, with a lot of games there was not any noise, it just so happens that certain parts of Soul Calibur had this noise...could it be the game is "too hot to handle" for the lens?

[@telmnstr]

Heads up, I had a Dreamcast that was noisy and there is an issue where the gear on the motor has a hairline crack. This causes it to not mate correctly with the other gear

[@MarkFixesStuff]

Interesting! There is a similar issue with the 3DO FZ1 and a resin 3d printed gear can fix that!

[@infographyst]

Very helpful thanks! I used Silicon grease instead of Lithium since I read that it last longer and also lithium may damage plastics after a while, I dont know if it's true in this case, Silicon grease was a lot more expensive though, ~20$ in France when Lithium grease was like ~8$.

[@Skull_Gun]

From what I read online certain kinds of Lithium grease can damage plastics depending on brand, like you I went for some Silicon "Shin-Etsu G-40M" grease to be safe.

[@dreamcast3607]

Could you please post a link for the grease?

[@MarkFixesStuff]

Here you go! amzn.to/31r5Wsj SGPGT90 - It's what I use now.

[@dreamcast3607]

@@MarkFixesStuff is there any way you could recommend one in the United States maybe do a search for silicone grease. This one ordering for me cost $25

[@EmmettLBrown2015]

This is great! Thank you!!!

[@MarkFixesStuff]

Glad you liked it!

[@dochmbi]

Hey. I want to do this. Im worried about the capacitors, would prefer not to die. So, if i wait long enough do the caps drain out on their own? Is there any safety precations i can take to prevent a shock?

[@CeejYo64]

What kind of screwdriver do I need can you recommend one

[@MarkFixesStuff]

Standard #2 Philips

[@scottykeyboard5196]

The "Seegaaaaaaauauauuaua" at the end was scary as fuck

[@BurntRAM]

why exactly do you need to remove the power supply? seems like it'd be much easier to go straight for the rom

[@MarkFixesStuff]

To be honest I don't really remember that far back, but as a general rule I remove exposed power supplies so I don't stick my clumsy fingers on a carged coil or capacitor. Thanks you for watching the video by the way. Have you done this to your DC?

[@BurntRAM]

@@MarkFixesStuff im about to. watched your vid on how to do it! 😏

[@unrealdevon]

I really want to know what grease you used so I can buy some.

[@datto240z]

Worked like a charm! I used bulb grease though...same shit! Thank you!

[@MarkFixesStuff]

Cheers for watching mate!

[@MetalHorrorGamer]

oh and does any kind of lithium grease OK or what. Is there any brand you would suggest?

[@ReviewUA-jy7xi]

It seems to have the same off-color middle gear as the one in the PC Engine CDROM2 that is notorious for its brittleness. I wonder if this is a feature of all these specific types of motors. Is it purposely made out of a different material than the gears beside it?

[@MarkFixesStuff]

I never noticed that before, but you are right. I think it's a kind of nylon?

[@ReviewUA-jy7xi]

Mark Fixes Stuff - Retro Console and Computer Repairs, Reviews and MORE! Well, I'm pretty sure the ones beside it are very tough POM (polyoxymethylene) gears, as most plastic gears are. The middle gears in the PC Engines obviously are not, as I have had them crumble like cheese in between my fingers. I'm thinking that they use a different material to reduce noise, as I am told the replacement POM middle gear makes the PC Engine CD louder than stock. So maybe the Dreamcast would be even louder (!) with an all POM gearset.

[@doomisforu]

Great video, but how long do u think the grease will last on average?

[@johnbess7320]

Ok how do u use that thing u called screwdriver.

[@m0rShh]

righty tighty, lefty loosey

[@MizfitZer0]

Just did this today... sadly it still sounds like it is going to explode every time it loads... playing grandia 2 is kinda painful because it is so voice heavy in battle and every time i select an attack the dreamcast goes wild with its noise... just wish i knew how to make it more quiet as i swear it never used to be so loud... i used to play dreamcast religiously for years and years and don’t remember ever having to turn my tv up to try and drown out the systems noise... is there something else i could try does anyone know? Or is it just something that cannot be fixed?

[@MarkFixesStuff]

It's just a noisy git. Maybe consider a GDEMU?

[@MizfitZer0]

@@MarkFixesStuff whats that exactly???

[@MarkFixesStuff]

@@MizfitZer0 GDEMU is an SD card replacement for the optical drive.

[@BagoZonde]

I used to keep my Dreamcast under a shelf... I remember old good times when I played Dreamcast in secret so my parents were not aware of that around 3 am... For this one, I used additionally a pillow :D.

[@kaneel]

Just how dangerous is touching the PSU if you're a little bit left handed?

[@kaneel]

@Mark Fixes Stuff I must add: it's not a joke, I'm asking for real, don't like being electrocuted this much… if the DC has not been fired since December, for example, how much electrocution are we talking about?

[@MarkFixesStuff]

It will be a very small shock if any after all that time. What we are talking about is the coils that "store" some electricity and if you touch the terminals it will discharge to your hand. You can wear some rubber glove though to be safe. Since december it will be near zero or zero.

[@kaneel]

@@MarkFixesStuff near zero to zero is acceptable considering I hold the power of redheadness (supposedly more resistant to electric shocks, do whatever you want with that info :D)

[@epitomeofoops]

I find the fighter jet noise of the exhaust fan to be FAR more irritating than the optical drive! Far more concerning too, for the health of my ears, that is! My model is the early production one, with the metal heatsink apparatus. And it seems that no one has created a solution for replacing it with something quieter, not yet anyway. It would be lovely to play Dreamcast games without wearing headphones to block the high pitched fan noise out.

[@MarkFixesStuff]

Yes, that's a WHOLE other subject!

[@epitomeofoops]

@@ReveriePass Last I checked, that mod only fits in late production models that had the simpler fan. Mine has a fan inside of a large metal heat sink. It's also connected to the board with two wires instead of three (no speed control I believe, just voltage and ground, board doesn't have a spot for the third wire anyway), and the innards are arranged a little differently, so it won't quite fit. That's why I haven't done anything with it yet.

[@Aaronhouston33]

This is nothing like my 1998 launch day Dreamcast from Japan

[@kennethshiro9500]

what about silicone grease on the plastic parts, and clock lubricant on the metal?

[@MarkFixesStuff]

Silicone grease is fine. Clock lubricant is probably a bit over the top, bu the synthetic stuff would be fine as it's plastic safe.

[@kennethshiro9500]

@@MarkFixesStuff yeah it says it's synthetic.

[@MarkFixesStuff]

@@kennethshiro9500 It's OK to use then!

[@danstokoe4285]

When I did this today I didn't bother removing the power supply as I couldn't see a benefit or reason why it needed to be I was wondering why you advised this? I know you highlight other issues like the random reset problem I also fixed the sane way you did but did you remove it to discuss other issues and how to fix them or for some other reason?

[@MarkFixesStuff]

Dan Stokoe Because the caps in the PSU still hold quite a nasty charge. In this video I removed it so that if people get a shock they can't blame me, but of course it doesn't *need* to be taken off.

[@danstokoe4285]

But by removing the power supply doesn't that mean actually handling the power supply board which...in effect presents more opportunities to touch the capacitors or the metal solder points underneath?

[@danstokoe4285]

Thanks for clearing this up anyhow keep up the good work mate.

[@MarkFixesStuff]

There's plenty of "hot points" on the topside of the board as well. I just find it safer to remove and set it aside personally, but it's a matter of choice.

[@danstokoe4285]

l8nightboy1 isn’t that like picking something up that’s on fire to move it away from yourself to avoid getting burnt?

[@gbilo24]

Can I use Lithium grease instead?

[@MarkFixesStuff]

If it's specifically marked as plastic safe, yes. The Lithium is not a problem but the "base" of the grease can be!

[@gbilo24]

@@MarkFixesStuff Thanks a lot!

[@baboolah]

It seems all I can find locally (or even online) is white lithium grease as opposed to the one you use in the video. Would that be fine to use as well?

[@MarkFixesStuff]

Yep. Any grease OK.

[@joshspencer3886]

What are the specs on that grease and where can I get some ?

[@Viper-jr4sp]

Hey so my spindle has a bit of gunk not too much but is it ok to clean it with a Q Tip with Isopropyl Alcohol I just cleaned my spindle on my PS2 by gently giving it little swipes towards me and works fine is it ok with the Dreamcast?

[@MarkFixesStuff]

The gunk is the old lube that has dried up. Clean it off and replace it.

[@DavideNastri]

Is it ok to use white lithium grease on the gears?

[@MarkFixesStuff]

As lithium is based on petroleum, it tends to speed up rubber and plastic components decay.

[@danstokoe4285]

I dont think my Dreamcast was that noisy to start off with...certainly not as quiet as other consoles but nothing i would call a grinding. Its worth doing this to avoid wear and tear on the mechanical side of the optical drive I do think that things seem to load slightly quicker since i did this but that could be just me.